The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1893-01-05
FRONTIER JUSTICE.

FRONTIER JUSTICE.
F1ddlers was excited, not that there
was anything extraordinary in that, for
the Flat was in a normal condition Of ex-
citement over one thing or another every
hour in the day and vented it in much
drinking, loud talking and fighting, but
on this particular occasion the excite
ment 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 pro-
prietor of which, Velvet Jack, was at
that moment being tried for his life be-
fore that most terrible of earthly courts,
Judge Lynch. -'-''
1t was not the, e.
This sbooA;r-e nrst killing at the Flat.
s~csgs Sing scrape was only one Of
uozens of others during the five months
of Fiddlers' existence, but the victim
was peculiarly inoffensive creature
known as "Mud" to the camp. He had
no other name that they knew of, and
had earned his sobriquet by his unfail-
ing i'll luck at the gaming tables, and
his equally unfailing remark as he rose
penniless from his bout with the tiger,
:'Waal, my names mud again." but on
this particular occasion Mud's luck had
run his way, and he had sat hour aftes
L, ID = -
$500 ~ Along faro table since
the hight before, and won with unfail-
ing 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
gambler had without q word shot him
through the heart. The cold fendish-
ness of the act was too much for the
nerves even of Fiddlers, and the camp
rose to a man and cried aloud for ven
geance They were waiting now for
the sentence. Long Smith was the
judge. He occupied chair placed on
faro table at one end of the long, mar
row cabin, the identical chair that Vel
vet sat in when he shot Mud. Velvet
sat little to his left, a guard at either
side on his right, the hastily chosen
jury of twelve sat or stood, and beyond
rope stretched across the room was
tie silent, expectant crowd. The evil
dence was all in and Long Smith was
settling himself down into comfortable
position to listen to counsel for defense,
when Velvet suddenly rose to his feet
and said:
'sSee here, boys, what's the use of going
on with this monkey business any longer?
shot Mud and you've determined that
must hang. Can't you drop this and
take me out and hang me and be done
with it, instead Of torturing 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 on
the prisoner during this speech; then
turned expectantly to the judge.
sPris'ner ct the bar, yer bein tried fer
murder by the only kin o er cot this yer
kentry hez. IF there's enythin We ,hev
ter say yer'n hev er chance ter say it
furder on" There was a murmurs of
approval from the audience, and coun-
sell for the defense went on with his ar
gument, followed by the counsel for the
prosecution. The court summed up and
charged the jury, which without a mo
ment's hesitation returned verdict OF
guilty.
The judge arose from his chair and
said, "Velvet, yer gone in;'' there wiz
no further assumption Of judicial. digm
ty; it dropped from him as one dfopsss
cloak from his shoulders; "ther boy
hev Civ We squar deal, which's more'I
ye Civ Mud, n yen hev ter 60 under
What hev ye got ter say agin itr'
Velvet smiled and shook his head.
you've got the drop on me, I reckon,
he said, "and can't kick"
Just at this moment there was strug
gle as of some one trying to force an, en-
trance through the crowd at the DOOR
and the shrill tones of woman's voic
could be heard demanding access TO th
court that was trying the man who hai
killed hers.
ssTm Mud's wife," she insisted in
shrill, shaky voice.
s'Oh, I know what yer nickname,
him. His n my names Dobbs, M b
were q good huff man most ways, n
want ter see the man what killed hiI
n lef' me er lone wilder rite in til
prime er Life"
The re1ict of the late Mud was at tn
bar. of the court by this time. She wa
tall, angular woman of forty or sc
dressed in rusty black, with an In
mense calico sunbonnet that projecte
over her face like section of stovepip
and effectually concealed her feature:
The eyes were bright and keen though
and swept quick chances from prisone
TO judge and jury.
The court ordered chair for her II
side the bar, and when she had seate
herself remarked to her:
eve never knowed eff Mud were.
mar'd man, marin. Eff wes had we
shorty hev waited this trial for ye.
"D' We mean to say yerve gorn2'n trie
this yer man for KILN mine, n memo
here.ter sect Yer nice kin. o er judg'
Ismns,ssay. WAL, ye kin jest got!
irwin i'm rite, over agin, now az
we're" and the widow settled comfor
ably back in her chair and took dip
snuff. The court, counsel, jury an
spectators were melted in momen
The-1o .asssiisscnriaus, almost to a Ha2