Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1894-02-16

Justice on Horseback.
/ If there is any place IN virginia wher
justice rules with an iron rod, IT "a !
Ashby district, in Shenandoah county
This truth was we'll illustrated by cas-
which occurred few days ago, a shor
distance above Columbia Furnace.
young man had hired TO q farmer a
wages which other young men Of tn
nsighborhood considered inadequate
They determined that such conduct wa
deserving prompt punishment. The.
consequently repaired to gypsey camp
near Mt. Airy School House, which amoni
Iothers contained one desperate gypse!
who had the reputation Of fearing neithe
lGod nor man. Here they awaited I'M
coming of the young farmer, who' whei
be undertook to pass the camp, was IN
ceremoniouslY taken from his horses
They inquired of him what wages be wat
to get under his contract. He frankly
told them and they thereupon proceeded
to "bump" him four times against tree
They then inquired Of gypsey, us that
sufficient 7" "Give him." he replied, flour
more bumps as a remembrance" and
they proceeded to give him four more
severe "bumps." and warned the young
man to 20 and Tin no more.
For nine days, that young man nursed
his wrath and his wounded parts. He
then proceeded 10 Justice, narrated bis
injuries, and demanded a warrant. Such
conduct in his own district, aroused the
righteous indignation of the Justice who
declared that Justice should be done
tho the heavens fall"
Tie Justice issued the necessary papers
and at once proceeded to find his mar,
Friday, in the person Of constable Jake
Downev. When Jake heard the facts, he
slowly transferred the enormous quid
from one eide Of his mouth to the other,
spurted out a quarter Of a gill Of, tobacco
Juice and uietly remarked, "Your honor
I will he ready In ten minutes" In less
than ten minutes, the court was proceed
ing down the Valley pike in search of one
of The culprts. They were soon on the
trail Of one who, they learned, was haul
ing bark to Edlnburg. Both parties
reached Edinburg about the same time,
but the two men on the bark wagon sep
arated and constable Downey with that
instinct which detective officer seems to
acquire, picked out his man, overlook
Linn and quietly Inquired,
"Are you Mr.. HT
"No, cir" was the reply.
"Wss not Mr.. Fl. on that wseoDw
"Yes, sirp
"Where is he 7"
"He has gone to the depot to unload
his bark :"
The constable at once proceeded to the
depot only to learn that be had The wrong
man, and when be returned to Main street,
bis man had taken to the brush. Jake
vas after him at once, but the fellow
knew how TO dodge and Jake got on the
wrong track; but bis blood was now
warm, and when constable Jake Downey
gets warm on trail, he is as sure OF bis
victim, as is the bleod hound on the trail
{ f an escaped convict. For several DAYS
the fugitive hid and lodged, but woke up
every morning With the consciousness
that Jake DJwney was close on his
tracks.
Finally be was captured, and appeared
before the court. Before the cool, pene-
tratiug look of the court, be wilted, and
at oace was prepared TO receive the
sentence, which 40 threateningly hung
over him. He pleaded for mercy, and
the court finally informed him that the
case could be compromised by bisprompt-
ly paying twenty-five dollars. He ac-
copied the compromise and passed oyer
the lrsenbscks.
The court at once proceeded to find and
arrest prisoner No. 9. lie was not pre-
pared to compromise, 80 the court was
Immediately opened, the prisoner tried,
found guilty, and sentenced TO pay fine
of five dollars and four dollars and fifty
cents cost.
In the meantime, the gypsles hav-
ing learned what was going on. "si-
lently folded their terts and stole away"
The court, however. was not going to see
justice defrauded in this way, and i'm
mediately was on the track Of the flying
band. They followed them to st. Luke,
Toms Brook, Nossville and Lebanon
Church, and still the camp was ahead of
them. They proceeded to Strasburg and
there enlisted the services Of Davis Dis
tricts most excellent constable, bat still
tbe nomadic baSnxrs moving OF. The
c&urt was not to NOy'oUt manouvered IN
this way, and returned to Shsshnrg,4took
the cars, proceeded down the road until
they were beyond the camp and made the
attack from the opposite side. 1t is true,
they were now in another county, but
Shenandoah justice will not be defeated
BY an imaginary county line.
The desperate was met in the road and
before be had time to realize that the
court was moving IN the opposite direc-
ton from what be expected, Constable
Jake Downey had secured him. He
found himself in the possession of Shen-
andoah County Court than which moth
ing is more terrible in the eyes Of bunco
men and travelling swindlers. His fears
we're Justly aroused, for he know not
whether Shenandoah justice would send
him to the peDitentiary or the gallows,
and very cheerfully compromised with
the court, by handing over twenty-five
dollars.
The other gypsey was soon captured,
and az be did not have much to do with
the crime, having only scted as kind of
referer, he was discharged on the pay
mept of fifteen dollars. after which the
court triRmDhantlY returned to Ashby
p..-..A ~ a.. orond conaciousnpRa If