Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1894-03-03
LESSON TO AN OUTLAW.
WHAT THE MAN GOT WHO
ROBBED LUCKY BILL.
Frontier 5ustsce Ia the Early DAYS q
Nevads-A Very CsasuAl Csss In fhese
Days Of Law .sssaess Laeky Biii Vas
Ilumorist.

. AlAAAoEAsAa
In the early DAYS when what is now
the state OF Nevada was Western
Utah a weil-knOwn character among
the residents Of Carson valley was
William Thorrington, man who
was 20 fortunate in all his undertak-
ings that he was Familiarity knox
far and wide among the valleys lying
along the eastern base % the Sierra
Nevada mountains as "Lucky Bal
On one occasion Lucky Bill" Uas
at Eagle ranch al a time when . biz
emigFant train from Illinois Uas
camped there. A poker game had
been running.in which Ball had taken
a hand with his usual good luck
Presently some excitement started
that attracted the attention q the
players and broke up the game Bal
got up and rushed away, leaving upon
the~table sack Of gold dust aud his
pOcketbook containing valuable pa
pers and considerable amount "
money.
An hour later Lucky Bi.l missed
his yaluables and returned % the
table TO look for them. but both the
dust and poeketbook had vanished
As soon a. he made known his loss
the cry Of "a thief ia camp vas
raised. and there wa . big excite
ment. But there was 40 elue - the
thief No particular perso2 uas sas-
pected. and 50 nothing WAs tc1e in
the matter further than 20 sitter
threats OF hanging the Thief 8 case
OF his being found. that being thea
the penalty in California Tor >1th .
crime.
Two or three days passed without
anything being heard Of Lucky
Bills pocket-boOk aad gold dust.
when bog about 10 years Of age,
belonging TO the Illinois tain. came
TO Eagle ranch and informed parties
there that a Dutchman % the train.
travelling with DR. Pialgrc. had
shown him 2 pocket book and asked
him to real some papers, not being
able TO read writing himself The
boy said that in looking over the pa.
pers he had seen ThorringtOn name
on several Of them.
Men were sent TO the train -
bring in the Dutchman. the hos be-
ing taken along 70 point him out
DR.. Pinigre was greatly astonished
at seeing his man arrested on a
charge Of theft, and would not be-
lieye he had taken the missing valu-
ables The doctor and a great crowd
from the Illinois train went up 20
the station with the Dutchman and
the settlers who had him in charge,
all curious TO see what would be
done by the impromptu court
The alcalde held his court 10 the
open air, and as soon as the prisoner
was brought before him ordered him
% be searched. On his person were
found both the pocket. book and the
sack Of gold dust The valuablcs
were identified By Lucky Bill a. BE-.
ing his property Bill found the
dust intact. but some Of the money
was missing. and also 4 number 81
valuable papers; among others a
note for Si,j0J on parties in Calilor-
MIA.
Alcalde Cook then sentenced the
fellow TO b. whipped TO receive
twenty lashes upon his bare back.
The man was then at once stripped
naked to the waist and tied 10 4 pine
sapling with buckskin thongs
Then BY general reclamation. II
was decreed. a. Lucky Bill" was
the man who was robbed. he was the
proper person 70 do the whipping
Bill said he was ready and willing to
execute the sentence Of tue court
A big black-snake whip was OBJ
tanned from a man with q train Of
pack mules. who had come up and
halted to watch proceedings OF the
court The whip was handed 10 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 bcnind the naked
culprit, who stood in readiness to
take MS allotteu punishment, MS
hands tied to the tree. high above
his head. Taking his distance. Bill
cracked the whip and whirled II
about his head, as though to stretch
and supple his muscles.
The poor devil at the tree was
twisting his neck about az every
.'swish" Of the whip through the air
and Bills ferocious aspect inspired
him with such terror that his eyes
we're almost starting from their
sockets. All present wondered why
Bill did not begin his work instead
Of whipping the air, and there were
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 few started toward him.
He waved all back and cried "As /
have been appointed TO punish this
man i will not disgrace him by
whipping him. Then, turning to
81, n,,fnhr,an svbn tv.g t,.s-ts.... 1. -.