Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1884-11-20
THE STORY OF HANG TOWN.
How It Came TO Be Called by
That Significant Name.

Ths winter Of '4s-9 was not sever IN
the Dry Diggin's. The population was
made up Of English-sPeaking people.
Sandwich Islanders. old Californians.
and such as could get there before the
tide Of 40 set IN Miners from the
forks Of the Americas rivers had made
their winter quarters there. and there
was. no doubt. q pile Of gold dust big
enough to tempt the cupidify of enter
prizing highwaymen- The log cabins
Of the men lay along both sides Of the
main rzEine and lis branches. and these
were usually divided into two ro0Ins.
the berfhs OF sleeping-cribs being built
uu. one above another. On both sides Of
this partition which was usually COW
ered with white muslin; but the logs did
not come close together, and they who
laJ in bed on the one side might hear
mrch Of that which was spoken. even
In : low tone of voice on the other side
II 50 fell out that one night an Ameri-
can. living awake upon one side. became
interested IN what was transpiring in the
house Of his neighbOrs. who were French
men II seems that there was visiting
party Of three countrymen there and the
entire company had passed the evening
PLAYING, somebody losing heavily. The
occupants OF the house had retired 10
their her1hs. and one Of the visiting
party pr0ceeded to rife the chest. while
the other two stood with drawn dirks
by the beds. threatening instant death
II either Of the sleepers moved All of
this was overheard by our friend Nufter.
who understood French The end of
the cabin occupied BY his company was
next below. and only a few yards dis
tance from the hall IN which we lived.
and for which We paid the modest little
sum of S500-Sl00 each-the other half
Of oar house being owBsd by Martin.
vino with his wife and two children
lived there
Now it 50 happened that in the long
evenings and balny days our little room
was made 10 subserve the interests of a
spelling circle. debating. court Of judi
feature for the trial Of imaginary 0ffenses.
and courf Of equity for the settlement
of differences between friends Il had
fAllen 70 my lot to preside. and to this
date matters had been arranged so as
that all felt that even-handed justice
hsd been dealt ont
Very naturally Nufter. the American
made his appearance early nexf morning
seeking adViee- There was no Justice 0f
the Peace there, fer the laws Of the
United States had not been extended
over this region There was no alcalde
except in the old settlements and mis-
sons Il was case requiring prompt
dispatch The villains mig-t already
be moving of with their stolen gold
dust OF. what was even worse perhaps
d0miciled in our very midst. ike lion
IN his lair, resdy 70 P0unce upon some
Other unwary one The result Of con-
ference wss that Nufter was appointed
Sheriff. 10 give these neighb0rs a call.
and ask for information concerning
those visitors who came and went in
the pifchy darkness. The Frenchman
refused for fesr of yenganee. until. .uBon
q second visit they were notified thev
themselves would be arrested as con-
federztes unless they revealed what
they knew There was 4 cabin standing
n the distance of. say. a quarter Of a
mile away from all othersyOuf in lonely
ravine. past which men from the forks
usually came with their treasure How
Il came there. when It came. who lived
there. what they did. was al mystery.
One old man was sometimes seen. but
he WAS busy appearing TO notice nothing
but his work Nevertheless. suspicion
had often pointed her finger At that hab-
itafiOn when some robbery had been
committed or some murdered man found
BY the ~ayside, and when Nuttef re-
turned with his report that seven men
lived there; and that the three robbers
were parf Of that band. itrequired no
long speeches to bring the company to
3 decisive stand
Locked in for the season bv wretched
roads impossible for teams ten miles
from the nearest seftiement-Suffer's
mil-the discovery Of a nest Of ripers
At work IN our very midst caused each
one to feel il TO be important thar no
time be lost The two Frenchmen were
warned not to move out Of their hOase,
nor 70 communicate by signs or other
wise with anyone during the day. Mean
while word was quietly given TO such
n could be relied upon 10 act Egvp-
fian darkness ncigned that evening when
Nurter opened the door where the
seven srrsed sat around the supper
tshi<s, and charged them with the theft.
In an instant hands moved to the re-
ToiTers BY the sides. shri1 whistle BY
the Sierif checked them. and when
twenty brave men armed like them
selves came through that door and stood
around them. they surrendered The
excitement was intense
Ex-Iudge Rassell Of Oregon was
there az the time. and as / declined TO
take the responsibility in the presence
Of one skiIssd in law. he took the bench
A court was organized. jury impanneled.
attorney and prisoners
counsel appointed. in order that every
thing should be done fairly. The result Of
the hrst trial was that nothing beyond
the act Of robbery was proven, and the
fhrne on Sunday morning received
service Of thirfy-nine lashes on she bare
back although none doubted that they
deserved hanging. They had escaped
the gallows-
One Of the men-they called him
French CHARLEY short stout. restless
fellow with face that might index the
soul Of afiend-Fociferated in his native
tongue against all the participatOrs in
that act Soon Il came out that there
were fhirfy-three members of the band
otherwheres. This awful
Charley was the lieutenant He vowed
dcsth 20 Judge. jury. and all conserned-
This being interpreted fred the pop
ulace- Prudence forbade the further
sr1cnfion Of the sentence. i e., banish-
anenf from the diggings- II would have
been Ike letting q pack Of blOod-hOunds
loose to prey upon the villagers The
excitement was attended by the most
tormenfing anxiety. as the court sat
with open doors day after dav, deter
mined to do nothing rashly- Men were
out IN al directions. travelling slowly
and on foot. vet getting over ground.
notifying al 70 come and look at the