Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1886-12-16
PULLING HEMP.

You may talk about mad elephants
let loose, or circus tigers on the ram
page" said a man from Western Mich
igan, 'but they are no comparison TO
crowd of angry and excited men hum
gerng for your death. Four years ago
| came into possession of three or four
pieces of property in Southern Indiana,
and I went down to look them over.
At Jasper | concluded to get saddle
horse. One morning almost before any
body in the town was astir, and while
was taking a before breakfast walk, a
stranger came along astride Of fire
animal, and to my query as to whether
he wanted TO sell he returned ready
affirmative. 1t was a soIrel horse spot
ted with white, and one to be recogniz-
ed and Unidentified on sight by any one
who had ever seen bin before. The
price asked was $125, and though beat
the man down to 500 he told such
straight story that l could haye no suS-
picions of him. He claimed to be res
ident of Vincennes, and to have pur-
chased the horse in New Albany. .
81 was congratulated by the villagers
on my purchase, and soon after break
fast set off for the south. After pro-
ceeding about ten miles turned to the
left, and had gone about three miles
when band of horsemen, about doZ.
en- strong, came riding from the oppo-
site direction at a gallop. The instant
we met they surrounded me. Some
had revolvers and some guns, and was
menaced on all sides. L was astonish-
ed, os course, half believing had fall
en- in with band of robbers, but they
| quickly gave me to understand to the
contrary. The horse under me had
been stolen the previous night, or at an
early hour in the morning, and the
owner was among those who surround
ed me. 1t didn't strike me that / look
ed like a horse thief, but those men
were mad and excited. and they had
me out uf the saddle in minute. OF
course protested, telling them who l
was and where | could be Unidentified,
but as they hustled me under atree and
began to moose rope the owner of the
nag slapped me across the face and re-
Piled:
"'Shut up You are the scoundrel,
and denials will be of no avail ! Well
choke the breath out of you in about
half minute y
"1hey were going to hahg an inno-
cent man, and you can wager that L
did some of the most vigorous kicking
of my life. While they were noosing
me and running the free end over a
limb, kept up my chin music, and one
of the crowd became half convinced
that was telling the truth. He began
toargue that it wouldn't take long to
prove or disprove my story, but he vas
too late. Five or six men walked off
with the rope, and up l went. They
let me hang for few seconds and then
lowered me, but only to repeat the dose
twice more. BY that time they had
cooled off a bit, and my friend persuad-
ed them that they could just as we'll
finish the hanging at Jasper. L had
tainted dead away ,and when they pour
ed whisky down my throat and revived
me it seemed as if my neck was two
feet long. There was deal of growl-
ing over the job not being finished then
and there. but they finally put me on a
horse and started for Jasper.
"The chap of whom had purchased
the animal, and who was, of se,the
real thief, was so elated oyer the sale
that he forgot himself and remained IN
Jasper to get drunk. He was speedily
found in saloon, and he made no pre-
tense OF innocence. | thought they
would tear him to pieces then and there,
but after beating him to state of in
sensibility he was carried off into the
country couple of miles and left hang
ing beside the highway. l got back 800
of my money, and as it was handed to
me by the leader he said:
sc Stranger, we beg pardon for
stretching your neck, but next time
you buy hoss in this State be leetle
careful to buy of the real owner. -
Detroit Free Press.