The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-07-21

the saloon was hlIed with eager and excited
men.
'sThat is George, the murderer!" shouted
the ringleader of the mob. "That is the
man who killed Harper in the stage" AT
once the crowd poured into the place, and
the accused stranger turned and faced
them.
'"What 90 you men meanY' shouted the
stranger, 'and what are you talking about,
anyway" jumping on the counter and dis.
playing loaded pistol with which be
threatened the crowd.
Lynch him-lynch him ~ was the an
swer yelled; 'he murdered Harper"
If there be properly constituted officer
here cried George, 81 will give myself
up to him. If not, I will kill some of you
before you take me prisoner"
"Heres the man who will prove who be
is and the crowd made way for the stage
driver.
al know you," said the stage driver,
ffiercely; nnyou travelled with us from the
"And what if l did," retorted the
stranger.
what if you did2" cried the stage
driver.
"Was there no one else on your old
wagon to kill Harper but myself"
"That settles 1t, boys" said the Sheriff,
calmly; "this man is a murderer, and he
must suffer the penalty of his crime"
When the legal aspect of the accusation
was considered, the conviction OF George
did not seem an easy matter. True, he had
disappeared at the moment of Harper s
murder, but then nobody had seen him
strike the fatal blow and he might account
for his disappearance from the stage for
several reasons besides that of avoiding
the penalty of guilt. But the community
of Baskerville determined upon having a
victim, took Mr.. George to the strongest
building in the camp, locked him up
securely, and prepared to try and hang
him. The accused man appeared to take
his predicament rather lightly. remarking
as he was led away with handouts on his
wrists:
"You fellows have got the wrong man;
you'll find out some day."
The trial of George Ellsworth, for such
he declared himself to be, was brief
operation. The evidence of course was
purely eircumstantial, but the facts were
that he was sitting near Harper in the
interior of the stage, that he had appar-
emily made advances to the wealthy cattle
man and that when in the darkness of the
night in the forest, when Harper was
found weltering in his blood, the satcheJ
containing the coin and he had dis
appeared. To all those accusations George
had but one reply and that was:
'If you hang me, you hang the wrong
man."
The crown prosecutor had not much
trouble in presenting his case. The jury
was apparently determined to find vic
tim, and the verdict of guilty of murder in
the first degree was rendered after less
than quarter of an hours elaboration.
The equanimity of the prisoner was un-
disturbed. He said, rather sadly, as the
jury came into court:
''You have got me in a bad box, but I'll
90 through it all right"
The day of the execution was fixed and
the community of Caribou felt satisfied.
The condemned wrote a few letters to
England and then prepared to meet
his fate with the air of a man who knew he
was to undergo the punishment he de-
served. The Sheriff of Caribou, ten min
utes before the hour of execution, laid his
hand upon the shoulders of the con-
demned.
George" he said, "are you guilty of
this murder2"
81 am not" George replied.
'sThen why haven't you tried to defend
yourself?" said the Sheriff, with troubled
air.
Because, replied the doomed one, "be-
tween you and me, Sheriff, don't care
bad fourpence whether live or die"
But" continued the officer, "you don't
commit"
George smiled at him.
"My dear sir" he said, "a dramatic life
should have dramatic ending"
''Then. by heavensl I won't hang YOU"
said the Sheriff. Because l sincerely
believe you are not a murderer.
George smiled sadly and put his hand
on the shoulder of the disturbed official.
"You go on and do your duty, my
friend" he said. "You have the law on
your side, and, trust me, you are doing me
great service"
7'Ill be bowed if can see how can do
otherwise, but I'll be darned if [ like the
job"
The reflection of the sun from the snow
clad sides of Bald's Mountain was strong
and glazing as George Ellsworth stood be-
neck. He had been so mild and gentle
manly through all the preliminary bust
ness which led to this tragedy that the
sympathies of his e1ecutioners were with
him.
George" said the Sheriff, as he put the
rope around his neck, "have you got any
thing to say before we turn you off ?"
There was kindly smile on the face of
the dying man, smile that arrested the
attention of the crowd, and before he
could utter sentence, the figure OF slim
lad dashed up on the scaffold. The hand
some face of the youth was distorted with
excitement, as he cried:
"My God, is this man going to die for
my crime? / am the slayer of Harper,
and it was to rescue me that this noble
man left the stage and led me through the
forest. For the deadly and murderous
impulse that possessed me, am willing
to suffer this moment. l confess my
crime and am willing to expiate it. And
this man who now stands on the scaffOld
with rope around his neck is Lord
George Gordon, peer of England"
The young man covered at the feet Of
him whose life was so nearly sacrificed for
his own.
"And what is to become of you then,
Percy?"
"That is arranged" said the lad, quietly
81 yielded to the impulse of crime, and
have become my own executioner. You
are vindicated; but this" and he drew
from his pocket half empty vial of
poison, "is my punishment"
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