The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-11-03


From every direction streams of men
debouched into the main street like a
spring overflow. Women and children
lined the sidewalks.
"Who done it?" shouted furious
voices.
"Some damn Dimblebat, of course"
"Where is hep"
"Clark run i'm into the Jail"
"Where's Wiley? Is he livin'?"
"Yes. He's in the drug store"
Then a sort of silence fell on the
crowd. They stood in dense groups
surrounding some eyewitness of the
shooting. From time to time news
emanated from the drug store.
Hes bad. They've sent for his
wife" Then the talk would go back
to the prisoner.
"What in Gods heavens any man has
against Frank Wiley don't see."
A carriage drove up through the
crowd with q whitc-faced woman in it.
The moaning hystcrical sobs went to
the heart like the thrust of q jagged
knife. They stood aside in awe of her
grief as she was hurried into the store
by two men.
my God! Just think what's on her"
was the universal comment of the
crowd surged against the door.
"Stand back there! Don't crowd"
There came piercing Shrek that
made every man shiver as if an icy
blast had blown on his naked heart.
Then the word came out and was flung
from lip to lip.
Hes dead!"
"What? No"
''Willey's dead! He didn't know
her."
Few questioned it, coming after the
wife's cry. Men stood staring into
each others faces and swearing great
oaths, helplessly.
Frank Wiley dead!" sobbed one
great bearded fellow, his voice high
and broken. why, my God, gentle
men, he stood right here ten minutes
ago-I had my hand on his shoulder T"
Nobody laughed at his crying-there
were too many with tears on their
cheeks. Everybody knew the captain
everybody had felt the pressure of his
hand. Some had been his comrades in
the war. Some of the young fellows
were in the militia which he COM
mandcd-all loved him.
The street grew darker as the torches
went out. The crowd again broke
into knots. "He ought to hang to-
morrow morning." was remark made
here and there.
''We ought to o. lynched him when
we had him."
Mrs. Wiley, in that utter despair
which is like the surrender of life, was
carried out to the hack and taken
away. The men silently looked on.
But as the carriage disappeared up
the street, crowd of men came out of
a saloon, and there arose strident,
overlapping, ferocious voice in far
reaching howl
Every man that's got any sand, fol-
ler me-"
"Where TOP"
ITO the Jail to hang that"
Scores of voices replying cut off his
terrible oaths.
That's right The Jail. Smash it
imp
Come on, you cowards!"
Like a mass of logs let loose in q
swift current, the pack" of men be-
gan to move down the street toward
the Jail. As they moved they gathered
strength. Each man seeing his neigh
Dor moving moved with less fear. A
sort of inhuman joy and clation came
into their souls; many of them felt like
singing as they marched.
Dan and Annie were standing on the
steps of the Jail, listening.
There's no telling tchat they'll do"
he was saying as he heard some of the
wild voices. They heard new sound
"a chorus of savage shouts. The
trample of feet grew palmer and more
rapid, beating the frozen ground and
the hollow sidewalk till an ominous
roar arose.
They're comm, Dan." Annie turned
her resolute face to her husband.
They're after him."
"They won't get i'm. / won't open
up Listen to that, will YEP"
The roar came nearer, and the shouts
now took shape.
Bring rope-a ropeW
"We'll hang i'm right now"
That terrible voice seemed to inHame
the whole mob, as raucous snarl of q
tiger rouses the beasts of managerie
to primitive ferocity.
"Now, Annie" said Dan, ''you go in
and"
But you're goin' to need me out
here, Dan. I'd rather be out here with
YOU"
"Annie," said Dan, quietly, ''go in
side. Lock all the doors. Lock this
door behind me and hide the keys. I'll
stand right here alone"
"All right, DAN" she replied without
a quaver. but I'm afraid"
Don't open the doors for anything
or anybody till morning-not even to
me-" His voice had a peculiar inHexi-
BILE quality. 81 don'tneed any help"
She knew him In these moods IAN
right, Dan. It's your duty"
After she went in and shut the door be-
hind her, Dan put his ear to the door till
he heard the bolt slide to with click,
and tho chain rattle into place. Then
he took out his revolvers, examined
them as well as he could in the shadow,
and calmly waited the approaching
crowd.
Suddenly the city marshal dashed up.
dan, they're comip'l" -A- -