The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1896-07-03
OLD GOLDEN's TAKING OFF.
The Full Story Of the End Of the
Terror of Pike County.
How, After Years of Triumphant Conflict
with Man and Beast, He Died,
Facing Both, with His Back
to Rock.

an old New Yorker, "Red Drake, the
woodsman, said to me in o very mys-
terious manner one day:
"'I seen Old Golden yiste'day.'
eff Red noticed the puzzled look that
must have been on my face he paid no
attention to it.
"'First time he's been seen in this
part O. the county in five years or
more said Red. Don't say nothin' to
nobody, and I'll take you out to-morrer
and introduce you to him. He's layin'
low in the woods, over around my chop
pin job some'rs. don't want it to
git out, though, for to-morrer Is town
meetin', and if it got out that Old
Golden was nosin' around here ag'in
there wouldn't be vote cast i'll the hull
township. The hull population from,
the Shohola to the Panpack ID be skit-
term through the woods, tryin' to git
their hands on Old Golden. So keep
mum, and me and you'll go out tomor-
rer and spend an hour or SO with him.
He'll make it worth while, if he's feelin'
good. There's a reward offered to any
one that takes him and delivers him at
the county seat, but none O. these fell
le1s around here is goin' to git it If kin
help it.
'I thought to myself that here was
some backwoods desperado, @ fugitive
from Justice, and I didn't show much
enthusiasm about going out and meet
ing him.
"Ts he q friend of yours?' asked
Red Drake.
"'Who? Old Golden2' Red ex
claimed.
eyes, said I.
"'Well, not to any alarmin' stretch,
he ain't!' replied Red. The last time
l seen him before yiste'day he knocked
me down and jumped on me, and if 1t
hadn't been for Ed Quick comm up Id
be campin' on the happy huntin'
grounds now. But he heard Ed comm
and he cut sticks and run. No, sir!
Old Golden amt no friend O. mine!
Same time, I amt goin' to let none O.
these fellers round here take him, not
if kin help it. Why? Cause 1 want
to take him myself. Here comes Sim
Lord. Don't say word, and to-morrer
me and you'll go out and have look at
the ugly old cuss."
"Red went away, and inwardly re-
solved that 1 wouldn't be anywhere in
sight next day when he came for me to
go with him to the woods. That very
night, singularly enough, I heard some
more about this mysterious Old Golden.
Half q dozen or more backwoods citi-
2ens gathered at the tavern during the
evening to talk over the prospects OF
next days town meeting. Before the
session was over Bill Nyce, who lived
three or four miles further on, came in.
He was on his way home from the
county seat, and brought with him an
exciting item of news. A man had
been convicted of murder at Milford
and sentenced to be hanged. The man
had killed fellov-l -laborer on the Erie
railroad few MOI hs before, at Lack
awaken. This news was commented
upon for some time, and when interes,
in it waned a little Nyce said:
"T heard another bit of news on my
way in. Old Golden is dead
"'Wh-a-a-a-t!' came in startled
chorus from the group of woodsmen.
$50 Dicky Hoffman told me-, said
Nyce. Jake Bensley met him down il
Lehman township. There was q fight
and Jake killed him. Shot him dead il
his tracks,
"'When was this?' some one asked.
Something like two weeks go,
said Nyce-
"'How kin that be-? said woodsman
old Golden was over on the Panpack
only last week.
"'How do you know? asked Nyce.
"'How do 1 know?' replied the other
Didn't Marcus Kellam see him"
Ibid Marcus Kellam say he seer
him?'
"'He told me so himself, afore yiste'
day
This seemed to be a puzzler fol
everybody. Marcus Kellam was q
great hunter, and if he said he saw {
thing or did thing, no one ever ques
toned it. But then here was news com
ing straight from DiclSy Hoffman, whc
generally knew what he was talking
about, that Jake Bensley had killed
Old Golden a week before Marcus Xii
lam had seen him on the Panpack, cleal
on the other side of the county, and
Jake Bensley was great hunter, too
and what he said folks generally be-
lieved. One wiry-looking woodsman Of
the group at the tavern noticed hadn't
had anything to say during the excite
ing conversation that ensued over tho
subject of Old Golden and his alleged
taking off. This was Ed Quick (of the
Blooming Grove country. At last
though, he reused himself and said:
eff you go down to Porter's pond ir
about six weeks, when the ice is gone
out, and poke around on the bottom
nigh the outlet, the chances is that
you'll find Old Golden. That's whai
Nose Coolbaugh says, anyways
"'When did Nose Coolbaugh say
that?' asked Bill Nyce.
"'He didn't sat that, e'zac'ly,' said
Ed Quick, but he said that three
months ago, when the ice just come Oh
the pond, who should come sneakin
out o. the woods ON the east side o. the
| pond but Old Golden. Nose Coolbaugf
and Bill Overfeld was comm on the
west side. They seen him stop on the
edge O. the pond and then start acress
on the ice, headin' straight for theiI
cabin.
"'"That's him, sure!" says Nose.
"'"Him!" says Bill. 81 should say
| it was!"