The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-05-26
DEATH ON THE DESERT.
A REGION WHEREIN MURDER IS
COMPARATIVELY SAFE.

sea, either when dropped overheard in q
weighted coffin, or when shipwrecked, or
when, as did the marines, crew and soldiers
aboard the British troopship meet drowning
with mistaken ranks, with colors flying and
bands playing, is always appalling, says
John Hamilton Gilmore in the San Fran
Disco Chronicle.
Almost the same fear seizes one on the
desert There is the same bouudless ex-
panse of nothingness, and there is ever
alive the same care not to wander from
| the beaten track, for to lose the dim trail
means destruction.
Now and again we read Of parties who
have died of thirst, aud from an escaped
one we learn OF the hideous feasts of
lizards and snakes TO maintain strength
TILL some post on the railroad is reached.
But there are many wanderers who never
live to speak Of their hardships and whose
misery isebest told by their whitening bones
gnaWed clean by ravenous coyotes and
kites.
Sometimes the law has been sharply adj
mlnlstered by the members OF a company of
| SOME gold-hunting expedition on refrac-
tory, trouble-breeding companion. The
| story of the crime and the subsequent pun
lshment is never known, for it is Incum bent
on everybody to be silent regarding their
judicial transactions in the painless wilder
| ness. Sometimes cupidity leads to murder
Bloodcurdltng stories are told round
camp fires of summary punishments for
wlckedneSs done. aud the weird light the
curling flames throw on the tawny, heavily
| bearded faces Of those gold hunters adds a
bitter zest to the CORY narrative. Some Of
| these anecdotes are not with ut spice of
| cruel humUr, and when rude justice has been
melted out to deserving offender the grim
merriment OF the hearers causes queer shud-
| ders to chase themselves over you through
| fear that you might unwittingly offend
| some OF these simple-mind ed, peace adoring
| citizens
1t will always be discovered that the man
who had been forced to shoot and kill was
"a perfect gentleman. and so harmless that
he wouldn't hurt the hair on a child'S head
| but Lord God he warn't skeered of any
thing that walked" And then to your utter
| amazement you Will learn that this peaceful
Sunday school individual who was forever
| hunting the paths of peace had been in half
a dozen shooting or cutting scrapes because
ne would not be left alone when going quietly
| about his business
''Of course it wasn't his fault, meester
but no man likes to be crowded, dye see,
and 'twasn't safe to crowd Jim unless yer
| was mighty handy with yer gun"
1t was gentleman like Mr.. Jim of whom
| heard this fascinating story, and which
| for grim humor cannot be surpassed Nor
can Mr.. Jim, for SO 1 shall have 60 call
| him, be blamed for avenging himself for
| the trick that was played upon his taste
and gastronomlc judgment.
One OF the bright spots on the Colorad o
| desert is Dos Palmas. IL is a few miles to
the north of SaIton and on the old Arizona
stage road. 1t is truly an enchanting place,
for here spring bubbles up, and its waters
spreading have caused rich dank grass to
| grow, and palm trees Of gigantic hight
spread out their beautiful fan-shaped leaves.
| Close to the marsh was stage house, where
| rest and food was sold for both man and
| beast. The remains of the adobe could have
| been seen year ago, but l am told the
heavy rains Of last winter entirely swept
away the vestiges of this memento of pre-
railroad days.
Mine host, at the time 1 write, was O
wag. though his humor was not of that
quality which endeared him to men. The
| fare he furnished was even ruder than his
wit, but what he lacked in richness of
mentality he made up in his charges, which
| compared favorably with the terrific de-
mands of the modern railroad eating house.
1t was much-traveled road and custom
was brisk, for only by this route was Ari-
IONA accessible, and as many mines were
being worked in the territory the wag was
| never idle.
One day. so the story runs, Jim stopped
at the stage house for dinner, and his eyes
were gladdened, and so was his appetite, by
| the sight and taste of fresh meat. Jim ate
hear lily and praised the flesh with the air
of a oonnoisseur. He asked for several re-
| lays of tender cut, and with many an oath
| declared that never had he tasted such
delicate beef. The host, too, was pleased,
and charged him exorbitantly for the
| feast.
On the way to the river Jim repeatedly
referred 70 the gorgeous meal, and
wound up his remarks with many an en-
comium on the liberality of the stage house
proprietor. There was, however, one in the
outfit who did not share Jim's admirinR
views, and finally remarked:
Dye know what You eat back tharP
| throwing his thumb over his shoulder and
indicating the position of Dos Palmas.
| Beef" was the laconic re jolnder.
''Tein't nuthin' Of the kind. That was
an old mule what dropped dead, an he sed
yer outfit'd eat 1t and think it was beef"
A laugh went UP at Jim's expense.
"Are ye tellin' straight goodsP' inquired
Jim anxiously.
He was assured on that point.
Jim left the camp fire. resadded his burro
and rode straight for Dos Palmas.
The proprietor was at the door.
| ''Did yer give me mule meat this arter-
noon 10 eat3 1oll Tue truth, now"
The host faltered out that he was short of
pro visions and had been compelled to dress
up the defunot mule, but he was sorry,
| etc. .saT
He fell dead in the doorway with two bull
| lets in his body.
Jim rejoined the company and incident
| ally remarked that he guessed there would
| be no more mule meat sold for beef at Dos
| Palmas
A train was pulling out Of desert sta
| ton, when a man known as ugly" drew
out his six-shooter aud complacently re-
marked that nafore that train got out
| somebody or another was gwine to die" IL
was a cheerful announcement and nobody
seemed anxious to be the victim. There
was a flash and a report, and as the train
| left body was seen stretched upon the
sand, stone dead. He had made the boast
| and reaped the reward. 1t was no ones
business as to who had fred. No questions
| were asked.
The authorities have little time to hold
inquests over strange dead, and their orders
| in some instances are short and pointed.
The coroner of a small town on the line once
received dispatch to the effect that dead
| body had been found on the track and was
| held for instructions.
BURY it." was the prompt answer.
said that a man may be murdered on the
desert and the murderers escape punish-
meut That is true on the desert proper,
| but not near a settlement. Some years ago
| a man left San Bernardino on his way to
Arizona and passed through Palm Springs