Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1889-07-02
NUMBER %.
An OLD rsisg'sphsr. saessssfai Espsri-
msnt with . Nsrss soasdsr

"Some year, ago. said A. Howard,
"my life and 10000 belonging 10 my
partner. Jim lligney. and myself were
saved and gang of robbers broken up
by means ~ an electric hell Jim and !
had becn telegraph operators. hut had
abandoned the business for mining. We
had luck In prospecting. and after few
years had sold our claims Tor ss7 800. Of
which We took 81. 200 In promiS-ory notes
and started east with the balance. chiefly
In hank notes. IL appcans that three
outlaws learned the real value Of our old
trunks and cortents had left Jim at
tho clerks desk of a new tangled hotel
In n western town and followed tho par
ties NJ they carried the baggage 10 the
front end u our room on the fourth
door. After dismis-ing them hal shut
the door. ncglecting To lock u. however,
and hal turned 90 the washstand behind,
when | heard the door swing slowly oPcn
behind me
Thinking IL vas Jim. rinscd tho
lathcr from my face and turned. only 10
lind a man holding six shooter Ia my
face. another locking tho door and a
third making a break for the trunk. !
wanted at iirst 10 argue the matter from
a standpoint % morality. and ~ inquired
what right they had 30 disturb me In
dressing But the man with the gun re-
marked automatically. Might makes all
things night. stranger. and this l. might.
tapping his weapon with tho disengagcd
hand. felt that the silent instrument
Ia his hand was a deeper, more potent
argument than any could advance un-
der existing circumstances.
Back him up a. the wall and keep
him covered until We gct the stuff. aud
then we'll slit bis throat and lope.' re-
sumcd the leader.
Though the programme did not Just
suit me. acquie-ccl. a. far as the wall
Put your hands behind you command
od my jailer. did. when a happy
thought struck me. Ny right hand had
come In contact with knob, which l
recognized az the electric bell which
communicated with the clerk. This was
a feature ~ civilization the robbers were
not posted about Unobscrvcd by them,
began sending the following message;
'JM-Thrco robbers have the door
locked. AMI arc just waiting 30 get our
dust 90 murlcr me. Get a man and step
ladder. and don't make sign 81 noise,
put gun through the transom and
shoot. 10 quick and careful.
My only hope was that Jim might h.
still lounging whcro left him. In which
case his ear would quickly catch on.
There was a chance in "a hundred. and l
began 90 swca; very freely. But started
repeating the message. and was nearly
through. when bang. hang. two shots
were fired from over the door. and the
man. who had not bccn hit, turned Just
enough % lct mo bic him hack of the ear
with my right hand-the force % despair
and the knowlcdgc of bclng ON the night
side at last Il would D. painting u =
shade light o. say we hal sprung sur
prise PARTY on tho visitors. had a gun
In moment. AMI kept the thieves at hay
until the two men outside got In and tied
them up. except tho leader. who was as
dad a. a man ever gets 10 b.. The other
wounded one dicd in hospital three
months aftcrward. and my lailcr wa
killed in an attempt a. escape Jail about
the same time.
"As I hal expected. when the bell 10
gan ringing the message IN the Office,
Jim was there and commenced taking
H. Tho clerk gazcd In such astonish-
ment that ho forgot 30 start boy up 90
answer II Tor minute. when Jim pulled
his gun and remarked. The hrt man
that lcaves this room gets all Two got
hero in the neck When be- had got the
'ringogram. a. be afterward termed u,
hc npidly explained. cautioned every
boly else not 10 follow. took drummer
ho had met on the train. snatched lad
der. and as soon AZ he could climb
around the JOB was done. st Louis
Gtob.- Domocfat