Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1889-08-10
ALAwYER's STORY.

1 OA man tuhERsu WIN "a ledFihl
crime" said a lawyer just after sem
tence had been pronounced upon "a
man who had riddled with bullets the
woman who supported him, without
a strange sense Of admiration at the
confidence the people here have in the
justice and efficacy Of the law. | am
New Yorker. and one would surely
think would take that confidence for
granted. So / would. had ] not had
an experience in the west which I'M
hinged all my previous notion OF
what men will and will not do under
trying circumstances, and which has
made me tremble for the public peace
whenever peculiarly atrocious crime
has been committed.
1T was only three years ago that
went 10 Hastings, Neb. had dim
idea that | might stay there perman-
emily. Evidently | couldn't keep away
from New York. but at the time ! was
much impressed By the western tenn
per. Things were in many ways diff
Ierent from the wild idea | had got
Of the west by reading the papers. But
the one OF all phases which | found
differed most widely from the stories
had heard was the western way of
dealing out justice. | expected to see
mob law rule, but found as efficient
courts there as here, and u very gener-
al respect and confidence In the law
and its officers. | laughed heartily at
the yarns about Judge Lynch, and told
an old citizen that the western folks
must be fond VI painting themselves
In blacker cOlors than they deserved il
they inspired the tales telegraphed TO
eastern newspapers.
"'We're peaceable lot, he replied,
with twinkle of the eye; but oncet
in while we git up on our hind feet
all the same
Zone day the sheriff drove rapidly
into Hastings with prisoner. He was
a doctor living in settlement on the
border Of the county, made up largely
Of ranchmen and cowboys and their
families. He was charged with an Of
/ Tense against girl. mere child, who
had been intrusted TO his care as a
physician. The details OF the crime
and the arrest got out and were print
ed in the Hastings newspapers, and
aroused no end Of Indignation. Men
gathered on the street corners aud
talked about il angrily. and small
crowds gathered around the Jail 10 try
and get "A chance TO peep through the
bars at the prisoner who was for the
moment so notorious. IL was rumored
, that gang OF cowboys would be down
/. that night aud raid the Jail. The sher-
IN Immediately swore in dozen huge
/. fellows as extra cOnstables, and sta
, toned them inside and out the Jail.
, But by night the little wave of indig-
nation had settled down. No gang of
. desperate countrymen appeared, and
/, the next morning Hastings was as
: usual. have seen just such momen-
tary outbursts of public sentiment in
. the east, and the condition OF the city
Z next day was precisely what expected
, IL would be. Several days passed. and
, the crime was an old story. The news
, papers dropped il, and began to laugh
|, at the sheriff for swearing in those ex-
! ira conslables. / had told him in the
beginning that il was foolish expense
10 saddle on the town, aud he had said
nothing. Now. as the lazy fellows
still snoozed around the Jail ! made
q jokes at the sherih-s expense. He and
V | were good friends. and he took tn e
i Jokes in good nature. He only replied
n once, aud then only 10 say:
YOU'RE trine green yet, little fell
!, low
IL am not a small man. as you see,
but didn't mind his patroniZing me
: because he was so almighty big him
4 self and set his jaws so firmly.
: simply walked of through the quiet
streets and smiled at his sensles IS
Z fears.
Two weeks later. the day before
. the trial came along, Hastings was
quieter than ever. The lawyers had
their pleadings prepared and their
: witnesses ready. The prisoner rested
quietly in the Jail Less that day than
any other. so far. did there seem
; need for the shertffs extra consta.
bles.
T Cowboys are common in the streets
Of Hastings.
/ They come TO buy supplies, and
: sometimes TO paint the town. On
= business or pleasure they always bring
an atmosphere none the less iovial and
good humored for being sometimes a
little lawless. Cowboys appeared in
; Hastings that afternoon. But this
time their coming was not as usual.
: They didn't gallop gayly in. leap care
!, lessly of their mustangs, and stride
u into the nearest saloon. They trotted
: to town in groups and with a bushes:
like air about them. They were non,
n committal when questioned, and mere
: ~ nodded carelessly to chance &C
n quaintance. They didn't drink much,
They hung around the corners, finger
: ed their belts and appeared restless
suspicious ana determined.
Somehow the coming of the COW,
L boys, peaceful though it was, strangely
y electrified the town that night. Has
tings seemed all at once to awake as |
from sleep. The streets filled aftel
supper. Men, women and children
: paced up and down, seemingly only u
y enjoy the evening They chatted abou
y all sorts of current gossip, but wor,
2 nevertheless nervous, expectant all
:. that strangely affected me. l got nerv
Z Gus myself without knowing why.
Q threw away cigarettes bought som,
Q black cigars, and took to walking