The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1888-08-24
SkAGIT co. JUSTICE.


: am only poor Dutchman, said
Emil Heiniy. the hot sausage venAer,
yesterday, ''but I know right from
wrong. and want TO tell yoa aboat
the wretcbed manner in which the Of
heers of ssagit county administer the
laws Though foreign born. am an
American citizen. having taken out
my citizenship papers in Milwaukee,
Wis, IN June. f-e3. When / came to
the Sound three years ago took up a
pre-efnptioa on the Skagit, about eight
miles east Of Edison, and lived on the
place II months with my family.
When | got ready 10 prove up my wit
nesse- were scattered and | could not
make the required proof, so decided
TO hle on the land n home
stead Finally ! exhausted every
dollar had In the world
in improving the place. and then my
wife took sick I borrowed $50 and
moved my family 20 Seattle. leaving
all my household effects in the house
on the ranch. / bought an old stove
OF Robert Russell for s. and hired Il
kitchen Of Mr.. Nei-z. where We man
aged TO exist until could get 10 earn
ing some money. ] left two OF the
eldest children on the ranch 10 hold
IL, and went on the place az often as
| could
HARD LICK.
When winter came on the boys re-
turned 10 Seattle 10 attend school, and
in the spring when they went back to
the place they found that the house
had been broken open. but nothing
was gone. When they returned went
to the claim to prepare for the recep-
ton OF my family, and found the
house empty. Everything had been
stolen except large cooking
range in the kitchen. Among
the articles stolen were five large
trunks OF clothing and bedding. two
tubs of crockery and dishes. one box
of beds, one box OF bedclothing, all the
family pictures, and in fact everything
movable about the place. Twas dumb
founded and did not know what to do.
| borrowed a piece OF carpet from a
neighbor, and, after wrapping myself
up, | spent the night 10 that vacant
house, ard the next day I returned to
Seattle. On the way home | made in
quiries, and several persons told me
they had seen articles belonging 10 me
in the house of one of my neighbors.
and | concluded he had stolen my
property. was short OF money and
worked Tor two months TO save $40, so
a to trace up my stolen goods.
couLps'T GET a WARRANT.
AS soon as got the money |
went 10 the justice OF the
peace at Edison to get search
warrant for my suspected neighbor,
but that officer was always away from
home. | then went 70 another justice,
i've miles distant. This was in May.
Ii was raining, and the mud was over
my boot-tops in places. This second
Justice told me he had sickness in his
family. and had no blank warrants.
and old not care much about the job
anyway. / irudged through the rain
and mud hack % Edison, ami being
unable 10 do anything, came to Seat
tie and employed a lawyer to draw up
a search warrant, which was addressed
to any constable in skagit county.
couLpx'F GET CONSTABLE.
II took the warrant TO Mr. Merville,
constable at Edison, and he told me
10 20 TO Brown, another constable.
Brown sent to another fellow. and he
was drunk. This was Saturday He
said he would 20 on Monday, but |
feared he would not be sober, and 80
waded back several miles 10 Constable
Brown. lie then sent me to another
officer, Eve miles northwest of Edison,
but when | got there he said he had
never qualified for the Office. by this
time almost every man, woman and
child in Skagit county knew / was try
ing to get an officer 10 serve search
warrant on my neighbor. Sick at
heart. foot-sore and saturated with
rain. ! returned TO Brown, who is
an indolent, good-natured fellow
who il married To squaw
| told him the fix I was in,
and he promised TO 90 the next
day. He aid not like t. start out alone
and so he got another fellow 10 go along.
NV neigh oor's wife was working out
in Edison and We first went TO he's and
asked about my property. She said !:
You can't find any OF Heinig's prop
efty in my house unless II Is few Of
her family pictures. When We reached
the house We were going to search We
found il empty. Ny neighbor had
heard I was coming with an officer
aud moved every thing out. Even the
pictures that his wife admitted being
there were gone. There was no one
home. Constable BroEn and his
friend lett me ard while on my way
to my ranch met my neighhor.
STARTLING MEETING.
Il was on foot and he on horseback.
We were in the woods, and was
frightened
What's your nance be shouted,
as he rode np with drawn revolver.
II todd him Heinig. and he ex-
claimed:
"'You are the man who accused me
OF stealing your goods. Get down on
your knees and prepare 10 meet your
God, for | am going 10 kill you here
and noWr
Il thought my time had come, bot
braccd up. and said You are "A had
and wicked man, but you dare not
murder an unnrmed. deieuseicss old
man, with a wife and seven young
children depending on him Tor bread
That seemed 20 soften him a little,
and he replied;
You miserable, low, dirty Dutch
, YOU are the fellow who brought
SiwaSh Brown here 70 search NY
house. ought 10 Kill sou like dog
Il watched my chance. and broSe
into the woods. and before he could
dismount aud tic his horse was out
OF reach. That night walked to a
steamboat laneing and came to Sc
attic aud have not been back since, !
spent fOarteen days and walked over
ll1 miles through mud over my shoe
tops trying TO induce some Skagii
county official 10 90 his duty and
came near getting killed for my pains.
Now, what for. when a roor man the
Ia make an honest living this way At
other people expenses, huh 2h