The Van Buren press., 1896-05-30
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. lie Died,
Facing Both, with His Back
to Rock.

'sThe fall and winter was up in Pike
county looking over the timber land
for the Jay street lumber firm" said
an old New Yorker. Red Drake, the
woodsman, said to mt in very mys.
fertous manner one day:
81 seen Old Golden yistc'day.'
IF FED noticed the puzzled look that
must have been on my face he paid no
attention 10 II.
FIRST time he's been seen in this
part o the county IN fyc years or
more said Red. Don't say nathin 10
nobody. and III take you out to-morrcr
and introduce you 10 him. He's laYin'
low in the woods. over around my chop
PIN job somc'rs. 1 don't want II to
mcetin', and If it got out that Old
Golden was nosin' around here ag in
there wouldn't he n vote cast in the hull
township. The hull population from
the Shohola to the Panpaek d be slit-
term through the woods. tryin' to git
their hands on Old Golden. So keep
mum, md me and you'll go out tomor
rer end spend an hour or so with him.
He'll make il worth while, IL he's feelin
good. There's reward offered to any.
one that takes him and delivers him Mt
the county seat, but none o. these fell
Iers around here is goin' to gitit If | kin
help it.
II thought to myself that here was
some backwoods Desperate, q fugitive
from justice, and didn't show much
enthusiasm about going out and meet
ing him.
is he a friend OF yours?' asked
Red Drake.
"'Who2 Old Golden2 Red tx
claimed.
ayes said /.
Well, not to amy alarmin' stretch,
he ain'tn replied Red. The last time
] seen him before yiste'day he knocked
me down aud jumped on me, and If II
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, sirl
Old Golden amt no friend o. mnc
Same time. amt Poin' TO let none o.
these fellers round here take him. not
II 1 kin help II. Why2 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 n look at
the ugly old cuss."
''Red went away, aud | inwardly re-
solved that ] 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, ! heard some
more about this mysterious Old Golden.
Half n dozen or more bacltwoods citi-
yens gathered at the tavern during the
evening TO talk over the prospects Of
next days town meeting. Before the
session was over Bill Nycc, who lived
three or four miles further on. came IA.
lie was ION 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 10 be hanged. The man
had KILLED fellow-laborcr on the Eric
railroad few months before, at Lack
AWAKEN. This news was commented
upon for some time, and wheE interest
in II waned a little Nycc said.
"'I heard another biz Of news on my
way IN. Old Golden Is dead
'Wh-n-a-a-tp came in startled
chorus from the group of woodsmen.
80 Dicky Hoffman told me. said
Nyee. Jake Bensley met him down in
Lehman township. There was fight.
and Jake killed him. Shot him dead Ia
his tracks
When was thisY some one asked.
IS Something like two weeks go,
said Nyec
"'Ilow kin that be p said a woodsman.
old Golden was over on the Panpack
only last week
"llow do you know?' asked Nyce.
"'How do knowT replied the other
Didn't Marcus Kcllam see himY
"'Did Marcus Kellam say he seen
bimT
"'He told me so himself, afore yiste'.
day
"This seemed to be puzzler for
everybody. Marcus Kellam was a
great hunter, and n be said he saw a
thing On did n thing, no ono ever ques-
toned IT, But then here was news com
ing straight from Dicl,y Hoffman, who
generally knew what he was talking
ebsni, that Jake Bcnslcy had killed
old Golden a week before Marcus XII
.-m bad seen him on the Panpack, clear
"a the other side " the county. and