The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1890-06-12
Sheet Iron Jacl, sometimes appeared

oneet iron JaCIS SOfnetiInoS appedreu
uninvited. 1t was in the edge Of the
oak forests on the eastern side of the
Sacramento. in Northern Shasta, that
the Saltwater settlers we're once having
q ball in log-oabin school-house. A
tall, black haired young man, elegantly
dressed, appeared on the scene and be-
came the bright. particular star of the
occasion. a handsome brunette waa
about to be led on the floor by her part
ner, when the stranger stepped up to
his side, whispered his name, bowed to
the young lady. saying that her Dartner
had resigned the privilege, and led her
out. The ,errorized young man sat
down and saw Sheet Iron Jack repeat
the operation with half tho girls In tho
room. Then with smile and bow the
merry bri raad said: "Such charming
ladies l have never seen before, but
really the nen of this district are not as
brave as they might bo." Then he
kissed his last partners hand, vailed
out Of tho door and disappeared in the
darkness, leaving dozen very sheepish
young fellows behind him.
Like most typical hiThwayrnen, Sheet
Iron Jack was u spcndihriit. and bo-
lieved in the Rctp.n Hood political econ
omy. lie helped ;na7y a poor fellow
footsoro. homeless and weary, to u new
start. lie once saved "a stage from an
accident by repairing u broken bridge
at the bottom OF Il grade just before tho
belatcd stage tore Go"H tho rltn-swept
mountain. i'eopi0 ;hl stories Of him
that would lavc doIo crHlit . ihr best
of men. lie o,,ou fiiqr Il liyp. or o ten.
or a twenty-iol..,r .'l!d piece at dead
broke" man, with the terso command.
Don't you drink whisky. and don YOU
believe ali the bad stories you hear
about Sheet Iron Jack"
Tie following incident is perhaps as
characteristic as any that arc toid Of
this genial outlaw:
One day in August Il German was rid
ing along the mountain pGths of South
crn Trinity. Ills horse, a fine auG valu
able animal. suddenly went lame, and
in an hour WAS only able TO hobblo for
ward. The ignorant youth was in de-
spair. He had paid si50 for the horse,
| and now he expected to be compelled TO
abandon the animal
At this innetura mild-voiccd,
| benevolent Old man, the shrewdCst
horse-tradcr In the Coast Range, over
| tool: the pocr German. won his conf.
| denco, examined tho horse and pro-
nounccd the trouble clear case OF
| founder"
Twill take him q yocr to get we'll,
an he'll never lie much of horse
ag'in.'
After awhile ~ slrov'G trader ul..god
the German SO Tor the horse. saying
that he Should ,u"n him out IL pasture
for year or morr. =" unhappy young
man consented took The money and
started down tho hill to walk to the
stage station Tho sharper waited I'm
til ho Was out OF s.g"ht, t..-n took 4 pair
of pinchc"3 from his s,.G &lcbaga, and in
five minutes had taken oiY the four ue~
shoes of the iun" horse. III haiE al
hour the animal wss ablc to walk with
comfort.
81 tAr't ga." l!e now owner said.
"1ho lNinut" sec. ;.gil now shoes [
know,d The .go"1le. That hoss is worth
S2Oo. Wish / could ind such tool
every day"
Tho poor German tJil2d OF for nearly
an hour with his heavy saddlebaCS,
when man rode out OF the bushes and
asked: "Whero in tho devil is yaur
horsc?" Tho hcaitating youth related
what had happened, hluGhing with the
rising conviction that he had madc
mistake Tho straaGyc aat sideways on
his great brown horse, with one knee
thrown over the saddle, and broke into
merry iLS of laughter as he listened
lie asked few questions about the
|anciont and friendly stranger. At last
he said
well, this is my territory, so I'll help
you out. You go under that oak in the
gulch and you'll find my camp. The
dried vcnison Is hanging to = limb. Don'S
you build q fire, hut turn in whenever
you choose
With such q horse as Sheet lrOn
Jack rode it was easy TO overtake the
swindlcr, and he then proceeded with
great dignity to reprove him at the poinr
of q revolver.
"A bargains bargain. said the nan
"but you've got such taliin' way that
ye can hev the hoss when ye give TAG
J back my 500"
} THAT goes for my fees as lawyer,
Sheet Iron Jack responded; "but now,
: that think OF it. my time is worth more
} than that. Shell out!'' and he took over
} 500 from the discounted speculator in
: horsenesh, tossed him back twenty
, dollar piece, and rode back to where
7 the young German lay asleep under tho
1 oak.
. "Climb on" he said, 'and ride to
i. Weavervillc. Hold your tongue about
8 this performance for few days and
t don't try any more horse trades. That
, is fine animal; if had come along
, first might have taken it myself
Goodbye"
, A few years later Sheet Iron Jaci
5 grew tired Of his old stamping ground
, and won't on long ride into Idaho and
l Montana, then just coming into prom
I inenoe as q mining region. Jack is now
8 serving q sentence in California pris