New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1886-10-06
HOIST ~ HIS OWN PETARp.
ThePunishment of an Unnatural Son
a Shocking Retrtbution

t1At0 p ITO OVvN IAN ~
The Punishment OF an Unnatural Son
a Shocking Retribution.
About fifteen years ago set up shop
as a lawyer in a young town in Nebras
ka, and the very first case that came to
me was one todelight young lawyers
heart. An aged woman named Mary
Sharon had decided all her property to
her son William. on the understanding
that he was to support her and do So
andso during the rest of her life. At
ter year or two he became anxious to
get rid of her, being vigorously encour-
aged by his wife. and matters were
made so hot for the old lady that she
could no longer stay in the house. In
deed she was turned out of it, and but
for the charity of neighbors would
have died of hunger and exposure.
While she had copy of the agree
ment drawn in legal form and good ev-
idence in asuit, none of the five or six
lawyers in the town would take her
case because of fear of her son. Will
liam had given out that he would kill
any lawyer VINO meddled with the case,
and he had a record of being desper-
ate, revengeful man. When the mother
came to me she frankly warned me
that l must look out for Bill, but
when had looked into the case l de-
termined to become her counsel, Bill or
no Bill. My first move was to send for
the son, to see if he desired to carry
out the agreement. He came into
my office in a staggering, defiant way,
having revolver buckled to him and
three drinks of whisky behind his vest
buttons. He cursed the mother, me,
the law, and all else and wound I'D
with:
Nov, then go ahead. The minute
you make trouble for me, I'll make
corpse of you.
'.And now YOU look here,'' answer
ed, as l brought six-shooter to cover
his head. "]'m in this case to the Bit
ter end, and whenever you feel like
shooting don't wait for me to Begin
Bill was boaster and coward. He
turned white as flour, and became as
humble as lamb. He went out of the
office like cur, but knew the feeling
raging in his heart, and realized that
he would bring about my death if he
could do it with safety to himself l
had the proper papers served and the
suit opened. Bill made his threats and
boasts, but kept clear of me- l ex-
pected he would fill up some day and
come into town for shooting scrape.
but he had another plan to work on.
We had sure case, as his friends in
formed me, but he was determined to
buster it out.
My Office was over a store, and
reached by outside stairs. There was
front and back room, and the lat
ter, being bachelor, was used for
my bedroom. It was the fashion to
leave all doors open during the day,
and when l left my office on any err
rand, or to 60 to court. it was not
locked. When it became known around
/ that had taken Mrs. Sharon's case
and blutfed her son Bill, had plenty
/. of small business to look after, and was
much of the time in the justices courts.
One day, just before the big suit was
to come to trial, went into court on
an ordinary suit and was deta ned three
or four hours. The Office was left open,
as usual. As l returned to it, three or
four citizens accompanied me, and as
we reached the foot of the stairs we
heard a terrible yell from the rooms
above. Next moment Bill Sharon came
rushing down the narrow stairs hatless,
eyes starting from their sockets, and
such look of terror on his face as
never saw before or since. He rushed
past us shrieking and yelling, and it
was only when he was clear of us that
we made out the horrible truth Two
great rattlesnakes were hanging to
him, one by the right wrist and the
other by the right leg. They squirmed
and twisted and Topped as he ran, and
his screams and ordinations brought
out the whole town. He ran about a
block and then lay down in the street
and rolled over and over, and the
snakes let 60 of him and were killed
as they crawled away.
| He had been bitten in three places.
The only antidote suggested was whisky,
and a good two quarts were poured
/ domn him mithouk thu clinhfoct ,ol;of