The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-08-13
S shoulder braces, which were covered with

shoulder braces, which were covered with
buckskin. These steel braces were made
strong enough to have fitted Samson, but
their being so heavy saved my life. for the
point of the knife, when thrown by the
Mexicans. had struck one Of these and thus
failed to penetrate my body as it other
wise would have Throwing knife was
favorite pastime with MeXicans, and
some became so expert that they could hit
silver dollar at distance of ten or
twelve feet / suppose they thought the
knife would so suddenly end my life that
l would make no outcry to alarm the peo-
pie in the hotel and as l had unlocked the
safe they could rob it at their leisure. 1t
was a close call. but l came out of it I'M
harmed"
The lawyers companion, stout, fleshy
man past the prime Of liie said. ''While
you are telling of escapes. l came nearly
being hanged once for numbering a man."
All of us turned TO watch the speaker as
he continued: I'm 1853 / was miner in
one OF our mountain counties, and one
night, the Sd of April, as | we'll rememb Der,
miner who occupied cabin near me was
killed and his gold dust taken. AS ill luck
would have it, the dead man and | had
quarreled day or two before over min
ing claim, and l had sworn that l would
get even with him. for | felt that he had
wronged me- When the alarm was given
| was sound asleep in nv cabin. A crowd
rushed in. pulled me out of my bunk and
took me TO the scene of the murder.
Hang him to the nearest tree cried
one.
"'He swore he would get even,' shouted
a second.
"'He pretended to be asleep, yet this man
was shot within six rods of his cabin ex-
claimed a third.
"By this time large crowd had collected
and | could see that circumstances were
i
n0cence. At length cooler ccunsels pre-
vailed and it was agreed to give me a
miners trial under lynch law, and . o'clock
in the afternoon was named for the hour.
When the time came Judge was named, a
jury of twelve picked out one man acted
as counsel for the miners and one for me
and the trial regularly proceeded
"While was Innocent there were circum-
stances very much against me. The fact
that we / ad Quarreled, that / had threat
ened to get even, that our cabins were
near together, and that when he had been
shot l had not heard the sound and was
found asleep in bed were all proven. To
add to this one shot had been fired from
my pistol, and the bullet when taken from
the dead mans body fitted the pistol. This
convinced the jury and verdict Of guilty
was rendered. | had expected none other
and made up my mind that | must be
hanged, when horseman suddenly dashed
I'D and dismounted. It's BIZ Keene, the
Deputy Sheriff. cried one of the miners.
and a second later fifty pistols were drawn
and the owners cried that Keene would be
shot down if he attempted to interfere
with the proceedings.
THE new arrival was handsome fellow,
young and daring. and l had hoped he
might rescue me; but when he saw how
determined the miners were he gave up the
attempr, swore he believed | was guilty,
nd hot hn 70
the fun. | could have cursed the officer
for his heartleSs way of speaking OF my
fate. but knew it was only wasting my
breath, and so forbore saying a word.
The trial proceeded, and while 1t was
going on keene sent one OF the men tt the
nearest saloon to buy a ten-gallOn keg OF
beer. This was soon brought, and while
all were drinking the Judge summed up
my case and the jurymen hurried with
verdict of guilty IN order to get their share
of the beer. By this time the attention of
the miners was directed to the beer rather
than to me and il was voted to finish the
key first ard hang me- "fterward. Jrs. az
they came to this conclusion the Sheriff
passed behind me. cut the cords that bound
me to a small oak tree and whispered.
Jump on my horse aud ride TO the county
seat A moment later l dashed from the
tree and sprang upon the back of his
splendid animal. Almost at the same time
he jumped upon another horse that stood
near and we were Off like shot. Bullets
flew thick and fast all about US, two passed
through parts ofmy clothing and one hit me
in the arm, but either of us was seriously
wounded. Keep down low and ride like
the DEVIL shouted the Sheriff, as we raced
down the hill; most of the bullets will 90
over u.s. He was correct, and two min
utes carried us to place of safety. He
took me to the county seat and placed Inc
in jail.
Two days later l was examined before
Justice of the Peace. but before any wit
nesses had been examined miner came
squirting into town and told the Justice he
might as well turn me loose. We found
the right man. said he; he confessed to
the murder and we hanged him two hours
ago. 1t was close call" concluded the
large man. land but for the daring of the
Sheriff | would have been hanged before
the murderer had been discovered.
S. S. B.