The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1893-11-24
LYNCHED BY MISTAKE.
Innocent Man Hanged as Horse
Thief by Angry Yigilantes.
CircumstantiaI Evidence Was Conclusive
Error Cleared Up just
Too Late.

way, in picturesque valley between
| two low lines of hills, paused at a vine
covered cottage and asked for food for
himself and horse. 1t was freely given.
for no more hospitable section of coun-
try could be found than that in which
| this valley lies. After resting awhile
the stranger made preparations to con-
tinue his journey. The host demurred
do not go on tonight" he said
You may meet trouble. There is a
gang of horse-thieves about. That
is fine horse and buggy you have
there, and you might be relieved of
| it as man was down the valley only
yesterday. 1t was a bold piece of work
and officers are after the fellow. Stay
| till morning. You're welcome
THANK you, friendp replied the
stranger, f'but I'm not afraid. My old
| mother lives up in the mountains
haven't seen her for three years, and 1
want to get home. I wrote her would
be there tomorrow, and if 1 don't travel
tonight [ won't make it. TITS bright
moonlight, and 1 don't anticipate any
| danger, besides / think [ can take care
of myself. Thanks for your warning,
as we'll as for your generous hospital
| lty. Goodnight and the stranger
dropped d coin into the old mans
hand, sprang into his buggy and drove
away.
1t was yet early bedtime when a
! second traveller halted at the same
house and inquired if any stranger. had
passed that way. The old man recog-
nized an officer of the law, and he felt
almost dazed as a suspicion crossed his
mind that the man he had entertained
carrier IN the evening was the daring
horse-thief. With that conviction he
lrecounted the circumstance to the Off
! Ger, dwelling upon the mans apparent
haste to proceed and utter disregard of
| horse-thieves
Brown horse, new buggy. we'll
dressed stranger" repeated the officer.
How much start has he? Only two
| hours. Good. Dexter can travel The
up, and we'll oveTtake him before mid
night | doubt II he sees his mother
tomorroW-unleSSt she's dead /" added
the Sheriff with a laugh.
In a moment he was on his horse and
galloplng up the valley
along. drinking in the quiet beauties
| OF the summer night and whist1ines
soLtly 10 himself, in q manner quite
uhpecomlng a hunted desperate. The
huge rocks by the roadside cast som
ore shadows in the moonlight, and the
morse frequently SHE'D as his own
snaaow zen upon some big rock they
were passing, but, the driver was not
lmid, and no thought of horse tf1iever
crossed his mind until he henri lie
galloping of an approaching horse in
tne rear. He quickened his horses
pace somewhat but the road was
rough He knew whatever the dam
ger he must face It. lie examined
ms revolver and laid it on the seat he
SIDE him, and then he lowered the bne-
gy curtain and waited Soon tbe
| llolseI,laN appeared in view. It
seemed daring and resoi1te face +be
Stranger beheld as he glanced through
tne glass at the form behind him. and
ne determined his course accordingly
Haiti ordered the newcomer.
BY what authority" questioned the
occupant Of the buggy.
IT was a mistake, fraught with ter
ripe results that the horseman made
When, instead of answering the ol1es-
ton as he should, he countered-Guer-
led in a preemptory tone
VINO does that horse belong TOP"
Me" was the firm reply.
Since when?"
Yesterday" replied the stranger.
thought So" sneered the horse-
man, TN relieve you of it now. Halt!
ana deliver it up or I'll ire
me command was followed by a.
quick report, but not from the speak
er's weapon.
"Thatll teach one horse-tllief to
mind his own business" said the
stranger to himself
The man was still in the saddle and
last retreating down the valley when
the occupant of the buggy succeeded
in quoting his own horse, end, not
caring to be delayed, he leisureIy pro-
ceeded on his way.
He could not dismiss the subject
from his mind, however
I hope l didn't kill the fellow he
said again and again, IF he was a
horse-thief. I'd rather have given him
the horse and buggy. Maybe 1 was too
hasty."
Daylight dawned and our traveller
was beginning to feel more cheerful
when he again heard the c1atter of
hoofs. Not one horse. but many. were
overtaking him.
What now?" he thought.
He was not long in doubt. A de-
termlned-looking set of men soon sur
rounded him, and under the pressure
! or dozen gun-nuZzles he gas forced
to head his horse down the valley He
knew from the imprecations of the men
and the suggestive coil of rope dang
ling from the leaders saddle that ter
rible danger threatened him, but not
| a word of explanation was vOuchsafed
until they reached a point some three
miles below where he had shot the
horse-thief
II, as he supposed. he was in the
tolls of the gang, he knew that remon-
STRANGE was useless, and he must meet
his fate. Some coats were piled under
big oak tree, and near them sat
two men. Here his captors dismount-
ed and secured his horse and theirs to
scattering saplings. He knew from
frequent glances cast down the valley
that they. were waiting yet for REIN
forcements. They had not long to
wait until dozen men came in sight
They were well mounted and well
dressed, but were evidently greatly ex-
cited. They proceeded at once to the
pile of coats the stranger had noted
Some were thrown aside, revealing, as
he had half expected, the. dead body
Of man. doubtless the victim of his
shot He could overhear a part of
their conversation, and by degrees he
came to understand that it was the
county sheriff he had killed. The dead
mans horse, had not paused after its
rider fell until it reached the house
where it had stopped in the evening.
The excited old man was on the
alert, and the blood besmeared horse