The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1896-05-14
OLD GOLDEN'S TAKING OFF.
The Full Story of the End of the
Terror of Pike County.
How, After Years of Triumphant ConSict
with Man and Beast, He Died,
Facing Both, with His Back
to Rock.

county looking over the timber land
for the Jay street lumber firm" said
an old New Yorker, Red Drake, the
woodsman. said to me in a very mys-
ferrous manner one day:
Il seen Old Golden yiste'day.'
If 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. L 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 a vote cast III the hull
township. The hull population from
the Shohola to the Panpack d be skit-
term through the woods, tryin' to pit
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
lers around here is goin' to git it if kin
help it.
Il thought to myself that here was
some backwOOds desperate, a fugitive
from justice, and l didn't show much
enthusiasm about going out and meet
ing him.
lis he a friend of yours?' l asked
Red Drake.
"Who? Old Golden?' Red ex-
claimed.
YES said I.
Well, not to any alarmin' stretch,
he ANTI replied Red. The last time
seen him before yiste'day he knocked
me down and jumped on me. and if It
hadn't been for Ed Quick comm up I'd
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, | amt gon' to let none o
these fellers round here take him. not
If l kin help it. Why? Cause | want
to take him myself. Here comes Sim
Lord. Don't say a word, and to-morrer
me and you'll go out and have look at
the ugly old cuss."
Red went away and | inwardlv re-
solved that | wouldn't be anywhere in
sigfIC neNl 2ity When lie cane for me to
go with him to the woods. That very
night, singularly enough. l heard some
more about this mysterious Old Golden
Half dozen or more bacltwoods citi-
Zens 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 H.
He was on his way home from the
county seat and brought with him an
exciting item of news. 4 man had
been convicted of murder at Milford.
and sentenced to be hanged. The man
had killed a fellow-aborer on the Erie
railroad a few months before. at Lack
AWAKEN. This news was commented
upon for some time, and when interest
il it waned little Nyce said
So 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 in
Lehman township. There was a fight, |
and Jake killed him. Shot him dead in
his tracks
When was this" some one asked.
Something like two weeks go,
said Nyce.
How kin that be = said woodsman. |
odd Golden was over ON the panpack |
only last week
How do you know?' asked N.<ce.
How do know" replied the other.
Didn't Marcus Kellam see him?'
Did Marcus Kellam say he seen
him?
"He told me so himself, afore yiste'-
day
his, seemed to be a puzzler for |
everybody. Marcus Kelam was a
great hunter, and if he said he saw a
thing or did thing, no one ever oues-
toned it, But then here was news com
ing straight from Dicky Hoffman, who
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, clear
on the other side of the county, and |
Jake Bensley was a 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 the |
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 in
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 what !
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