Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1893-12-16
WHY HANK WAS NOT HANGED.
He Insisted Upon Having a Billed Shirt
and They Could Not Supply 1t.

He Insisted Upon Having Billed Shirt
and They Could Not Supply 1t.
When Hank Taylor was put on trial
at Strawberry Hill for killing Steve
Brown, he pleaded guilty, and in Il
little speech to the crowd he said:
In course you'll hang me. l expect
it, and shall be disappointed if you
don't. But l want it understood right
now that l hev rights
What be them rights, prisoner
queried Bill Totten, who was acting
as judge.
''Waal, l want to be hung with IL
new rope. l was brought up respec-
tably and | want to die that way.
Then l want to wear a billed shirt. |
was brung up to wear billed shirts, and
| don't want to disgrace the family.
l want to be shaved, to have my hair
combed and parted in the middle, and
| insist on Zeke Cooper lendin' me his
new butes. That's my rights, and
shall insist on en-"
Prisoner, hain't you just a little too
partik lar?' inquired the judge. "Hain't
it putin this ere camp to Il good deal
of extra trouble for no real benefit?
Whar are we goin' to get billed shirt,
for inStanccT"
Il dunno, but we hev got to hcv one.
Do you s'pose I'm goin' to bring up in
the other world with this old red shirt
on? They wouldn't allow me to stake
Il claim or set up shanty."
How are you goin' to be shaved.
when we haint got no raZorS in camp!
We kin furnish you some grease and
Il comb, but thar can't be no Shawn
Got to be-" replied Hank. Il hain't
goin' over the divide lookin like IL
wolf with his winter fur on. And us
fur grease, want reg'lar bars lie. L
am bound to look just as purity as |
kim
'Zeke, will you lend him your
butes? asked the judge.
Nav! l could never feel easy in
'em ag'in!'
Then 1 don't hang" retorted the
prisoner. Mind you, boys, l hain't
dcnyin' that 1 killed Steve, whom
everybody knows was provokin',
cantankerous cuss and orter been kill
ed long ago, and l hain't kickin' as to
what will follow. I'm jest stickin' out
fur my rights. S'posin' any one o
you was goin' to arrive in the other
world as tenderfoot, wouldn't you
want to look fairly decent:"
That's so, that's so," mused the
judge. In course, it'll be known that
you cum from Strawbury Hill, and,
in course well hev pride in tittn'
you out in decent shape. The prisoner
will be removed while we hev Il talk
We had a talk. We couldn't get Il
white shirt, new rope and a razor
anywhere within 100 miles. And; as
Hank had observed, Steve Brown was
always saying mean things and pro-
vOking quarrels and wasn't much ac
count. After discussing the pros and
cons, it was decided to overlook the
offense and let up on Hank, but, after
telling him our decision, the judge
said:
But don't do it again, Hank 1t
are the opinyun of some of the boys
that you were too darned particular
about the billed shirt, and of others
that you We're right about wantin' to
make a decent appearance on the other
shore. and so we decided to call it
squar'. Next time, however, We'll
hang you with a mule rope and in yer
old duds and let ye run all the
chances"
wall. boys, fix it to suit yourselves
and it'll suit me-" carelessly replied
the prisoner, and court was adjourned
and we returned to work.-Anaconda
Standard.