New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1886-11-17

was carried on ii the dark. By8 The
time Mrs. Thomas, who, bold woman
as she was, was shaking from head to
foot in the sudden terror Of this night
sttack, had kindled a light the three
Mexicans were stretched dead upon
the floor, while Joe had escaped
with d knlfethrust through his arm
and g deep cash in his right hand.
Next day threenew graves were added
to the six already mentioned, and the
lame OF Joe Thomas, the fighting sher-
III OF - county, spread far and wide.
He had held the Office for several
years, having been twice re elected,
and had made notable change in
the moral status of the community.
Horse thieves and cattle thieves were
rapidly thinned out, and desperadoes
no longer painted the town red at their
own sweet will.
1t was in the fifth year of Sheriff
Thomas lncumbency that an af-
fair occurred long remembered in the
county. There were many Mexicans
scattered about among the different
ranches, and among them was one
Manuel Garcia, who was well liked by
los gringos as O. polite, quiet fellow,
more Industrious and reliable than his
countrymen generally, temperate in
his habits, and never IN fuss. One
night, early in the spring OF 1870, this
harmless creature, who was not sup
posed to have an enemy in the world,
was shot down by some unknown as
sassln as he was returning home from
a dance. At first suspicion pointed to
his cOuntrymen as the murderers, but
it soon leaked out that there was a
woman in the case, and the evidence
now seemed to point in another direc-
ton entirely. But whoever the guilty
party might be, it was known that
Joe Thomas had sworn to bring him
to justice, and none doubted that he
would, sooner or later, keep his word.
1t was Christmas eve, and, as usual
at that season, there was plenty OF liq-
uor going. The sheriff was absent
on some county business, and the
Burleson boys and others Of that like
had taken advantage of the fact to
make things lively in the little town.
More or less disturbance had been
carried on all day, pistol shooting,
yelling and quarreling, but nobody
hurt" as yet. In the afternoon the
boys all collected round store on
the plaza for the intellectual amuse-
ment of pitching dollars. Ed. Burle-
son, a magnificent specimen Of a west
Texan, was the luckiest or most skill
full pitcher, and his dollar entered the
hole every time.
eds ez lucky with his dollars ez
his bullets" said ST Hawkins, a typic-
al cowboy from a neighboring ranch.
"What dye mean by that?' asked
Ed, sharply.
"What / sez," drawled the other.
| eyer dollars hits the mark ev'y time;
as does yer bullets, even in ther dark.
An l did hearn tell ez Sheriff Thomas
hev been lookin' fur you, long er
them lucky bullets er yourn."
"He won't hev ter look fur" cried
the young man holly. "I'm ginerelly
ter be found by them ez looks fur me,
'thout their searchin' like they wuz
lookin' fur a needle in a haystack.
Sheriff Thomas can find me whenever
he wants me, an mebbe when he does
find ME he'll wish he hadn't"
"Find he's cotched er Tarter, hey?
Waal, howsever that mebbe, low ez
yer'll be wanted fore long fur tibet
leetle affair er yourn las spring."
"What leetle affair? I dunno what
yer talkin' bout, Sian l don't b'ieve
yer know yerself."
81 mean ther 18th err las April,
when Manuel Garcia was foun' dead in
ther brush, ans his sweetheart ramov-
ed Their same Eight, ans never been
heered OF since"
81 never killed Manuel Garcia, if
that's what yer mean; an if Joe
Thomas tries to rest me fur that, he
find himself mistaken, that's all.'
At that moment, 'Throw up your
hands, Ed. Burleson," said quiet,
but stern voice behind him.
He looked round. There stood Joe
Thomas covering him with q six
shooter. TO yield or die were the on.
ly alternative. He chose the former,
threw up his hands, and sullenly sur
rendered TO the law.
"What's the row about, Joe?" he
asked, carelessly. "What you 'restin'
me for?"
''For the murder of Manuel Garcia, f"
replied the sheriff, quietly.
II never done it! an yer amt got no
shadder er proof agin me-
Girls turned up" said Thomas,
significantly. Burleson's bronzed
cheek blanched. He opened his lips
to speak, but Thomas stopped him.
"Best say nothin' bout it to me, y
he advised. "Least said's soonest
mended; yer know. Tain't my bust
ness to say ef yer inherent er guilty.
All I he'd ter do was ter rest yer, an
thet's DONE"
II s'pose yer'll carry me ter Lare-
do?' asked Burleson.
Course. Thar amt no Jail nur
lookup here ell hold yer, an yer've
too many frien's in these diggin's. An
it's high time we was off; so jess hustle
yer bones er little, will yer? an less
be movin'. Igot yer boss ready here
with mine, an ther sooner we start
ther sooner we'll git thar"
81 amt in sech an ALFRED hurry to
git jailed" said the other sulkily, ''but
what mus be mus s'pcse.'
CHAN over yer WeeDOnS. then. an