The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1886-12-11

turn the mouldy m sal to Farmer johnson
to morrow, you can help the gentleman
part of the way with his bag"
II can't, father" whinsd the urchin;
my foot is too sore, and kin scarce carry
my own load"
well. you must try, my son." said the
sympathetic father: you must make
yourself obligin' for once in yer life Tha
boy'll do his best, sir. Pll promise you
that"
thought it would be good opportunity
to pick as much information from the
youth as l coul |. He was an extraordinary
looking creature. Though his body was
that of boys in stature he had the head
of grown-up man excepting that it was
beardless. His eyes too, looked at you as
though he was reading you through and
through. However, de,pite his unpre-
possessing appearance, | was determined
to avail myself tomorrow OF all the in
formation l could get and then soon after.
wards Withdrew to bad, where | slept
soundly till morning. Early next day be-
fore came dow to breakfast, l heard an
alteration outside my bedroom door be-
tween father and son. The latter persisted
that mot for no gentleman would he en-
cumbsr himself with heavier load in his
present state than he was barely able to
carry, and then, as he spoke rather pertly,
had the qualification of hearing the fathers
boot applied to him, also the parent calling
him "a disobedieBt cur, not worth the
rearin' on him" Thinking it was time to
interpose, l thrust my head outside tho
door and assured the father that l needed
TO assistance ON the road, and l intimatsd
that the Lad should be allowed to proceed
on his errand without rie.F~--s-S a
N,aasd gooddeaiol "a, stior
Smyth- E Z ~ 5.iiyth the proptia1o4
about the various murders at the ford.
| He was more communicative than the
| liquor store kesper of the day previous.
| Ia Iaf tba Iav nf
the police, and he contided to me the fact
| that in the town whore We were, a select
| band of men had forms themselves into
league under his presidentship to lynch the
culprit before he could be brought TO trial,
and that every man was sworn to the job.
Soon after having psrtaken of a frugal
| breakfast proposed TO start on my return
| journey, and resisted the proposal of Mr..
| Smvth to remain for dinner He said he
would have as nice pair of chickens as
| ever smoked on table ready for me to
| make amends for yesterdays bad cooking,
but as did not feel like eating excused
| myself on the plea that the strong ale of
his town had tSken away my appetite.
J then shook hands with him after having
| settled my bill In this course Of my walk
back to the ford l leisurely noted every
| dwelling within view, and observed, as
| only detective can, the very few passers-
| by that traversed that lonely road. called
in at Jakey Watkins and was served in his
| absence with glass of beer by his daugh-
| ter 1t was about four hours past noon
when / came in sight of the stream, and as
l walked down the incline of about a
| quarter of q mile in the rosd leading to the
| ford. / observed young Johnny Smyth
seated on large stone on the side of the
| road beside the stream a small sack Of
meal lying few yards from him on the
ground.
When 1 came up to the boy, who had ad-
parently just rearranged the bandage
around his foot, | determined that, come
what might, and even if he wsrs in an
obliging mood l would not allow him to
carry my bag.
"Well, Johnny, is this the only distance
you've come although you've had a few
hours start of me! But forgot-your
foot" said pointing downwards with my
stick
It's real bad sir, that it be, and father
doe 1l't care how much l walk on it. 1t
might have been well before this only he
sends me out"
"Why, Johnny. it's should help you
with your load" observed.
Il couldn't expect that, sir" said tho boy,
tears almost coming into his eyes at sym
pathy being evnced for him. But if ys'd
help to put the sack on my back I'll sorter
manage" -~'+5~-->,
That 1 will with pleasure cheerfiIly
| offered, as Johnny lowered himself slightly
anu ilbN us DICK 10 Iilo.
was in the act of STOPPING to pick up
the sack, when my ear detected a slight
| click somewhere about the boys person.
| Quick was about to say quicker than
lightning swept my stick across the back
| of the young imp who fell with a groan
face foremost, tiny pistol dropping from
his right hand on the instant | rushed for
ward to where he lay partially stunned.
Tell me all" l demanded, holding my
revolver to his forehead meanwhile pick
ing up his weapon.
Father made me do it," covered the
boy. 81 had to-"
"How many have you used thusl" in
CURED
"5even," was the answer the young fiend
returned.
Yes and was to be tho eighth. Now,
look here, I'll try to beg you Off" said
hurrie1ly, with the view of not giving him
time to hatch a lie, tell me where the
property-the money-is"
Father has best part under the counter
in the stOre.n
Enough said l, ''come with me- king
the bracelets on his wrists and watching
that his hands, which were rather small
aud out of proportion to the size of his
lead, did not slip through.
l marched him across tho stream and
along the road to Mineral Point, and placed
him in custody OF the police, and having
given directions to the responsible officer,
l sent FOR the coroner, who came in the
course of Il few minutes, when we examined
the weapon. II was not more than four
inches in length from the end of the handle
to the bore of the muzzle, and could be
easily carried in ones waistcoat pocket
The barrel was less than,the eighth of an
inch in diameter across the aperture. Upon
discharging the pistol at pillow about two
yards distant the needle with which it was
loaded penetrated the soft object about
six inches. We found that the effective
carrying power of the devilish instrument
did not exceed three yards and the dis
charge produced less sound than would be
caused by exploding an ordinary percus-
sion cap, and that the weapon was to be
loaded at the breech. The boy ha 1
half dozen small cartridges, caps and
needles in box in one of his pockets
The weapon, which was of very @SS-
cate and ingenious construction, when
aimed, as it was designed to be, at vital
part and from close range would prove
as fatal as an ordinary revolver, and it
possessed tho merit, having regard to its
object, of almost defying detection in its
results. No blood flowed externally from
the wound, death being instantaneous
from internal hemorrhage of the heart
the needle sutiicing to stop the outward
flow as the flesh quickly closed up over the
small puncture.
Mr. John Henry Smyth had not the ad-
vantage or opportunity of heading a lynch
ing party in St Rose East. His arrest three
hours after his son had been locked
up was effected so quietly by myself
and half dozen constables in plain