Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-07-22

| broke into disordered mass, nastening
toward the band. The boys brigade,
the center of the mass, illumined with
their iaring torches the wash and rest
less surge of humanity.
From every direction streams of men
debouched into the main street like q
spring overflow. Women and children
! lined the sidewalks.
"Who done it" shouted fuYious
voices.
"Some damn Dimblebat, of course"
where is he?"
CLARK run i'm into the Jail"
where's Wiley? Is he livin'?"
Eyes. 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 a white-faced woman in it.
The moaning hysterical sobs went to
the Feart like the thrust of 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.
~
There came a piercing shrek that
made every man SILVER as if an ley
blast had blown on his naked heart.
Then the word came out and was flung
from lip to lip.
Hes dead"
"What? mol"
"Willey's deadl 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"
Nobody laughed at his crying-there
were too many with tears on their
checks. Evel ybody 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
manded-an 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 a remark made
here and there.
"We ought to a 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, u crowd of men came out OF
saloon, and there arose strident,
overlapping, ferocious voice in far
reaching howl.
Every man that's got any sand, fol-
Ter 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
in"
Come on, you cowards!"
Like mass of logs let loose in
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 citation 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 achdt 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
.he 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. l won't open
up Listen to that, will YEP"
The roar came nearer, and the shouts
now took shape.
Bring a rope-a rope"
"Well hang i'm right now"
That terrible voice seemed to infame
the whole mob, as raucous snarl of a
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
quaver. But I'm afraid"
Don't open the doors for anything
or anybody till morning-not even to
me-" His voice had peculiar inhexi-
BILE quality. II don't need any help"
She knew him in these moods. IAN
- H. T..