The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1890-03-07

pay him for his audacity. ia WA scl'
uom caught, and generally knew how !,
cirrumvent his boisterous friends n
aihicnlties and management ~ was !
"o,n leader among men; he seemed u
'"'' easily 't'o place In q natural
way None would have suspected his
powers until the occasion came: tbcn 4,
was he became prime mover ana !
master spirit. ~
charlie reached tho trading post, and
this was his story;
"fou see. boys. after I turned Tho
corner the old mule. Jim. as usual Ia
gan 70 kick up his tricks Two or three
times ! had 70 dismount and arrange tho
pack-saddle; beyond this nothing u
consequence happened on the road nm
tll reached the traders old Bccswax
ana made my purchases Then packed
the goods and paid my bill with our
Roiu dust, after which lollcd about a
bit and ate my lunch. while tho store
keeper disappeared out 10 the rear Of tho
tent The only person saw about the
place was chap fast asleep on a bench
outside. When the mules were packed
and when ! left he was in the same
place.
After travelling slowly good mile |
saw about dozen men coming over tho
road shouting. They soon overhauled
me and told me must 20 back again:
80 just said: what for? What's up
now?'
'One OF them said: 'Youll find out
soon enough when you get there They
took nv mules by the head and turned
them about marching me OF with them.
when we got pretty close to the tent
! saw about twenty men gathered to-
gcthcr. and ! heard one OF them say:
They've got the fcller. guess he'll re-
pcnt before he gets through with u.s.
They unpackcd my mule. opened my
packages and scattered them about.
without finding any thing; then one big
burly fellow came up to me rather
roughly and ordered mo to take oil that
red shirt looked at him all over, and
then ] said Hold on moment. will
yer; what does all this mean? don't
want no fooling around me; you had
better understand that
Taking me unawarcs. half a dozen
OF the feilers grabbed mo from behind.
laid me on my back before / could re-
sist and then they searched my person.
Finding nothing they looked rather
foolish. as ! thought. The spectators
had now increased somewhat. and was
placed under guard. The crowd began
70 discuss the affair, and soon heard
voices calling for . Judge Lynch and
twelve jurymcn.
After this was led into the circle
that had been formed and stood before
the court. The Judge. he looked al me
very severely. with his eyebrows lower
ing. With a bass voice put on for the
occasion he growlcd out: What did you
do with the gold dust you stole from the
storekccper?
This made me angry, and replied:
You or any other man that says stole
is q liar.
That's enough; we don't want to
hear no more from the culprit in the
court at present Fetch along the wit
ncsscs'
The storekccper swore he left me
alone IN the tent. and that when he re-
turned he missed his goll dust; that
had disappeared. and he went out front.
Finding q man fast asleep on the bench
bic awokc him to tell OF bis loss. and to
hunt up some Of the nearest miners to
help catch the thief. 4 believe that's
the chap standing there tpoin ting to
mol.
..,rl. =. .1cc..x- ..,,~ +.,.4tG.l a., .x.-..1>-
ration Of the facts as stated; then the
party who went after me made their
statements. slightly exaggerated, un-
favorable to me. I tried to get in a
word or two in my defense. but was told
TO hold my tongue
"Mr. Knight, towny Of mine. rode /!
up on horseback and spoke few words |
in my favor, saying there must be some |
mistake in the matter. that he had
known me for years. and that was |
lbove suspicion. HIS testimony was
'aluclcss. and he was looked upon with |
loubts as TO his character. Fortunately /
or me. he had the good sense TO hurry |
It full speed for Nevada Forks. where |
vas well known.
Ills news spread like wildfirc, and
rad good friends in those parts. There
vas soon considerable hustling about,
BESIDES tackling on reviewers Some
borrowed without leave twelve mules
Ittachcd to two big schooners just ar
lived, and started in hurry for the
cnt, while others footed 1t in hot haste.
The whole precinct was aroused. Men
eft their work. knowing something
vas up. some with curiosity to see .
nan hanged. and IL was not long before
complete line OF men could be seen
Iurrying toward where was.
Tho judge and jury with the spccta-
ors joined in the arguments over my
crime. / looked about me. but there
vas not one friendly face could recog-
izc. My thoughts wore any thing but
leasant The hum OF voices gradually
cascd as al tried TO catch the verdict
rom the judges lips. who announced:
Gentlemen, the jury have decided the
riminal guilty Of theft: but II he will
III whore ne has hidden the dust the
Try agree TO let him of BY kissing the
II he will not confess,
Q must hang
For moment there was deep
Hence, and then came the conviction
nat my only chance for dear life was