The Sunday tatler and Jersey City express. (Jersey City, N.J.) 1883-1886, 1886-07-11
CRlTCHLEY'S.
BY R. F. STEELE.


copyrighted. 1886. by s. s. Mcclure.l
An incident which proved more than
nine days wonder to the people of Lone
Tree, Neb., was the explosion at Critch-
ley's. A local election, which resulted in
the triumph of the temperance element,
closed the last ostensible saloon in the
town.
But Sam Critchley, who had conducted
the most seductive of the fine barrooms
that dourished before the decisive election,
remained in town and opened what he
was pleased to call Temperance Bill
lard Hall.
1t was, however, unavoidably noticed
that the drinkers of Lone Tree continued
TO get drunk at Critcbley's Temperance"
resort with scandaIous regularity. Ru-
NOR was not faint of wing in spreading
the report that Critchley sold quantity
Of whiskey which, disguised under a
medicinal name, was terribly effective.
One night the wooden building occu-
pied by Critchley was blown to finders by
can of blasting powder deposited by
some unknown hands near the ice-chest.
The wicked Critchley, supposed to have
been asleep in an adjacent hotel. repaired
to the scene, and discovered the roof
rafters and side walls of his place of busi-
ness heterogenecusly commingled with a
large number OF suspicious jugs and demi-
johns in the cellar.
Mr.. Critchley said nothing, went back
to bed, at daylight packed his personal
effects, and departed westward on an
early tram.
David Martin, the weaIthies. man in the
village, owned the building. He quietly
remarked to the Grand Jury which inves-
tigated the case that, to him, it little
looked like the work of the more radical
temperance element, but much more like
the wicked Vaccinations of the wicked
Critchley, who owed him three months
rept, and had gone he knew not whittier.
The building cost three thousand dollars,
and was uninsured. In his. suddenly
vacated room Critchley left a note to the
following effect:
''Mistur martin belif this is the wuck
OF parsel of long baird men and short
baird women. Tha es all fanneties.-
Sam Critchley."
The discovery of this document con
WINGED the residents of Lone Tree that to
Mr.. Critchley was due the destruction of
David Martins property. The affair, how
ever, was discussed for three weeks in the
columns of the Lone Tree sLaconic, the
county paper, edited by Mr.. and Mrs.
Edgar Bryant, by ''Junius" and "Veritus"
and ''Vox Populi."
''Vox" succeeded in having the last
word, awarding the infamy of the deed to
Crltchley, and then, with ford editorial
whoop, Mr.. Bryant closed the debate, and
hn Nox.k <%f IL f. r n
subsidized.
One of the customs of this social life
was the congregating of large portion OF
the population al the station of the U. P
Il. Il. to "see the cars come in" The
curiosity OF Lone Tree was greatly out of
proportion TO its size as a municipality.
Among the many who greeted the arrival
OF the Omaha and Denver express one
warm May evening were Mr.. and Mrs.
Edgar Bryant. They were on the lookout
for "locai items" While the locomotive
was taking water, and other business being
transacted, Charley Talsott stepped from
the train to stretch his legs. He stepped
at once, it so happened, into the arms of
cousin Minnie and Cousin-in-Law Edgar
Bryant, both of whom greeted him effu-
sively.
Where are you going, and why not
stop day or two7" demanded Minnie
coupling the two questions in single
breath.
4 am on my way to Denver, and per-
haps farther West. responded Charley.
tOn business?" inquired Edgar Bryant.
lmpresslvely surveying the crowd which
stood by greedily absorbing every syllable.
No, not exactly; it is vacation. /
am out for health and sport. ?
.Sport7" chimed Minnie. 'sThen stop
right off for aweek or two and shoot wild
geese. There are not near so many on
the Platte River, above here, while With
us Hey rethicker than hops, and eating
up the wheat as fast as it comes out of the