Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1890-03-22

string which lay upon the carpet-a
string leading from the bed TO the
door. stopped to examine it and
found it fast at both ends. | brought
the lamp and took a more careful
survey. The string was fine silken
trout line, new and strong, one end
of which disappeared beneath the be d
and the other beneath the door. In
my then present condition was sus.
picious OF evil. and my senses were
painfully keen. Raising the hanging
edge of the coverlet, looked under
the he'd. The carpet bag which
Laban Shaw had leftlay there, partly
open. with the silken line leading out
from it. What could it mean? Had
the man accidently carried the end
OF the line away with his night dress
without noticing it? / drew the bag
out from beneath the bed, and as |
held it's jaws apart | saw within a
double barreled pistol. both hammers
cooked, bright percussion caps CLEAN.
ing upon the tubes, while the silken
line, with double end. was made fast
TO the triggers! And | saw that the
muzzles of the pistol barrels we're in.
serted into the end OF an oblong box
or case of galvanized iron. And /
comprehended, too, that very slight
pull upon that string might have dis
charged the pistols, and, furthermore,
that man outside ofmy door might
have done that thing!
For n little time my hands trem-
bled so that | dared not touch the
Internal continuance; but at length ]
composed myself. and went at work.
First, cut the string with my knife;
and then, as carefully as possible, /
eased down the hammers of the pis-
tol, after which | drew it from the
iron case. ! had just done this when
heard step in the hall outside my
door. Quick as thought | sprang
up, and turned the key, and threw
the door open, and before me, re-
vealed by the light ofthelamp, stood
Lahan Shaw. He was frightened
whea he san me, and trembled like
an aspen. Twas stronger than he at
any time, and now he was as child
in my hands. l grasped him by the
collar, and dragged him into my
room; and | pointed the double-bar.
relied pistol at his breast, and told
him | would shoot him as | would
shoot dog il he gave me occasion.
He was abject and terrified. Like
a whipped cur he crawled at my feet,
and begged for mercy. His master
had hired him to do it with promise
of great reward. 1t had transpired
that my testimony before the jury
would be conclusive ofButterworth's |
guilt, and Butterworth had taken
this means to get rid of me. In his |
great terror, the poor aecomplice |
made clear confession, and when
he told all released my grasp. He |
begged that | would let him go, but |
| dared not-my duty would not al
low it. / rang my bell, and in time,
the hostler, who slept in the office, /
my summons. | sent him |
for an officer, and ut length had the
of seeing my prisoner led
safely away.
On the following day the carpet
bag was taken before the grand Jury
and the iron case examined before an
chemist, assisted by an
Did armorer from the arsenal. 1t was
iound to contain n illuminate of mer-
curry, mixed with bits firon; and it
was the opinion OF both the
chemist and the armorer that
The power of the explosive agent, had
t been ignited as it was placed, be-
heath my he'd, would not only have
been sufficient to bow me to atoms,
1ut that it would also have literally
stripped and shivcred to fragments
Ill of the house above It'll
And a single pull of that silken
tring would have been sufficient to
his horrible endl And but for nv
lerVous waking-my incubus of fore
Ioding-the destroyer would have
ome; the fntaicord would have been
the mine sprung, and
hould have been launched into
ternity as upon thelightning's bolt!
And so Gabriel Butterworth did
lot procure the destruction of my
estimony, but through that testi-
nony the grand jury found cause for
Indictment of far graver character
han had at first been anticipated,
nd Of those graver charges he was
onvicted. Seth Damon received
ack the full sum he had intrusted to
he false mans care and shortly
fterward enteredint business with {
i'm, and to-day Seth Damon and
re partners. Laban Shaw came
ut from prison and went to Idaho.
have not heard of him since.
Iabriel Butterworth did not live to
erve out his full term of sentence.
Chicago Ledger. =
Ie OUGHT to Have Sworn Off 8