The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-08-24
ALLIsON'S ESCAPE.

man, reminds me of a time Clay Allison
had in Las AniInas about 20 years ago.
think it was the same day Clay adjourned
court. You see they'd been holdin court
for a couple of weeks already, an Clay
allowed that ought to be enough.
40 There amt nothin unsettles society
like holdin too much court, says Clay, so
he saddles his old white wsCborse Bill,
and he rides slap in where the jedge is
a-settin.
q 'Jedge, says he, there's delegation
of people down to the Full Blown Rose
saloon been a-caucusin' an they thinks you
all have done enough for once an had bet
ter quit an call it day. What do you
think yerse'f?'
" 'Vox popuh vox rock an rye says the
jedge. Adjourn this yere court until
some time next fall So they all goes
down to the Rose an gets drink.
''But starts to tell you about some
thin else. 1t was this yere same day in
the evenin, an the dance hall was a-drawin
like furnace, an was mighty near as hot,
when along comes Clay Allison. He's
been around town all day, sorter feverish
an restless an bein, as say, kinder fret
full, he picks up q pitcher of water an
pours it down the sheriff's back. Clay
didn't have no particular meanin in it,
but the sheriff takes it hard, an goes away
a-cussiu as how he'll braid some mules tail
'But about this wet sheriff Well, after
we'd forgot him, an long after he'd got
dry, do you know, this malicious, revenge
harborin cuss gets a shotgun an stands
outside in the dark, an, aiming through
an open winder, chucks a load into John
Allison, who is brother of Clay's, jest as
John was cavortin to the call of balance
all Clay was in the same set, an light
min wasn't quicker. His six shooter comes
to the front, an bullet goes lookin fer
that sheriff before the flash of his shotgun
has faded into the night.
"Did it ketch him? Well, I believe you,
my son. His deputies struggled along
without him after that. John got well,
though. Some of the girls took keer of
him an pulled him through. 1t was jest
as well, too, for if he an the sheriff had
both cashed in an their trails ever crossed
up above, there'd have been a row as would
have caused some 6utterin among any
angels that might "a been hoverin con-
tiguous thereunto. They came pretty near
lynching Clay that same night The Las
Animas people took him an called the
committee together to talk it over. 1 mind
one old shorthorn now, the chief of the
committee, as he made his speech.
90 4 don't much mind this particular
KILN he says. Water wouldn't hurt
this yere sheriff at all. My own opinion
is most of 'em git heap too little of it as
it stands. But jest the same, we might as
well hang this yere man Clay Allison.
He's made this state of Colorado heap of
trouble. Always gittin drunk on US an
pesterin round for a row; always a-ridin
an a-yellin an a-shootin up the town, so
say, bein a quiet man myself, an wantin a
quiet place to live in an pass my deClinin
years in peace, that we do take this man
Clay Allison to a place convenient for our
purpose an string him up
"Then little, knotty, black whiskered
man, with an eye that glanced like knife,
gifts up an speaks:
g THE chiefs sentiments is my senti-
ments, says he, AN 1 moves, SO that it
won't be overlooked nor missed, that we
proceed at once an git the hangin over
would suggest as a place pOssessin the ad-
vantages we desire the sign as stands over
the sidewalk in front of the First National
bank, it bein strong 'nuf to stand pullin
the rope over, which is all we needs.
Gas it's gettin late, says the chief,
'onless 1 hears objection, the remarks Of
Locoed Charlie'-which was the last mans
name-'will be taken as the census of this
yere meetin an it's hang she is. Do hear
any remarks?
''Am in on this yere talk, asked Al
lison, gittin up whar couple of the stran-
gers was guardin of him, or don't git
no hand at all? I'd like to know
=
mind, Mr.. Allison, says the chief. This
yere is square American deal, an yer re
marks are in order
" Well, then,' says Clay, what wants
to say is this: l don't like the deal.
There's altogether too much fuss over this
| yere sheriff. He was nuthin but a pan
! handle boss thief, an I knows it. For this
| we're camp to git to rarin back on its hind
legs an raisin the long yell over a dead
boss thief is too many fur me But the
fact is this outfits gitin too aristocratic;
| too many frills an too much style fur me.
/ The people of this yere town of Las
/ Animas are gittin too Id particular to
take their regular drinks. I'd
g Stop right thar says the chief,
1nCtionin for the guard to set Clay dowA
There amt no parliamentary president
ev,r took no cussin yit, an 1 don't take
none. Yer out of order, an you We got to
keen still. When mans out of order once,
he CAN'T talk no more that meetin.
'Mr. President, says man that owns
the lumber yard, I'd like to say word.
! I Count Il Nyse'f one of the decent people of
this town. an I want it understood I'm in
favor of ha1Ngin this yere man. But I'd
like to reuueNt a postponement of one day
to move my family. The fact is, the
spring round 0 has brought passed. Of
! the bows to town, an s'pose there's 200
more within ten miles. This Allison is
] popular with these cow people, most likely
cause they don't see much of him as in
| 1ividuals, an I'm ready to bet by the time
/ we gets him hung they'll burn the town.
/ This bein time. Mr.. President, I asks for
| time to move my family before the thing
! begins
= I've been thinkin this thing over,
SAYS the chief, ian there's somethin in this
/ town burnin tal6-'nuf, anyway; to create
doubt It's roDle of law that all doubts
goes to prisoner; same as it is that all
! chips on the floor goes to the house; so
reckon We'll postpone this hangin an con
vene a grand jury on the matter yereatteI
in regular form
''Clay is tried after1vard reg lar, an they
throws him loose on the ground of sell