Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1892-12-08
FRONTIER JUSTICE.

FRONTIER JUSTICE.
Fiddlers was excited. not that there
was anything extraordinary in that, for
the Flat was in normal condition Of Ell
citement over one thing or another every
hour in the day and vented it in much
drinking, loud talking and fighting, but
on this particular occasion the excite
ment was of unique order, that ia its
still intensity chilled and silenced the
mob of men that crowded in and close
about the doors Of the Mary's Eyes
saloon and gambling house, the pro-
prietor Of which, Velvet Jack. was at
that moment being tried for his life be-
fore that most terrible of earthly courts.
Judge Lynch.
1t was not the first killing at the Fiat.
This shooting scrape was only one Of
dozens of others during the five months
Of Fiddlers' existence, but the victim
was a peculiarly inoffensive creature
known as "Mud" to the camp. He had
no other name that they knew of, and
had earned his sobriquet by his unfail-
ing i'll luck at the gaming tables. and
his equally unfailing remark as he rose
penniless from his bout with the tiger,
'sWaal, my names mud again" but on
this particular occasion Mud's luck had
run his way, and he had sat hour after
hour at the little oblong faro table since
the night before, and won with unfail-
ing regularity through every deal.
Velvet himself had the shift at deal
when Mud had won the last ounce Id
the s'bank roll, and as the lucky player
rose from his seat opposite him, the
gambler had without a word shot him
through the heart The cold fiendish
ness Of the act was too much for the
nerves even Of Fiddlers, and the camp
rose to man and cried aloud for ven
geance. They were waiting now fer
the sentence. Long Smith was tht-
judge. He occupied chair placed on 4
faro table at one end Of the long, mar
row cabin, the identical chair that Vel
vet sat in when he shot Mud. Velvet
sat little to his left, guard at either
side on his right, the hastily chosen
jury of twelve sat or stood, and beyond
a rope stretched across the room wss
the silent, expectant crowd The evi-
dence was all in and Long Smith was
settling himself down into a comfortable
position to listen to counsel for defense,
when Velvet suddenly rose to his feet
and said:
''See here, boys, what's the use of going
on with this monkey business any longer?
l shot Mud and you've determined thar
must hang. Can't you drop this and
take me out and hang me and be doGe
with it, instead of torturing me with I'll
this nonsense. You know you're only
doing it to amuse yourselves. The eyes
Of every man in the crowd were fixed On
the prisoner during this speech. then
turned expectantly to the Judge
"Pris'ner ct the bar, yer bein tried fer
murder by the only kin O er cot this yer
kentry hez. Eff there's enythin ye hey
ter say yer'll hey er chance ter say II
furder on" There was a murmur Of
approval from the audience, and couu
sci for the defense went on with his ar
gument, followed by the counsel for the
prosecution. The court summed up and
charged the jury, which without a mo-
ment's hesitation returned Il verdict Of
guilty.
The judge arose from bis chair and
said, "Velvet, yer gone in" there was
no further assumption Of judicial digni-
ty; it dropped from him as one drops a
cloak from his shoulders; '.ther bows
hev Civ ye a squar deal, whichs more'n
ye Civ Mud, n yell hey ter 20 under.
What hev ye got ter say agin it,"
Velvet smiled and shook his head.
You've got the drop on me. reckon. n
he said, "and | can't kick.
Just at this moment there was d struy-
gle as Of some one trying to force an en-
trance through the crowd at the door,
and the shrill tones of wonans voice
could be heard demanding access to the
court that was trying the man who had
killed hers.
"I'm Mud's WIFE" she insisted in 4
shrill, shaky voice
"Oh, know what Yer nicknaincd
him. His n my names Dobbs. Il be
were good nnff man most ways, n |
want ter see the man what killed him
n lef me er lone widder rite in tbe
prime er life.
The relict.of the late Mud was 1T tie
bar of the court by this time. She y1,.y
a tall, angular woman Of forty or SO
dressed in rusty black, with am iiit
mense calico sunbonnet that projected
over her face like a section Of stovepipe
and effectually concealed her features
The eyes were bright and keen though.
and swept quick glances from prisoner
to judge and jury
The conrt ordered a chair for her ii
side the bar, and when she had seated
herself remarked to her;
1--WE never knowed eff Mud were
mar'd man, marin. Eff we had we'd
shorty hev waited this trial for ye."
.s.D' ye mean to say yer've gorn II tried
this yer man for KILN mine, n me not
here ter see? Yer nice kin o er judge,
mus say. WAL, ye kin jest go ter
tryin i'm rite over agin, now am
yere," and the widow settled comfort
ably back in her chair and took dip of
snuff. The court, counsel. jury and
spectators were melted in 4 moment
They were Missourians, almost to man.
and the sone touch Of nature that snuff
dip awoke in them made them the
widows slaves for the moment. The
court, counsel and jury consulted for
few moments, and the judge intimated
to the widow that they had concluded
that her request was very natural, ard
under the circumstances, a very proper
one, and that with the prisoners con-
sent they would comply with it, bnt lis
he had already been tried and found