St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-01-31
HIS NAME WAS MUD.
California Magazine.
EiJJlarc xuoc avo;taI

talking and fighting; but OH this partic-
ular occasion the excitement was of a
unique order that in 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 proprietor OF which. Velvet
Jack. was at that moment being tried
for his life before that most terrible of
earthly courts. Judge Lynch.
1t 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, hut the victim
was a peculiarly inotTensive creature
known as MUD to the camp.
lie had no other name that they knew
Of, and had earned his Sobriquet by his
unfailng ill-luck at the gaming table
and his equally unfailing remark as he
rose pGnniless from his bout with the
tiger, "Wal, my names Mud aging
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 unfaiIng regularity through every
deal
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 gam
bier had without word, shot him
through the heart.
The cold fiendiShness of the act was
too much for the nerves even OF the
Fiddlers, and the camp rose to a man
and cried aloud for vengeance. They
were waiting now for the sentence.
Long Smith was the Judge. He oc-
cupied a chair placed on faro table at
one end of the long, narrow cabin-the
identical chair that Velvet sat in when
he shot Mud.
Velvet sat little to his left. guard
at either side: OH his right the hastily
chosen jury of twelve sat or stood, and
beyond rope stretched across the room
was the silent, eXpectant crowd.
The evidence was all in, and Long
Smith was setting himself down into a
comfortable position to listen to counsel
tor defense, when Velvet suddenly rose
to his feet and said:
See here, boys, what's the use of
going oil with this monkey business
any longer? | shot Mud. and you've de-
termined that | must hang. Can't you
drop this, and take me out and hang me
and be done with it, instead of tortur-
ing me with all this nonsense. You
know you're only doing it to amuse
yourselves"
The eyes of every man in the crowd
were fixed OH the prisoner during this
speech. and then turned eXpectantly to
the Judge.
"Prisner ct the bar, yer bein' tried for
murder by the only kim o. CT cot this
yer kentry hez. Ell there's enthin' We
hev ter say yer'll hev er chance TO say it
furder on"
There was a murmur of approval
from the audience, and the counsel for
the defense went OH with his argument,
followed by the counsel for the prose
cutiOn. The court summed up and
charged the jury, which. without a mo-
ment,S hesitation, returned a verdict of
guilty.
The judge arose from his chair and
said: Velvet, yer gone in" There
was no further assumption of judicial
dignity; it dropped from him as one
drops cloak from his shoulders; "ther
boys hev Civ yer squar' deal, whlch's
more'n we Civ Mud. IN yer'll hev ter 20
under. What hev yer got ter say
agin lr?''
Velvet smiled and shook is head.
"You've got the drop on me. reck-
on" said he. land l can't kick"
Just at this moment there was a
struggle as of some one trying to force
an entrance 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
that had killed hers.
'.Tm Mud's wife" she insisted in a
shrill, shaky voice.
"On. | know what yer nicknamed
him. His'n my names DobbS, N he
nCnH IN
want ter see the man what killed him
N lief me er lone wilder right in the
prime er life"
The relict of the late Mud was at the
bar of the court by this time. She was
a tall, angular woman of forty or so,
dressed in a rusty black, with an i'm
mense calico sunbonnet that projected
over her face like a section of StOvepipe,
and effectually concealed her features.
The court ordered chair for her in
side the bar, and when she bad 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."
Dyer mean to say yer've CORN N
tried this yer man for KILN mine, IN
me not here ter see? Yer nice kin 20
Judge. | mus say. Wal. yer kin jest go
ter tryin' IN rite over again, now | am
yere," and the widow settled comfOrta-
bly, back in her chair and took dip of
snuff.
The court, counsel, jury and specta-
tors were melted in moment. They
were MISsourians. almost to man. and
the lone 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 lntl-
mated to the widow that they had con
Guided that her request was very nat
ural and, under the circumstances,
very proper one, and that with the priS-
oner's consent they would comply with
1t, but as he had already been tried and
found guilty once they thought it hardly
fair to him to try him again without his
consent.
Velvet arose, the eyes of the throng
upon him. He was tall, slight, grace
full fellow, with a swagger about him
that lnsensibly attracted men and wom-
en- alike. and with smile that showed
his white teeth under the black mus
tache. He remarked he was always de-
lighted to please lady, but that under
the circumstances he could not see any
thing to be gained by it.
first place, and all that remained for the
Judge was to pass sentence, but as they
had insisted upon trying him once to
please themselves. they might as we'll
try him again to please the lady.
There was murmur of approval at
this sentiment from the audience, which
was sternly checked by the court. The
widow had been dipping snuff and eye
ing Velvet during his and the courts
remarks, and seemed to have made up
her mind to something she had been
considering, for she suddenly closed
her snutfboX with click, rose from her
chair, and, turning to the court, said:
''Jedge, Pm the person what's bin
most hurt in this yer scrap. Pm lef'
lone woman with nary man ter pro
vide for me, an I've been er thinkin'
Their best way out o. this biznis is fer
this man what kilt my man ter get me
Ell new one."
She stonned amid death-like silence.