The record-union., 1895-09-07
A NERVY SHERIFF.
He Coolly Takes n Lawyer Through a
Mob That Wanted to Lynch Him.

He Coolly Takes n Lawyer Through a
Mob That Wanted to Lynch Him.
1.-THE bravest act saw during my resi-
dence in Leadville," said Peyton Il. Hull,
who spent upward OF ten years in the
camp. was when mob tried to lynch a
man and the Sheriff protected him.
"A lawyer named Early was trying a
case before Justice of the Peace De Long
a dispute arose between him and the
counsel on the opposite side, and the lat
ter pulled his gun and attempted to shoot
Early. Before he could pull the trigger
or, at least, before he could hit Early
the latter, whose Workmanship was
somewhat better, fired across the table
and killed his opponent. The shooting
was altogether justitiable, but eopie
were sick OF such tragedies, and in less
time than it takes to tell it a mob formed
and an attempt was made to lynch the
lawyer. Among the crowd were some
policemen, who instead of trying 10 quiet
the outbreak. were as loud as the rest in
shouting Tor Eariy's blood, and the situa-
ton was critical TO a fine point.
''Eatly had not yet LETT the courtroom,
and nothing on earth apparently stood
between him and horrible death, when
man appeared on the scene whose
nerve was sufficientto paralyze the clam
orous mob and save the lawyers lite.
L
from the County Jail, and the outbreak
had been witnessed almost from its start
ing by the Sheriff. This official was a
big German named Peter Becker, who,
before he was elected Sheriff, ran sad
dIery shop on Chestnut street. Becker,
as soon as he saw the mop forming, ran
over to see what the trouble was, and
darted upstairs into the courtroom, where
he found Early and the dead man, and
was briefly informed what had trans
pired and the danger to which Early wa s
exposed.
"'Do as 1 tell you,' Becker said to
EARLY, and PHI take you to Jail, and no
mothers son shall touch you.'
The mob was just about to rush up
stairs when they saw Early and the
Sheriff coming to meet them. Early
was in front. Becker behind, both arms
around the lawyers waist and each hand
holding a sinister-looking siX-shooter
pointed straight at the crowd, his eyes
watching every movement they made
over Early's shoulder. He was using
the lawyers body as breastwork, while
al the same time he was protecting him
with his revolvers. When they reached
the foot of the stairs Becker told the mob
to fall back.
"'Tm going to take this man to Jail y
he cried out above the confusion. He is
my prisoner and is going to be protected
if it takes my life. You can't kill him
without killing me. and If any man lays a
hand on him while he is in my custody,
I'll drop him in his tracks. Now clear
the way
"He pushed Early before him and
passed into the crowd. the Sheriff walk
ing step by step behind his prisoner. and
the two moving like one man. The fore
most of the mob found the Sheriff7s gun
barrels frowning them right in the eyes,
and made room, as did the men next be-
hind. And one after another. while the
revolvers were pointing right and left and
straight ahead, as though on sensitive
swivel, the crowd pressed aside and
formed narrow lane, through which the
Sheriff and his prisoner passed into the
street. and finally reached the Jail unmo-
Tested.
ut was the grittiest piece of business
ever saw, and it won with the mob
Early was tried and acquitted by a unan-
imous verdict and at last accounts was
practicing in Kansas City" Washington
Post.