Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1895-01-16
sheritr was back with the rome.

ANOW, tiiSI, Oll WloA yOd1 SOeto AANSAy'
sorter promised the boys I'd hold this
thing off till after the noon bell, but ]
guess not now"
The details of the sheriff's ingenious
plan had better be omitted, except to
say that they included a running loop
under the prisoners shoulders, and a
turn of the rope from the neck down
and under this and up again to tho
moose. Then the knot, as big as your
fist. was slipped back Of the ear, the
coat replaced, the cap pulled we'll down
everywhere save in front, and the straps
buckled on,
''Now, Williams" ;" said the sheriff,
'I've got to hear that oath once more.
"You will not, then," said Williams
thickly from under his cap. "It bis
tered my tongue too badly when I said
it. I'll stand to it, though, and / never
broke my word, fair nor FOUL
''All right" said the sheriff, 'I'll
trust you Now, Pete, don't say that
the fall won't jar you some, and jar you
pretty bad, but it won't break nothing,
and all you've got to do is to play dead.
Now I'll get the padre and Jim"
FLATS of, gentlemen" said the sheriff,
when the shufiing figure had been
moved on to the chalk cross that mark
ed the center of the trapdoor.
Every hat came off, although, owing
20 the presence of few Arequipas,
there were not ss many hats as persons.
The padre turned aside and dropped his
stick of chocolate into the looseness of
his sleeve. The sheriff moved his hand,
his deputy drew his knife across the
bolt string, and the five feet of slack
rope tautened and hummed like a steam
er's last dock hawser.
''Neck broken, guess, doc" said
the sheriff
Complete frax of shekond sherr'l-
bree-shekond sherr'l vert bree, Mr..
Sher 'fbree-Mr. Sher'f,' said the coro-
ner, turning Williams wobbly head
with spasmodic fingers.
So it was recorded
''Shay, sher'f,'' said the coroner,
with gravely confidential air, "if 'sh
no claim for sh' body shend round to
me- Mos stronery case of 'neurism the
aorta ever met with. KIN feel it all
cross IS chest, right through 'sh closh. -
''All right, doc," said the sheriff.
''I'n do so. -
But next morning he told the coroner
that late at night he had thought better
of his promise, as he had taken kindly
to the boy during his Imprisonment, and
SO had quietly removed the body out to
the cemetery and buried it, with his
Indian constable's assistance, in the
grave that had been dug for it.
The execution took place Oh July
10th, and on the 31st the sheriff put his
deputy in charge, announcing that his
Vale, terrible sick with the chills, "
and that he was 'going to take him
down to tidewater. And in truth that
very evening he drove over to the Pa
cific and Atlantic railroad with his
nephew by his side, all huddled up in
blankets, although the day had been
hot enough to cook eggs in the open.
1t took the sheriff and Williams ten
days to reach Troybany, while the
schedule time for the trip is only five
days. But they had been obliged to
travel by easy stages, for, despite the
sheriff's antieXecution device, Williams
had been well nigh wrenched i'll two
by the drop and still suffered horribly
at times. On reaching Troybany the
sheriff saw Williams comfortably be-
slowed at hotel and then went out to
view the town. Almost the first man
he met was Lawyer Belford Of San To
paz, the counsel who had defended Will
liarns.
80 you got my telegram" cried the
lawyer joyously.
"What telegram" asked the sheriff,
with presentiment that there was
snag somewhere in the stream.
why, the telegram telling you to
come right along here"
81 got no telegram, said the sheriff.
"Well, that's too rich for utterance.
What brought you here then?''
"Why, d-n it, l came on business
business of my own. :"
"Of course, of course" said the law
yer soothingly. "Iknow. The Williams
business Funny, amt it? That's what
I'm here for too Two days after you
left got a letter from Wolfe & Fox,
law firm of this place, asking if we
could tell them anything Of Peter Will
liams, last heard Of at San Topaz, and
giving the terms cf his uncle's win.
They said they had written to him at
San Topaz, but had received no answer. "
''He got letter on the day of the ex
ecution, said the sheriff
''Did he now? Well, well! Fancy
that! And what has become of it,
wonder?"
''He's got it with him, guess" said
the sheriff, with rumbling laugh.
''Ah, I guess SO, too" said the law
yer, with a discreet and mild echo Of
the sheriff's mirth. "At any rate,
;elegraphed that Williams had died sud
ienly Oh July l6 and got dispatch in
reply to come on Immediately and bring
all the proofs of his death. l went at
once to your office, but found you gone,
as I've said. Got copy of your official
return of Williams execution, copy
of The Roundup's account of the hang
ing and a copy of the coroner's certif-
cate-all properly sworn to. But on
the train happened to think that had
omitted to get certificate of the bur-
ial, and as l remembered to have heard
that you attended to that thought
considering the enormous interests at
stake-'twas best to telegraph you to
come on. All expenses paid, of course.
So naturally when I saw you here l
jumped at once to the conclusion that
you had come in answer to that call. y
"No, sir, said the sheriff.
"Well, never mind. You're here,
and I'll see that you don't get-left, "
said the lawyer cheerily. "I'm retain
ed for Matthew Williams, the present
heir. you know Funny, amt it, that
l defended Peter Williams when living
and am now on the other side when
he's dead? Small world, eh? The case
comes up in the probate court tomor-
row at 10, and of course you II be there. >
''I'll be thar for sure" said the sher
if grinily.
He was, and with him came Peter
Williams, wrapped i'll a big storm coat
Of the sheriff's, with the collar turned
up to his ears.
Mr.. Wolfe of the lccal law firm made
g staternent of tho CeceaSa of J. Can