Connecticut western news., 1893-06-22
FRONTIER JUSTICE.

II llO1N llIlG y ODl IOL.
 Fiddlers was excited, not that there was anything extraordinary in that, for the Flat was in a normal condition of ex- 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 in it's 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.
 It was not the first killing at the Flat. This shooting scrape was only one of dozens of others during the five months of Fiddlers existence, but the victim was 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 ill luck at the gaming tables, and his equally unfailing remark as he rose penniless from his bout with the tiger, "Waal, 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- ,1o,c crb Velvet himself had the shift at deal when Mud had won the last ounce in the 'bank roll" and as the lucky player rose from his seat opposite him, the gambler had without word shot him through the heart. The cold fiendish- ness of the act was too much for the nerves even of Fiddlers, and the can rose to man and cried aloud for ven- geance. They were waiting now for the sentence. Long Smith was the judge. He occupied chair placed on 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, 8 guard at either side on his right, the hastily chosen | jury of twelve sat or stood, and beyond | a rope stretched across the room was the silent, expectant crowd. The evil dence was all in and Long Smith was settling himself down into comfortable position to listen to counsel for defense, when Velvet suddenly rose to his feet l and said:
 | ''See here, boys, what's the use of going on with this monkey business any longer? 1 shot Mud and you've determined that | must hang. Can't you drop this and take me out and hang me and be done with it, instead of torturing me with all this nonsense. You know you're only doing it to amuse yourselves" The eyes I 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 CT cot this yer kentry hez. Eff there's enythin ye hev ter say yer'Q hev CT chance ter say it furder on." There was a murmur of approval from the audience, and coun- | sel for the defense went on with his ar | gument, followed by the counsel for the l prosecution. The court summed up and charged the jury, which without mo- ment's hesitation returned verdict of guilty.
 The judge arose from his chair and said, Velvet, yer gone in;" there was no further assumption of judicial digni- ty; 1t dropped from him as one drops cloak from his shoulders; ssther boys hey giv' ye squar deal, which's more'n ye giv' Mud, n yell hev ter go under. What hev ye got ter say agin itr | Velvet smiled and shook his head
 You've got the drop on me, I reckon, !" he said, "and can't kick"
 Just at this moment there was strug- gle as of some one trying to force an en- trance through the crowd at the door, and the shrill tones of woman's 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 a shrill, shaky voice.
 sOh, know what yer nicknamed him. His n my names Dobbs, n he were good huff man most ways, n want ter see the man what killed him n lef' me CT lone widder rite in the prime CT life.
 The relict of the late Mud was at the bar of the court by this time. She was tall, angular woman of forty or so, dressed in rusty black, with an i'm mense calico sunbonnet that projected over her face like 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 court ordered chair for her in- side the par, ana when she had seated herself remarked to her:
 I've never knowed eff Mud were a mar'd man, marm. Elf we had we'd shorty hev waited this trial for ye."
 ID ye mean to say yer've gorn n tried this yer man for killin mine, n me not here ter seer Yer nice kin O CT judge, mus say. Waal. ye kin jest go ter tryin i'm rite over agin, now l 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 a moment. They were Missouxisns, almost to man,