Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-10-11
A LAWYERS STORY.
The RetributiOn Which Was Melted Out TO an
Unnatural Son.

The Retribution Which Was Melted Gut TO an
Unnatural Son.
About fifteen years ago l set up shop
| as lawyer III a young town in Nebraska,
| Gays writer in the New York SIM, and
the very first case that came to me was
| one to delight 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 an6 do so-and-so during the rest of
her lie. After a year or two he became
anxious to get rid of her, being vigorous
ly encouraged By his wife, and matters
were SO hot for the old lad that she
could no longer sta y 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 agreement drawn In legal
| form end good evidence in suit, none of
| tbs five or six lawyers in town would take
| her case because of fear of the son.
| William had given out that he would kill
any la Ryer who would NEEDLE with the
case, and he had the record of being a
| des perate, revengeful man. When the
mother came to me she frankly warned
me that I must look out for Bill, but
when l looked into the case l determined
| TO become her counsel, Bill or no Bill
My first move was to send for the son, to
see if he desired 80 carry out his agree
ment. He came into my Office in sweg-
gering, defiant way, having a 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 up with:
Now then, you go ahead. The minute
you make trouble for me I'll make
corpse of you"
"And now look here" answered, as L
brought six-sh0oter to cover his head,
Pm in this case to the bitter end, and
whenever you feel like shooting don't
wait for NE to begin"
Bill was a boaster and coward. He
turned white as -four, and became as
humble as lamb. He went out Of the
office like a cur, but knew the feelings
raging in his heart, and realized that he
would bring about my death if he could
do it with safety to himself. 1 had the
proper papers served and the suit opened
| Bill made his threats and boasts but kept
clear CT me. Iexpected tat he would
| fill up some day and come up town for a
shooting scrape. But he had another
| his friends informed me, but he was de-
termined to buster it out.
| NV Office was over a store and reached
| by outside stairs. There was front and
back room, and the latter, I being q
bachelor, was used for my bedroom. 1t
was the fashion to leave all doors open
during the day and when I left my office
on an errand or 10 go to court, it was not
|
that had taken Mrs. Sharons case and
business to look after and was most of
the time in Justices courts.
One day just before the big suit was TO
CONE to trial L went into court on an Or
binary suit, and was detained three or
four hours. The Office was left open, as
usual. As l returned to il thres or four
citizens accom- panied me, and as We
neared the foot of the stairs we heard 2
terrible yell from the rooms above. Next
moment Bill Sharon came rushing down
the narrov stairs hatless, eyes starting
from their sockets. and such a look of ter
ror on his face as I never saw before Or
aimee. He rushed past "a, shriekiog and
yelling, and il 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 fquirmed and
twisted and Topped as he ran, and his
screams and excl8mations brought out
the whole town. He ran about block,
and then lay down in the street and rolled
over and over, and the snakes let go of
him aud wsre killed as they crawled away
Bill had been bitten in three places
The Only antidote suggested was whisky
and good two quarts were poured down
him without the slightest relief. l. did
not in the least stupefy him nor quiet his
excited condition-and in an hour be was
dead-his bloated body and purple face
presenting horrible sight. It did not
take much heedEcrk TO discover how II
all came about. Bill wanted revenge on
me, and his plan was TO leave the rattle
snake in my bedroom. He had taken
them there in box after seeing that tbs
coast was clear, and had dumped them
out on the floor. The box was there to
prove it. In his haste to be gone he ha9
been careless, and as the serpents were
loosened they turned on him and fastened
. their fangs in his flesh. It was but ret
ribution, but none of Us could help bu'
} pity his horrible fate.