The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-04-12
THE LYNCHING OF CAPT. sLADE.
A Judges Correction OF Mnrk Twnin's
Account OF n Nevada Episode.
Irom the 81. Louis Republic.

Fom the 81. Louis Republic.
Ono OF the most entertaining chapters in
Mark Twain's "Roughing 1t" is that describing
tho lynchlng at Virginia City, Nevada. of Capt.
Slade, the outlaw. At the Baptist Ssnitarium,
In this city. there is dying to-day one OF the
chief actors In that memorable occurrence In
the person Of judge Alexander Davis Of this
city. At the time of the lynching of Slade by
the vigilantes judge Davis was the Jud &c OF the
Peoples Court at Virginia City "a tribunal es-
tablished by the people Of the camp as the near
est approach to social order tho circumstance
srranted to maiefactors' BY tho Judge and jury,
he sat on the bench were afterward confirmed
by the Federal authorities. He was In the
encyclopaedia Of information concerning what
happened there during that time.
Judge Davis has always claimed that the &C.
count Mark Twain gave OF the lynchtnR or
humorist made the facts jibe with his ideas Of
IN order to create mirth. According to the story
of the Judge, the l%ynching aud the circum-
stances surrounding 1t came about as follows. In
J. A. slade. or Capt. slade. was born of a highly
respected family in Clinton county. Ill, and
citizen before he went West. His first business
on the plains was as foreman for the Overland
stage Company, and 1t was In this capacity that
he first gathered. his reputation for daredevil
rcckiessness and disregard for human life that
brought him to death In Virginia City.
At Julesburg, Col. a Frenchman named Jules
kept a store. Jules was a trader and outftter,
and had a reputation as a killer aud an unscrup-
to quarrel, on and ,Slade killed the trader in a
most cold blooded manner. This opened mp
After the Killing Of Jules. slade was stamped
as a bad man, lie wandered around from place
tory. aud when he finally reached Virginia City
In the spring. of 1868 1t was reported that he
Some time previous to this the men Of Vir-
gin.a City had found 1t necessary TO organize q
hislIhnce committee; CRIMINAL after criminal
mercy. 1t was considered no thing
by these stern men to string up five road agents
that the yigilantes had not their hands full.
Just before SHADE reached the camp the yigi.
fairly well cleaned out. The peoples court had
been well established, with Judge Davis on tho
o eSmSh 10 al" the eampAr %itR s9 Snie' fr rS,sasa' but S' Isfe
almost at once for Milk River. where he spent
thu summer us II freighter.
Tint Slade was in tho vicinity caused the
viGllantes some uncasiness; lie had a number
of friends, despite his bloody record. and there
Judge Davis was wont TO say that Slade was IA
peculiar man. In his sober moments he was the
der. and kind. and honest. When drunk he was
a demon. He was a great money maker when
he was sober, but In his drunken periods he
would throw wealth away. lie went deeper and
deeper In debt.
Occasionally no would come up from Milk
River and tear the camp wide open. He would
ride into saloons. shoot the lights out. break the
glassware, ~terrorize the proprietor, and make
rounded up and brought before Judge Davis,
who would intiicta fine. Sometimes lie would
pay. but Judge Davis was never severe, and
from rom this ths OUTLAW grew 10 respect him. .
and was arrested. The next morning In tho
court room J. NJ. Fox, the Sheriff. read the war
rant 70 him by way Of a%rraignment. Slahe, be-
side himself. reached for the writ, tore it in two,
threw 4 on the floor. and STAMPED 1t under his
foot. He declared he had been II vigilante him
self. and he detied the yigilantes.
ing Of the committee was called, and 1t was de-
cided that Slade must hang. A messenger
named Williams was sent to Lower Town to get
ness for a bloody fight should the outlaw resist
Slade, who had left the court room after tearing
up tho writ, came back again. Judge Davis Inn
plored him 70 leave the camp.
of YOU" he said. IF you don't, they'll hang
Slads promised to leave. lie went out. got on
his horse; and started of, Then. with a yell, he
came back again. Walking into the court room,
making that he Would hold the Judge as host.
ilantes made.
Judge Davis never falterod. He still tried to
persuade Slade TO go, and the outlaw, putting up
the street again II was too late. The camp was
aroused and no was surrounded. At tho risk
of being riddled with bullets, Judge Davis
mounted a wagon and spoke in favor of, the
doomed mar, but the mob paid no heed to him.
SHADES VIE was expected AZ any moment.
She was n handsome woman and loved her hus-
band sincerely. The viEilantes, know n she
his friends at oil odds.
DO your duty, men" said n deep. stern voice.
Ana while Judge Davis stood on the wagon,
pleading with, the crowd. tho box was pushed
away and Slade was swung into eternity. The
body was cut down and taken TO the Virginia
hotel where the wife found It soon after.