The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1884-11-07

more than a week without result.
"Finally one of these parties, com
posed of three Of the best frontiersmer
in the country, came suddenly upon
the fugitives in rocky canon in the
Businesses Of the Needle Mountains
shortly after daybreak, Just as they
were making preparations for rude
breakfast Calling upon them to sur
render, they were answered by avolley
of shots, which were at once returned
The battle being one of life or death,
the firing lasted some minutes without
result, when one of the desperadoes
fell mortally wounded. The others,
apparently a man and u boy, kept up
the firing until their ammunition was
exhausted, when they were compelled
perforce to surrender. They were Ia.
ken back to the camp or main rendez.
vous of the pursuing party, together
with the body of the dead man. There
it was proposed to lynch the survivors,
when singular thing happened. The
boy, who appeared to be not over
eighteen years of age and of fair com
plexion and long hair, addressed the
assemblage about as follows Gentle
men, suppose we have not very long
to live, but before you carry your pur-
pose into execution allow me to say
that this man was innocent of any COM
plicity in the murder, but that the man
who is dead and myself killed him, and
your vengeance should fall upon me
the only guilty one living
"The clear, musical, pleading voice,
the long hair streaming in the wind,
and the bright, sparkling
eyes, which glowed win animation
aud We're suffused with tears
during the appeal, produced an i'm
preston upon these rough men for
which they at the time could not ac
count. AT the conclusion, however,
the other prisoner suddenly started up
and said Gentlemen, don't believe
the story told you. This is my wife,
who from her devotion to unworthy me,
has accompanied me in all my wander
lngs dressed in the garb of man. She
has in many desperate encounters saw
ed my life and though delicately rear
ed, has shared in all the hardships,
dangers and privations of my iough
life and not only had no share in the
transactions of that evening, but would
have prevented them could she have
done so. Don't believe her she would
save my life at the expense of her
own
"This streak of manliness. in a ma
ture so apparently mean rathered stag
gered the men in their intentions for q
few moments, but presently some of
the leaders remembering their purpose,
ordered that preparations should at
once be made for the hanging
of the man. Suddenly the woman
sprang up like a tigress about
to be deprived of her young, and
snatching pistol from the belt of enc
of the men, defed them to hang her
husband then, in another spirit, she |
fell on her knees and piteously prayed
the stern men before her to spare her
love, her life. The appeal was most
piteous and affecting, and at its close
she fell into dead swoon. Carrying
her to one side, the ghastly prepara-
tions were soon completed, and but
d few minutes later the body Of Jack
Maitland was swinging in mid air, and
the punishment for the cruel crime
which had been committed was COM
plete. The wife was conveyed to town,
and after. lowering between life and
death for weeks finally recovered suffi-
ciently to be sent home to her friends
in the East. who proved to be people
Of wealth and standing" l