The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-01-21
STUDIESIN DESERTCRIM
The LAW as ADMINS TERED
THERE IS A FARCE.

He Had h urd ered-nODOod a Man of
% and Then Killed Him While Num-
pers Looked On-KUed for Attend
ing to BIS Own Businese-Desert
Horse Thieves-Drew the Limo on the
Iicensed at the Dance-The Source of
Railroads Fusl.
From the Neto York Sun.
Among the scenes which come under the
ave OF an observing tourist on the American
desert none is more likely to impress the
senderfoot than the number Of tents aud
opeued-doored shsnties that stand un-
guarded in every live camp. Tie untrsined
workman, the mechanic. and even the mer-
chant will go away for day at time leav-
ing the door OF his home unlocked, il not
wide open, although their clothing and
household goods lie unprotected within.
Apparently these mine camps might be
sneak thief's pal adise, and the tenderfoot is
pretty sure to mention the subject to some
OF the mine camps citizens. Thereat the
mine camp citizen, figuraiively speaking,
brings out the most aged, the most veneer
able. the most wonderful Of desert curiosi-
ties, blows the dust from 1t, polishes It up a
bit, and holds 1t out at arms length for the
tsnderfoot's admiration-that is to say. he
replies 70 the tenderfoot's remark something
as follows:
"Why, certainly. No one ever thinks of
locking q house door here. We're tough IN
some respect, ID tough, l may say, but.
sir, we do not steal"
Tie citizen invariably makes this reply
with noticeable pride. and the tenderfoot
hears it with JOY. 1t Is like the tin tag on
the citizens plug OF tobacco, it is q oertifi-
cate of genuineness. The citizen says it to
convey the impression thetthe camp holds
O true mine camp community, commuu-
ity where men drink and carouse with
sporting women and gamble and kill one
smother, but there is nothing mean about
them; they are not sneak thieves. Or coCrse.
b sneak thief might visit the camp but
them
"Do you see that coil of rope over there
at the supply store? You BET he'd dance
out on the end OF that or some other one,
half an hour after he was caught plying his
trade"
The tenderfoot hears the story joytully,
because IL assn es him that he is now in the
kind ola community we read about, and
when he returns to the states he will have
nc end OF stories to tell like unto those he
has heard from the 49srs.
However, il the teudertoot wants to know
the truth of the matter he can learn 10y
listening to the stories of crimes committed
there that this tradition of mine camp
honesty is fraud, that crimes against
property are more common there than else
where, and thai the goods in the tents and
shanties are not unmolested because OF
honesty among the citizens. Here are some
u the stories he can hear:
In Pickba1dle Gulch. near the camp Of
Candelaria, New, lived one John Sellers,
who kept saloon as resort for the men
working in the miues up the gulch. He en-
ployed Graham Brown as bartender and
general assistant about the saloon. One
night the two men got TO disputing about
some OF the work, and from words they
very quickly passed to blows with their
fists. Then Brown drew q handy knife and
literally svisceratsd Sellers, who very
quickly died. Putting the crime in it's
favora BILE light for Brown, It was murder
in the second degree, but Brown was not
only acquitted. but wes made adminis-
traitor of the estate Of the man he had muir
Gsred.
-'Very naturally he looked after his own
interests after that, sellers didn't have any
gelatious," said the citizen who related the
Rtory to the ritter. That is to say Brown
''swIped" the estate OF Setsrs-he robbed
the dead. if one may believe the citizen.
"How did he got clear Of the charge OF
rnurderp was asked
30, he never meant to kill Sellers. He
was too good q fellow 20 do that He's
dead now, though; died OF pneumonia, poor
fellow"
The story OF the murder Of q Chilean in
Caudelaria is also to the point. One of Can
de!aria's most prominent toughs was known
as Wllloughby. He was an ambitions
cough; he wanted TO make his name known
Rud feared throughout tho whole desert
region. So one night he stepped beside
faro outfit 10 one OF the gan bling places
Agnd f.11r II EsN.. L
picked up two silver dollars which Chilean
bad placed on card and Put them on al
other card. Every body glanced at him.
but only the Chilean spoke.
Excuse me, he said, You have made
mistake. That is my money"
The Chileeh spoke with the utmost polite
ness. Moreover, he was q slender man, in
very poor health, while WiIloughby was
large and robust. The tough giared at the
little fellow and said:
"Yah-h-h. you -o OF a -. it's not your
money"
Il don't want any trouble, Mr.. Will
loughby," replied the Chilean. ''but ri
leave 1t to The dealer or any one Of these
gentlemen, IL it isn't mine"
Neither ths dealer nor 'sany OF these
gentlemen" said word, while Willoughby
drew big revolver and struck the sitting
Chilean over the head with ii. The poor
fellow abandoned his place in terror and
lacked away, but Wiloughby followed
him to the next room. There the Chilean
teil on his knees and with blsnched face and
clasped hands begged:
"Don't kin me. don't-don'c-"
But Willoughby deliberately shot him,
anu III two minutes be was dead.
Here wasa case of deliberate murder after
Vie robbery OF an insignificant sum. More
ever, the crime was committed by q man
who had plenty of money. 1t could not
even be said that be stole because he needed
IL. Yet when he was arrested, tried, and
convicted, he was not even sent to the peni~
tentlary for life Worse than that, he had
'etition asking for his pardon signed by
- many people thot the governor would
nave granted it. had not few personal
trends of the dead man concluded that 1t
Wooli do Willoughdy good 20 stay IN the
pen couple OF years or so more, and got up
a counter petition, which prevailed. But
tHe man who told mo the story said there
was no reason to suppose Willoughby would
serVe more taan ten years for tue crime.
another murder to facilitate roo cry was
Committed among the lava hills between
Candeiarla and Columbus. Two men named
CorOett and Rogers went broke in Column
gus and started TO walk out 81 town. Ga
tne trail they were overloaded by u man
whose name had been forgotten, driving
Uesm. To help them over q weary road ne
h'lo~ed them to get into tue wagon with
MN, In return for this kiudnaSs they mur-