West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1884-12-05

fellow with face that might index the
soul of n iiend Moderated in his native
tongue agains; all the participators I'm
that act Soon IL came out that thera
were thirty.three members uf the band
operating otherwherbs. This awful
Charley was the lieutenant. He vowed
death TO Judge, jury, and all conserncd.
This being Interpreted fired the pop-
ulace. Prudence forbade the further
execution of the sentence. i, ., hanishs
ment from the diEgingS. Ii would have
been like letting pack of blood-hounds
loose to prey upon the villagers. The
excitement was attended by the most
tormenting anxiety, as the court sat
with open doors day after dav. deter.
mined TO do nothing rashly. Men were
out i'm all directions. travelling slowly
and on foot, yet getting over ground,
notifying all To- come and loOk at the
prisoners, vino did not seem to be un-
easy, being confident they would not
hang without clear and conclusive ev-
ldcncc. This they. believed could not
be produced.
Little did they believe that their days
were even then numbered. and that
they would be buried, three In one grave,
with their boots on aud the hempcn
collar around their nccks. and that from
this awful fate should grow the name cf
Hang Town.
The desired witness was moovinc
leisurly along, little thinking that his
voice would seal their death warrant
Once nc had been assailed. Once the
knife glcamcd above him and he fell
When he revived he was alone. his
lint lao, g.. 80 a.. 4
be murderer had been indelibly en-
graved upon his mind. As he entered
the courtroom with friend he caught
sight Of this Charley at once. his checks
palcd, and ho stood for the moment
transfNcd. Bystanders noticed all this.
and managed TO draw Charlcy's at
tcntion.
The robbcr looked and i'm his turn
was surprised, but il was not much
astonishment did not look long.
There are scenes in some lives that fix
themselves with the unyielding tenacity
OF memory. This hardened sinner said
that his innocent life had been rs a man
o'-warS-man. He had been SLAYER,
robber and pirate. and when asked to
confess said that he had never ceased
To sec blood from the time of the first
murder. He had not lost sight OF that
face which he left for dead All eyes
were riveted on him when he sprang
toward the new conner eXclaimlng:
you alive. YOU hereW and tearing
open the shirt bosom his eve caught
sight of the scar his knife had made. as
nc exclaimed: I'm dead man! This
settles my case" And it did Three
times tried for his life, and cleared
through flaw in the Indictment. he
had found conviction where he least
expected it. Two long lines OF armed
men, standing shoulder to shoulder,
formed the guard, through which those
three men marched to the gates of death,
that second solemn Sunday morning
My neighbor had placed her two BOYS
IN my charge, that what / saw they
might see. But it is sad, sad sight
that OF three men writhing i'm the
agonics of death, and we did not stay.
The rest of the band were warned.
They kept Off
The effect was magical. No stealing,
no running of horses, no murders; ones
purse might lie upon the doorstep all
day, none would touch IL after that
The story was told far and wide. As
spring restored good roads and many
left,cach with his own account, some for
Oregon, some for California. some for
the States, and some for San Francisco
Oerba BuonO), the incident of the
writer was related TO crowds Of attentive
listeners.
And that is how the DRY Diggins"
south of the American fork of the Sac
ramento River came TO be called "HanD
Town. " Chicago Herdid.