The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1886-12-09

him - disobedisus cur. not worth tAs
rearin' on him." Thinking it was time TO
tntsrpose, l thrust my head outside the
door and assured The father that I needed
no assistance on the road. and ! intimated
that the lad should be allowed to prooeed
on hts errand without me.
Smy th-John Henry Smyth, tho proprietor
---about the various murders at the ford.
He was moro communicative than tho
liquor store keeper Of the day previous:
He laid the entire blame upon the laxity Of
the police, and he confided to ms tho fact
that In the town whore we were, select
band OF men had formed themselves into .
league under his pre- sidentship to lynch the
culprit before he could be brought to trial,
and that every man was sworn to the job:
Soon after having. partaken OF q frugal
journey, and resisted the proposal of Mr.
Smyth to remain for dinner. Ho said he
would have as nice pair OF chickens as
ever smoked on a table ready for the to
make amends for yesterdays bad cooking,
but as did not feel like eating excused
myself on the plea that tho strong ale Of
his town had taken away my appetite. l
then shook hands with him after having
settled my bill. In tho course OF my walk
back to the ford leisurely noted every
dwelling within view. aud observed, as
by that traversed that lonely road. !calied
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
whom ] ctme In sight of tho stream, and as
/ walked down the incline OF about a
quarter Of q mile in the road leading to the
ford l observed young Johnny Smyth
seated on large stone on the side OF the
road beside the stream, q small sack OF
arsnpa, %sa1 lying q f0w yards from him on tho
When came up to the boy, who had ad.
parently just rearrauged tho bandage
around his foot, / determined that, come
what might. and even IL he were in an
obliging mood I would not allow him to
carry my bag.
hours start Of met But forgot--your
foot" said pointing downwards with my
stick.
"Its real bad, sir that it be, and father
doesn't care how much ! walk on 1t. 1t
might have boon well before this only he
sends mo out"
"Why, Johnny, it's should help you
with your load" observed.
II couldn't expect that. sir" said the boy,
toars almost coming into his eyes at sym.
pathy being evinced for him. But il ye'd
help to put the sack on my back I'll sorter
manage"
.'rhat will with. pleasure" cheerfully
offered, as Johnny lowered himself slightly
snd turned his back to me.
was In the act Of STOPPING to pick up
the suck, when my ear detected a slight
Quick-I was about to say quicker than
lightning swept my stick across tho back
Of the young imp, who fell with q groan
face foremost, tiny pistol dropping from
his right hand on the instant. rushed for
"TeiI me ALL" / demanded holding my
revolver to his forehead, meanwhile pick
ing up his weapon.
Father mad, me do it." covered the
''How many hsvo you used thusi" I in
quired.
'.Seven," was the answer the young fiend
returned.
yes and was to be the eighth. Now,
look here I'll try to beg you OF" said
hurrie lily, with the view OF not giving him
time to hatch lie, "tell me where the
property-the money-is"
"Father has best part under the counter
in the store.'
Enough" !" sail I, "come with me-" fixing
the bracelets on his wrists and watching
that his hands. which W. . rather small
and out OF proportion to the size Of his
head, did not slip through.
marched him across the stream and
along tho road to Mineral Point, and placed
him in custody OF the polics, and having
given directions to the responsible officer,
sent for the coroner, whJ came in the
course of few minutes, when we examined
the weapon. IL was not more than four
inches in length from the end Of tue haudle
to the bore OF the muzzle, and could be
easily carried in ones waistcoat pocket.
Tue barrel was less than the eighth OF an
inch in diameter across the aperture. Upon
yards distant the needle with which IL 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 tho dis
charge pro iueed isss SOUND Iasa would Dc
sion cap, and that the weapon was to be
loaded at the breech. Tho boy hal
half q dozen small cartridges, caps and
needles in a box In one OF his pockets.
The weapon. which was Of very deli
cate and ingenious construction, wnen
aimed, as 1t was designed to be, at . vital
part aud from q close range would prove
as fatal as an ordinary revolver, aud 1t
possessed tho merit, having regard to its
object Of almost dsfying detection in it's
results. No blood flowed externally from
tho wound, death being Instantaneous
from internal hemorrhage Of the heart,
the needle sutficing to stop the outward
flow ss the flesh quickly closed up over the
Mr.. johu Henry smyth had not the ad-
v0nC6R6 OF opportunity OI ue1oluy . ~ uCu-
ing party in st. Rose East. His arrest three
hours after his son had been lo,kod
up was effected so quietly by myself
and half Q dozen constables In plain
who walked rapidly In line
to wards the town. with on In n,srval Of about
. quarter Of q mile between each, till we
the miscreant's dwelling, that
no one OF his neiy iyhbors knew what was,the
mesuing of it when he issued forth hand
cuRed. ! gave out among the crowd which
rapidly ass ,mbled that he was beng cap
tured Tor breach Of the Excise laws and
very terror Of being strung up on the spot
IL the true state OF things leaked out kept
the wrstch's lips sealed.
Johnny refused to givs evidence against
bis father ON the trial, but the prosecution
had enough without 1t. tbs watches of
victim number one as we'll - the posse ssion
Of other property for which he could not
account, his seniing his son In advance to
take my own life, preceded as 1t was by the
scene got up between them-the no " too pal
pablo ruso for nothing at all allied the boys
foot, all coupled with my own testimony,
were deemed by tho jury sufficiently cir
to consign him to the gtllows.
His sou Jared some what ditfersutly. as
he Is now serving out life sentence for the
cttsmpt to murder mo. He was not put
upon his trial on the capital charges upon
which his father was hung, and thus ! was
enabled to keep my promise with him SO
far, although have no reason to thank
him for not being male victim number
eight.-Phi'dlelphid Press.
CA-scEA~rN0w TOTAL