Cheyenne transporter. [volume] (Darlington, Indian Terr.) 1879-1886, 1885-09-04
REP0RTORIAL ZEAL.
How Too Much of II Came Near Hanging
Its POssessOr

seriously to the main actor, was the
exploit OF young man named Arm
strong, connected at the time with the
city staff of morning paper in New
York. The incident, writes Hartford
COurdnt correspondent, transpired
about sixteen or eighteen years ago.
Armstrong lived across the East river,
just back of Williamsburgh. At that
time the outlying district was sparslev
settled, and many pretty little cottages
were rented cheap. One summer night
the reporter left the Office about mid
night. After crossing the ferry and
going to the end of the street-car line,
Armstrong had quite piece to walk
before he reached his cottage. A por-
ton of the way led through dense
grove. On the night in question,
while the reporter was sauntering
lelsurely through the grove, his atten-
ton was suddenly attracted to an OBJ
iect suspended from the limb of tree
about a dozen yards from the road he
was traversing. 1t was bright,
moonlight night, and there was little
difficulty in seeing objects near bv.
AS he passed over to examine what had
caught his gaze, he was startled upon
of man swinging from very low
limb of tree. His feet were about
twelve inches from the ground A
knife was plunged 10 the hilt in his
left breast. The reporter was in a
quandary. Here was big item and
it was too late to get a line IN the pa
per about it. What should he doP He
was the discoyercr of this first-class
sensation, and he hated to be cheated
out of the sweet privilege of "beat-
ing all the other papers by giving it
to his own first. He thought only of
this, and finally resolved upon very
strange proceeding. He deliberately
cut the body down, carried it off to y
huge log near by that lay upon the
bank of little brook, and covered it
entirely with leaves, sticks, and other
debris. He then departed with the
intention of 'discovering" the body at
an hour in the afternoon of the next
day too late for any publication in the
afternoon papers. AS Armstrong
struck the road he was not aware that
two neignborS were jogging along just
behind him, both of whom had seen
him come from the log near the brook
AS the reporter was several rods
ahead they did not hail him, SO he
walked rapidly to his cottage and went
in at the front door. About 10 clock
the next day, while the sun was
streaming through the window of the
reportorial bedroom, where Armstrong
lay possibly dreaming of his bic SEN
sation, n constable and two men, call
ed at the cottage and told his wife that
they wished to see him on important
business. She aroused her husband,
informed him what was wanted, and
he at once got up, dressed himself, and
went out into the parlOr, where the
visitors were waiting. He was then
informed by the constable that he had
come to arrest him on the very serious
charge of murder, and a request was
made that Armstrong accompany the
officers at once to a neighbOring justice
of the peace. Before reaching that
functionary's place, the reporter was
made aware of the fact that the body
he had so carefully concealed the
night before had been discovered, and
that he had been arrested on suspicion
of knowing how the man came to his
death, the neighbors who saw him
come from the brook, as related, hav-
ing testified to what they mad witness
ed. There was intense excitement for
time in the locality. Armstrong
told his story, but there were a good
many suspicious glances thrown at
him. Fortunately, however, letter
in a pocket of the deceased mans
coat, and other supplementary facts,
proved that he was a suicide, and that
he had put rope about his neck while
sitting on the branch of the tree where
he was found, and subsequently drove
a knife into his heart Armstrong