The Red Cloud chief., 1894-02-09

In the early DAYS when what Is now
The state OF Nevada was Western
Utah u well-known character among
The residents of Carson valley was
william Thorrington. "a man who
was SO fortunate in all his undertake
lngs that no was Familiarity known
lar and wide among the valleys lying
along the eastern base of the Sierra
Nevada mountains as LUCKY Bill"
On one occasion LUCKY Bill" was
ut Eagle ranch ut q timo when a big
emigrant train from Illinois was
camped there. A poker game had
been running, in which Bill had taken
q hand with his usual good luck.
Presently some excitement started
that attracted the attention OF the
players and broke up the game. Bill
got up and rushed away, leaving upon
the table q sack OF gold dust and his
pocketbook containing valuable pa
pers and a considerable amount of
money.
An hour later LUCKY Bill" missed
his v%aluables and returned to the
table to look for them. but both the
dust and pocketboOk had vanished.
AS soon as he made known his loss
the cry OF "a thief in camp!" was
raised, and there was a big excite
ment. But there was no clue to the
thief. No particular person was sus-
pected, and so nothing was done in
the matter further than to utter
threats OF hanging the thief in case
OF his being found, that being then
the penalty in California for such a
crime.
Two or three days pas sed without
anything being heard of ..Lucky
Bills" pocket.book and gold dust,
when a boy about Is years OF age,
belonging to the Illinois train, came
to Eagle ranch and informed parties
there that a Dutchman Of the train.
travelling with DIR. Pinigre. had
shown him q pOcket-book and asked
him to read some papers. not being
able to read writing himself. The
boy said that in looking over the pa
pers he had seen Thorrington's name
on several Of them.
Men were sent to the train to
bring In the D%utchman, the boy be-
ing taken along to point him out.
DIR. Pinigre was greatly astonished
Mt seeing his man arrested on u
charge OF theft, and would not be-
lieve he had taken the missing valu-
ables. The doctor and q great crowd
from the Illinois train went up to
h station with the Dutchman and
the settlers who had him in charge,
oil curious to see what would be
done by the impromptu court.
The alcalde held his court in the
open air, and as oon as the prisoner
was brought before him ordered him
to be searched. On his person were
found both the pocket book and the
sack Of gold dust. The valuables
were identified by .'Lucky Bill" as be.
ing his property. Bill found the
dust intact. but some Of the money
was missing, and also a number OF
valuable papers; among others a
note FOE 81, 800 on parties in Califor-
MIA.
Alcelde Cook then sentenced the
fellow to be whipped-to receive
twenty lashes upon his bare back.
The man was then at once stripped
naked to the waist and tied to q pine
sapling with buckskin thongs.
Then by general reclamation, it
was decreed, as LUCKY Bill" was
the man who was robbed, he was the
proper person to do the whipping.
Bill said he was ready and willing to
execute tho sentence OF the court.
A big black-snake whip was OBJ
tanned from q man with O train OF
pack mules, who had come up and
halted to watch proceedings of the
court. The whip was handed to Bill,
who at once began preparations for
using it in a vigorous manner. He
took of his coat and vest, then
rolled his shirt sleeves above his
elbows.
Taking the heavy whip, he placed
himself in position behind the naked
culprit. who stood in readiness to
take his allotted punishment. mis-
hands tied to the tree. high above
his head. Taking his distance, Bill
cracked the whip and whirled it
about his head. as though to stretch
n supple MS muscles.
The poor devil at the tree was
twisting his neck about at every
.swish" OF the whip through the air
and Bills ferociOus aspect inspired
him with such terror that his eyes
were almost starting from their
sockets. All present wondered why
Bill did not begin his work instead
Of whipping the air. and there we're
murmurs about the cruelty of keep
ing the culprit IN such an agony OF
fear and suspense.
Suddenly Bill threw down the whip
and drew a Misunderstanding bowie
knife, at which every spectator shud-
dered and q few started toward him.
Ho waved oil back and cried: "As /
have been appointed to punish this
man l will not disgrace him by
whipping him. Then, turning to
tho Dutchman, who was twisting his
neck In order to watch his motions.