The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1889-06-29

success. The next morning found out
why the Judge had been so anxious to
learn the tying of the hangman's moose,
for when the doomed desperate, still
strong and defiant, was taken from the
fiag-pole at nine o'clock and laid in the
bottom of a wagon to be carried to the
place of execution-for his condition
would not admit of his ridinga bronco,
as was the custom-among the articles
that accompanied the crowd of regula-
tors and Daily's lowering friends was
the lariat on which was that noose that
l had coached the judge in making.
Nobody had been hanged yet in
Helena and the judge had seen at once
the superiority of the scientific moose
over the rough knot that was usually
tied in the end of rope on occasions
of this kind by regulators, an he had
concluded that he would give Helena
first victim in primitive Montana law
the benefit of proper sending off.
But, after all, Big Jim's death did not
come from the moose. That execution
was unexpectedly and intensely dra-
matte in its denouement, Its end was
an act of tragic heroism that would
have been possible nowhere except
among those lawless denizens of the
Rocky Mountains.
1.-The crowd that followed the guard
of regulators that excited the con-
demned outlaw to his death was a mot
ley gatheriEg-friends and sympa-
thizers of Daily, law-abiding citizens
and strangers within their gates.
Among the former was grim looking
old man, his long gray hair flowing
from beneath his broad-brimmed hat
and his gray beard sweeping his breast
His hat was turned up in front, adding
to the picturesqucness of his appear
ance. He rode a scrawny, detected
looking bronco. Thrown across one
arm he carried a rife with an unusually
long barrel. Two big Colts revolvers
showed conspicuously in his belt.
About three miles out on the trail there
was large scrub-oak tree, with limb
extending out in such suggestive fash
ion that in passing under it no one ap-
preciating the frequent requirements
of the region could avoid noting and
commenting on the branch's splendid
possibilities.
Having arrived there the Judge
halted the procession and made short
nXnla ~ a Snnanh IN tha 4
with due respect for ultra-western law,
asked Jim what he had to say before
the final proceedings. Desperately
wounded, bound, and helpless as he
was, and with death staring him in the
face. there was no sign of weakening
or trace of fear on Daily's face as he
forced himself to sitting posture in
the wagon, and in q grutf, strident
voice hurled the most terrible impre-
cations upon the judge and regulators.
He ended his TRADE by exclaiming:
4 leave you fellars to be looked after
by my friends. and don't you forgit that
they'll do it well and quick. and give
you all aniinvite to meet me in HI!
Go on with your shown,
"The judge stepped quickly to the
side of the wagon, slipped the moose
over Daily's head, and gave the other
end of the line twist around the limb.
The helpless victim was lifted to his
feet and held up on each side by stall
wart regulator.
'Get up!" said the Judge.
1.-The horses started forward and
dragged the wagon from beneath
Daily's feet. The moose frightened
about his neck, and dangling at the
end of it the desperate spun and quiv-
cred. Not word or sound had is
sued from the crowd, Notwithstanding
the fact that over one hundred of the
men there present were friends Of
Daily. But the rope had hardly tight
ened on the outlaws neck and swung
him from the limbs when the pictur-
esque old mountaineer, astride his de-
jected bronco. and who had stolidly
watched the proceedings from beneath
the wide brim OF his hat, threw his
lOuS l1ilc W Ills SllOulucE DIS 0ulCk ctS
thought and as Daily's body spun
around face toward him the loud re-
port of the weapon rang out among the
hills. The convulsive movements of
the strangling desperate ceased in
stantly. The body Strengthened out
and hung stiff and pulseless at the end
of the rope. The old marksman was
fully fifty yards from the tree when he
fired, but his bullet had been sent
straight between Daily's eyes, and end
ed his misery as one might snuff out a
candle. But the old mans shot had de-
feated the ends of Montana justice. With
the very moose about his neck Daily
had actually cheated the gibbet. After
the regulators recovered from their
surprise they of one accord demanded
of the judge instructions as to how
they should deal with the man who
had so fagrantly violated the rules of
lynch law. 1t looked as if the old man
had saved Daily from death by strang-
ling only to meet that fate himself.
The Judge turned to the veteran noun
taineer. who had Strengthened up in