The state herald., 1889-07-12
ALAwyER.s sroRY.

L IT,
II mover 80 tho trial In this city
Of man charged with feari..l
crime." said lawyer just after SEN
tense had boon pronounced upon a
man who had riddled with bullets the
Woman who supported him, "without
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 l would, had not had
IN experience in the west which un-
hinged all my previous notion OF
what men will and will not do under
trying circumstances. and which has
made me trcmble for the public peace
Whenever q peculiarly ,nt.ocious crime
has been committ-I.
ut was .eniy three years ago that
went to Hastings, Neb. had u dim
idea that might stay there perman-
emily. Evidently couldn't keep away
from New York, but ut tho time was
much impressed By tho western tenn
per. Things were In many ways diff
feront 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 l
had heard was the. western way OF
dealing out justice. expected to see
mob law rule. but | found az ctficient
courts there as here. and very gener-
al respect and confidence In the law
and its officers. laughed heartily ut
the yarns about Judge Lynch. and told
an OIL citizen that the western folks
must be fond Of painting themselves
In blacker colors than they deserved II
they inspired the tales telegraphed TO
eastern newspapers.
We're u peaceable lot, he replied,
with a twinkle Of the eye; but oncet
In while we git up on our hind feet
all the same
"One day the sheriff drove rapidly
into Hastings with Il prisoner. He WAS
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 u girl, n mere child, who
Ass0 cSSh hsttu W lib CtfEt US u
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. Mon
gathered on the street corners aud
talked ABOUT it angrily, and small
crowds gathered around the jail to try
and get chance TO peep through the
bars at the prisoner who was for the
moment SO notorious. 1t was rumored
that gang OF cowboys would be down
that night and raid the Jail. The sher-
In Immediately swore in II dozen hugo
fellows rs 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 c0untrymen appeared, and
the next morning Hastings was as
usual. l have seen just such momen-
tary outbursts Of public sentiment in
the east and the condition OF the city
next day wis ,cisely what expected
IL would be. aever days passed. and
the crime was an old story. The news
papers dropped it, and began To laugh
at the sheriff for swearing In those ex-
ira constables. had told him in the
beginning that 1t was foolish expense
to saddle on the town, and he had said
nothing. Now, as the lazy fellows
still sroozed around the jail | made
jokes at the sherifi's expense. He and
! were good friends, and he took th o
jokes In good nature. He only replied
once. and then only TO say:
"'You're triile green yet, little fel-
low
81 am not small man, US you SEQ,
but didn't mind his patronizing me
because he was so almighty big him
self and set his jaws 20 firmly. !
simply walked of through the quict
streets and smiled at his senslc 81
fears.
Two weeks later. the day before
the trial came along, Hastings was
quieter than ever. Tho lawyers had
their pleadings prepared and their
witnesses ready. The prisoner rested
quietly In the jail. Less that day than
any other, so fur. did there seem
peed for the sherin's extra consta.
bles.
Cowboys are common In the streets
Of Hastings.
They come TO buy supplies, and
sometimes 10 paint the town. On
business or pleasure they always bring
nm atmosphere none the less jovial and
good humored for being sometimes "a
little lawless. Cowboys appeared In
Hastings that afternoon. But this
time their coming was not us usual
They didn't gallop gayly in, leap care
lessly of their mustangs. and stride
Into the nearest saloon. They trottcd
TO town In groups. and with a business
like air about them. They were non
committal when questioned. und mere
ly nodded carclc isly TO chance ac-
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
boys. peaceful though II WIS. strangely
electrified tho town that night. Has
tings seemed all at oncc 10 awake Ms II
from sleep. The streets filled after
supper Men. women rnd children
paced up and down. seemingly only TO
enjoy tho evening. They chnited about
all sorts OF current gossip. but wore
nevertheless n nervous. cxpoctant air
that strangely affected me. got nerv-
Gus myself without knowing why.
threw away cigarettes, bought some
black cigars, and took 10 walking.
Around the saloons were gathered
crowds Of men. They were citizens.
and many Of tho best men Of tho town
were among them. Some OF those
wore anxious faces. mixed In the
crowds and listened. II WIS only com
mon-pluce TALK that heard The cow
boys. whose numbers were practically
incrensing. still hnd nothing 10 say.
They began TO drink as night came on,
nnd u few amused themselves. by going
TO the outskirts Of tho town and shoot
ing at pretty near everything that
came along. This was little or no dis
order. In fact there wns only the
crowds. md tho commonplace talk.
and the cowboys, and that mysterious
ufnn.nh,r, nv ot,v.u n',,in,k than.