The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1892-06-25
LYMcHED, YET ALIVE.


| Henry T. Robinson, now EN-
ployed as clerk in fruit house a
| Memphis, Tenn, but whose hom,
is in Philadelphia, is probably tn,
only man living who knows exactl,
how it feels to be hanged. He wa
lynched, and, as reminder of tn.
event, he has large and very ugly
scar on the left side of his neck
Mr.. Robinson tells this story to {
correspondent of the New York
Recorder:
In 1877, when I was % years old
l caught the Western fever ano
started for the land where fortunes
were said to be waiting for some
body to come along and pick them
up. | was hearty and strong, had q
good education, and was not afraid
Of work. had 5000 in my pocket
SO was certain not to starve for q
while, at least. After wandering
about a little and not picking up
one of those loose fortunes, drifted
into Deadwood City. There was
not soul in the town that
knew or that knew me. In the free
and-easy style of the place that
evening | spent my money pretty
freely, treating the men | met in
the saloons. AS / was returning
to my hotel that night a stranger
accosted me and asked me to help
him to a bit to eat and nights
lodging. The man was giant. He
was 6 feet 6 inches tall. His re-
quest was not strange in that coun-
try, SO l took him to the hotel with
me and gave him a good supper.
Rooms were scarce and high there,
so the stranger, whose name / never
learned, BY the way, slept with
me. | remember joking with him
about his great length, for his feet
stuck out over the foot of the bed
and the clothing would not cover
them. But his great length, which
made him a marked man wherever
he went, subsequently proved my
salvation. He told me he was 60
ing to look for work in the morn
ing at mine few miles distant.
| slept soundly that night, for / was
tired, even though it was my first
night in a strange bed and in a
strange town and among men who,
as history shows, We're almost law
less and certainly rough and crude.
A ROBBERY.
That night saloon was robbed,
and the burglars got away without
leaving any clew to their identity.
The next morning before anybody
was astir the tall miner left town,
and | never saw him again. All
that day l looked about for some
thing to do, but | was stranger
and nobody wanted me. Not on
that account, however, strangers
were common enough in Deadwood
in those days, but for another rea-
son. l noticed that many men
looked at me rather curiously, but
| thought it was because / was a
"tenderfoot." That night, in the
hotel bar room, I foolishly allowed
my "roll. in which were four twenty
dollar bills, to be seen.. went to
my room about ten o'clock, but had
not got to bed before / heard the
sound of a half dozen pairs of
heavy boots tramping along the ball
toward my room. l did not think
much of it until six men opened my
door and walked in, without even
the ceremony of knocking. A big,
red-shirted fellow, who seemed to
be the leader, pointed two revolvers
at me and said: "We want you,
young fellow"
i hadn't the slightest idea what
they wanted me for. but l was not
going to argue with a dozen revol-
vers in Deadwood City, SO threw
on my coat, which was the only
article of clothing I had taken off,
and walked out Of my room in front
of them. None of my captors said
a word, and 1, frightened almost to
death, did not dare to speak. We
marched thus in silence to the bar
room and l was told to throw up
my hands. I had no pistol on me,
and they took nothing from me ex-
,ept my roll of bills.
"There they are. boys, one Of
hem said, displaying the twenties.
[sdidn't know yet what was the mat
,er, and ventured to ask.
You're mighty innocent, d.
you, but you'll know soon enough"
,ne of them answered, with threat
,ned look.
They marched me out Of the room
ind along the road to a place about
! quarter of a mile away from the
main street. We stopped under 9
rec, and one Of the men threw a
'ope, which had been made into a
loose at one end, over limb. Then
hey tied my hands and placed the
loose around nay neck. | knew
hat / was going to be hanged. |
made no pretentions to bravery Of
sort that would let me die with
'ut q murmur, 50 / asked them
vhat was the matter. ~