The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-01-18


neSses were examined, be was acquitted,
the jury finding a verdict in less than
twenty four hours
Anderson was then arraigned on charge
Of shooting into old Sam Phinney's house.
He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to
sixty days in Jail, which he served. On
returning TO his home at Blakesburg he was
Informed by his ueighbors that he was not
considered a safe man for that community
and the people would like it if he moved
He agreed to leave, and did look up a loca-
ton in Texas, but, not finding a ready pur-
chaser for his farm, continued living there
quietly with his wife aud family, He nut
In a crop aud harvested it ia peace, and was
almost led to believe that the telling against
him had died out.
One evening In December, 1884. while
Anderson was engaged In his barnyard
feeding his stock, four masked mon drove
up to the gate in 2-horse sled. Two
jumped out and approaching Anderson COW
cred him with reVolvers, telling him thew
had been sent to arrest him, and that he
was to be taken to the school house for trial.
The prisoner asked to be allowed to notify
his family, but was told that they would be
reformed OF his whereabouts. He saw re-
sistance was futile and went with his capt
ors.
At the school house some half a dozen
tallow candles fiickered and suffered, cast
ing a wierd helf-hght over one of the most
striking scenes of life's great drama. At
the teachers desk sat man, while arrayed
on two benches behind were twelve others
aud still two more occupied seats in front.
All were enveloped from head TO foot in
bed quilts. They constituted court TO try
Pleasant Anderson for his life on the charge
Of killing Chris McCRllisser!
With formality, hideous in its hooking of
judicial forms, the prisoner was arraigned
and charged with the crime of murder in
the first degree. He was asked TO plead,
and pleaded not guilty. Then he was re-
moved by his captors TO tho rear of the
room, where he spent the last moments OF
his life matching pennies with some boys
who had been attracted 10 the school house
by curiosity. In the meantime the farclcal
trial was being proceeded with solemnly,
but with one intent. Evidence was sub
mitted, arguments were heard, and with
gravity well-nigh devilish the Judge
charged the jury. This body
pretended to retire, but speedily
returned with verdict of guilty as
charged. This. too, was couched in coldly,
formal legal verbiage, and on being read
by the clerk the judge proceeded to ask the
jury the stereotyped query concerning the
fairness and unanimity Of the verdict, and
the jury answered leach one for himself
and not one for the other" that Pleasant
Anderson was guilty of murder In the first
degree, the crime alleged being the killing
OF Christian McCallister.
Then the judge commanded the masked
'bailiffsn to bring the prisoner into court"
In voice coldly dispassionate and with
words. as few asthey were cruel, the judge
Informed Anderson Of the result Of the trial,
and then sentenced him to be hanged inn
mediately.
Tn a tvCintIfpy Tho nO1,rk vvas %ra ~ sfor,,,o5
into band Of executioners. The prisoner
was allowed TO make one request, which
was granted, that his boots be removed.
Then rope was thrown into a moose about
his neck, and Anderson, erect and unflinch-
ing, marched barefooted behind his pitiless
captors, about 100 yards across the frozen
snow to tree. Then he asked to send
message TO his wife. but was told 70 "Go to
=" Over a limb the rope was thrown: a
pull Of the determined men, and another
mysterious murder was added to the list of
BlakesburR's crimes.
Gently swaying In the winters wind cast
ing startling black shadow across the
moonlight waste of snow, swung the life
less body of Pleasant Anderson, and silently
as they had gathered the members Of the
court slipped away to their homes. In a
cherries little farmhouse on bleak hill
side mother and daughter saw the evening
hAOoA BAOH NO4NAt Hu0Cu6Q Tue bHlllRug
shadows deepen into the night, the stars
come out and the night grow cold with the
rising OF the moon, and wondered why the
husband and father did not come to supper.
When the Wapello county grand jury
met the next month, January, 1885, it ig-
nored the case. Those men who composed
that body will always remember what
Judge Burton said to them in his scathng
rebuke to the body for its neglect Of duty.
But the hanging Of Pleasant Anderson was
never investigated.
Meanwhile, in his convict's cell Dan Mil
ler's health was failing. Confinement"
said his friend. Great efforts to secure his
pardon were made, but failed. His good
time" secured him a reduction of sentence.
Then he was tried ON mere counts, but his
health was broken and he seemed abont TO
die, so his prosecutors left him TO die free
man. Few people now thought of the death
OF Chris McCallister or that of Pleasant
Anderson. But Dan Miller thought of it
always. He alone knew that Chris Mccall
lister had drawn large sum of money on
that October day in 1881 from the Monroe
County Bank he knew how much the sum
was; he knew that its withdrawal would
cripple the bank; that If he could recover it
he might save the bank. or at least his repu-
tation. He knew that murder would be
necessary, but he had already stepped his
eOul III CElul6. II ne ulQ not get Dlat money
back he would be ruined. To get it back
would cost one life, maybe two, but his
reputation would be saved.
So he killed Chris McCallister.
Then, when he failed to get the money. lis
bank went under. his forgeries were found
out and he stood before the world a felon.
When on that September morning in 1893
he stood before the bar in the court room
and heard the fatherly words Of the judge
who sentenced him, his conscience nettled
him and he resolved to further his
crime. The stupidity Of an offlcious deputy
sheriff prevented this, and an innocent man
was hanged-by mob, it is true, but new
ertheless hanged-for Dan Miller's deed.
No wonder his health broke in confine-
ment. With the ghosts of two murdered
men forever pointing accusing fingers at his
soul, with remorse and vain regrets fer his
evil deeds forever with him, it is a wonder
he stood it as long as he did, and when death
finally came to rid him OF his weary life he
called TO his bedside the wife Of Chris Nc
Callister and told her how be had murdered
her husband.
His confession was autographed from here
on the night Of his death, last Tuesday.
HAMLET JoNEs-So you have left the ''Tin
Monkey companyl