Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-01-08

ring address on the duties of the NOR
row, expecting to hear the usual rhet-
ORIG, spread -eagleism and scathing
comparison of the relative virtues Of
the Tins" and the sfouts." The orator
arose and advanced slowly to the front
OF the platform, stretching outhis hand
to check the demonstration of welcome
which was started among the audience
With voice choked with emotion he
announced the sorrowful intelligence
that the man whom every one looked
upon as friend was dead. He briefly
related the circumstances of the
tragedy. and then dismissed the people
to their homes, saying that he could
not speak to them that night. This
was fitting tribute to the memory of
brave man, and such as few but Boss
Wright would have received. The cleo
ton occurred the next day, and the day
following was the funeral; and in spite
OF the animosities of the political con-
test, every man, woman and child, ir-
respective of politics or religion, as
sembled to pay their last respects to
the man whom all delighted to honor
THAT is all true as Gospel" said one
OF the other men, who had maintained
silence during the narrative, s.for at
tended both the political meeting land
the fuDeral,'
Il have no doubt of that" I hast
ened to remark, ''none whatever"
''Well, tell you what you do" said
the man who had spun the yarn. ''You
said you were newspaper man, and
no doubt want to write this up for your
paper. can see it in your eye. Be-
fore you do that you call ON Judge
Searls. j. n. Rolfe, and few old tim
ers at Nevada City, and ask them about
it. You might see Judge Thomas II.
Caswell also; you'll find him at the
Masonic Temple in San Francisco.
And, by the way, you can find j. B.
Bynne, one of the participants in the
fight, still living at Gold Flat RI
will remark here, parenthetically, that
L did call upon the gentlemen named,
and they all vouched for the substan-
tial accuracy of all that is herein re.
lated.
wEBsTER's FATE.
eyes, you are correct about my de-
sire to write this up, and to make it
more complete l would like to know
what became of the cause of this sad
tragedy. How about Webster"
''Oh, yes. Well, Jim was soon afte1
laid by the heels in Yuba County, and
taken to Marysville, where the jail
proved strong enough to hold him
until he could be sentenced to San
Quentin for twenty-five years. The
next August, when he had been an in
mate but a few weeks, he made his es-
cape with eight others, and was never
recaptured. just what became of him
is uncertain. One thing is sure-he
never returned to his old haunts in this
region. His subsequent career is some
what Evolutionary, but will give it to
you as it is generally believed. He
began his old life in new field,
and soon gathered about him an
other band of followers, whom
he ruled in an arbitrary man
ner. His career was brief One day
while in the Coast range he quarreled
with member of his gang, and gave
the fellow notice to leave before morn
ing or take the consequences. The
man knew that Webster meant what he
said, and that he was a dead shot. In
fact, if you might believe the stories
told of him, he could handle the re-
v,lver as neatly as DR.. Carver does his
rifle. The man determined not to
leave the camp, but he did not dare to
risk shot from his inscriptions chief.
So that night, while the camp was
wrapped in slumber, he stole softly to
the side of the sleeping man, and drew
the bullet from his rifle. He could
have killed him, but that he dared not
do, since his companions would avenge
the death of their chief unless he was
killed in a fight. When Webster arose
from his blanket beside the shoulder
ing remnants of the camp fire the next
morning, he was astonished to see the
banished robber serenely sitting on a
stump, few PAGES away. His wrath
boiled over at the mans presumption.
SO you didn't leave?' he exclaimed,
as he raised his gun and fired at the
cause of his anger, who made no effort
to shield himself Before Webster
could recover from his establishment at
seeing the man still sitting on the
stump apparently unarmed, his intend
ed victim coolly raised his gun and shot
him dead"
just as the narrative was concluded
the stage jolted up to the open door of
Empire Ranch and old Tom Mooney
came out, and in his usual breezy man
ner counted noses for dinner.-Harry
L. Wells, IN San Francisco CAL.