Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1889-10-16

can speak Oy the caro-. A1Jer the Close OF
the war l went West and was employed
as . Government scout, but being
wounded by an Indian arrow in the
spring Of 1867 l got three months
leave of absence and went down
on the Texas coast to recruit. had been at
Indianola about four weeks, boarding at a
private house, when took small sailboat
one day and went on up the inner bay
on fishing trip. At noon / ran into the
mouth of a creek. where cabin was in
view, calculating on getting some matches
to replace my stock. The cabin was about
fifty feet from the waters edge, and after q
"hillor' which was not answered, l landed
and walked up TO the house. The door stood
wide open, and on the floor lay a man, cold
and dead, having been shot in the breast
After q moment entered for closer in
vestigation, and I felt of the body and
found it cold. Death had occurred several
hours previously. The cabin wasa wretched
structure, poorly furnished, and it did not
seem as If the motive could have been rob
berry.
had returned to the door, intending TO
hasten to Indianola and give the alarm, when
. hshboat, carrying fo:r men, landed in the
creek. ran down Ind related the news,
and all Of them returned to the house with
me. The men satisfied themselves that the
body was cold, but presently drew apart
and began to consult together, and after
four or five minutes their leader said to
me:
my mates are agreed that this don't look
right, stranger"
"How do you meant"
"Why, thsr's bin q murder here"
$50 there has, but you don't connect me
with it, do your
'Well, we found you here alone"
"But had only just arrived Suppose
had found you here. That body, as you see.
IL stone cold, showing that death took place
hours ago, while left town only at seven
o'clock this morning. He was dead then or
soon after"
They consulted again and then he said:
"You may be all right, but you'll have
to prove 1t. We shall take you to town.
l expressed my willingness to go, and
asked them to particularly remember the
state of the body, and to examine my re-
volver and note its condition. hadn't the
least idea that had got myself into trouble,
but soon discovered to the contrary.
was given in charge of an officer at Indi.
anola, and party went up to view the
body. There had been a murder. Some
body was guilty. I was found there and
, alone. II I wasn't guilty then
must prove myself innocent. That
was the way Of the West then.
! There was but one lawyer in the town
and he poor one, but secured his serv-
ices. / was confined in an old building
used as guard house during the war, and,
as soon as the party returned and reported
that no trace of the murderer could be
found, public sentiment was against me.
A warrant was issued by the local justice,
and next day 1 was brought up for ex-
animation. There wasn't the slightest
proof to hold me on, but the squire, who
knew nothing whatever of law, and was
hardly intelligent in the ordinary sense,
ordered me held for further investigation.
Small squads Of men were sent out to beat
up for the murderer, but at noon on the
third day all had come in except one, and
had met with no success. sat looking out
of q wooden barred window facing the
street, when l saw FIVE or six men stop
opposite, and begin to argue and discuss.
| They were talking when my lawyer en-
tered, and coolly observed:
"Well, they haven't found any body else,
and the boys say they are going to hang
yuul''
"But you know am innocent"
''Of course I do, but they don't believe
it."
"And they will hang an innocent man be-
cause they can't find the guilty onel''
"That's about the size of it. I'll go out
and have another talk, however. You
know we don't go much on either law or
gospel around here since the war"
He went out, but presently returned and
said:
1.-THE boys is bound to do it, and you had
best get ready. They will give you an
hour"
l felt it was useless to further argue the
matter, and wrote out statement and a
couple OF letters, gave my guard directions
about certain matters, and was then as
ready as could be. Was | nervous2 Not
bit. While was certain that should be
hanged, / did not feel like bemoaning my
fate If l had been armed would have
made fight for revenge, but, as was de-
fenseless, simply waited for the crowd to
come. wondered how they would hang
me, and when reflected that they had no
gallows and that should be strangled, l
had something like vertigo for few min
utes. 1t had just passed away when i've or
six Of the crowd came in. was led out, con-
Quoted about Q quarter of mile to q tree,
end after had had my arms and legs tied I
Wasfifted to the head Of whisky barrel and
| the moose Of the rope dropped over my head.
They were very cool about it, and / heard
some of them saying that evidently meant
| to die game. When all was ready / was
asked If had any thing to say. l replied
that / had, and for about ten minutes gave
it to them the best knew how, and by NO
means neglected the justice, who stood
close by, ] was astonished at my own
nerve and cooIness. hadn't quite wound
up yet when some pne discovered that the
last party out was approaching. One of the
men was waving q handkerchief, and
! when saw 1t knew that some discovery
had been made.
stood with the moose aboGt my neck for
seven or eignt Ninutes longer, but as soon as
the men came up there wae sudden change
Of base. They had got on the track OF the
murderer, hunted him for several hours,
and had finally shot him down and had his
body In the boat was, of course, released,
| and avarv ona sou0ht m a0olo0iza To- ~.