Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1897-09-30

I ONIGAN was the chief of police of
the great and hourishing town Of
Boulder, Ariz. He was no ordinary
man, either in appearance or in deeds.
He was over six feet five inches tall,
about as thick thFough the chest as he
was through the legs, and his legs were
nothing 10 speak of. He weighed, in
fact, at the least, 95 or 100 pounds.
Lonigan never owned a horse, but he
had a racing burro, Nancy Hanks, and
when the burro got tired Lonigan had
but to put his feet down on the ground
and carry the burro along under him
until he was rested.
Lonigan had never had much chance
to prove what his merits as policeman
were, in Boulder, for an ordinance
was passed the very first thing that, TO
insure the growth of the town, no shoot
ing would be tolerated by the COM
munity. The male population was not
very large. We all had the welfare of
the town at heart, and it would not do
to kill off our own population. 1t was
therefore generally understood that
murder. justifiable or not. meant lynch
ing.
lonigan's duties, therefore, up to the
time Of which am about TO write, con-
sisted merely of keeping the dogs off
the grass. which. II was understood,
would grow in our plaza If it had half
a chance. Every morning at eight
o'clock Lonigan would assemble at po-.
lice headquarters, an elegant room in
the capacious town hall, call the roll
-which didn't take long, for Lonigan
was the whole police foree-and then
be would 60 to work.
Louigan thirsted for glory. He
would tell us of his great deeds, and
anyone with half an ear could under
stand how much Lonigan was anxious
for good murder mystery. And final
~ the desired opportunity came along.
Snip Wilkins shot and instantly killed
Bud Gaylord. Snip did not wait long
10 get out of town. Half an hour after
the murder was committed he was no.
where to be found
The chief of police was on the
ground at once. He asked a great
many questions, and examined the
bloodrstains with a small magnifying
glass. He shook bis head a great many
times. and by not telling anyone what
he thought about it all, naturally Great
ed a good impression. a half-hour's
examination and cross-examination
convinced him that he knew all about
the murder.
Snip done it," he declared, finally,
to the crowd.
"You darned old fool" said Tom
Gable, 1--WE knew that half an hour ago"
Leave him alone" said Cross, the
newspaper man. Every man on jury
knows that murder has been commit
ted, but has to sit for weeks and find
it out He's done the jury work in half
an hour
"I'll catch him." said the chief. |
Then he called TO Manuel, his servant, !
TO bring Nancy Hanks around.
Nancy. all saddled and ready for a |
long trip. was trotted out, and the
chief took a reef in his legs and mount |
ed his steed.
IF send for anything" he said, "let |
me have ii at once. Depend upon me.
I didn't find out who stole that leak |
in the gas-pipe at Texarkana for moth
ing"
Then he kicked Nancy in the ribs and |
rode off in a cloud of dust. We cheered |
him to the echo. and he disappeared |
over the desert to the southeast.
That was the last we saw or heard of
him for a week. Gaylord had. been
buried with military honors, and Boul-
der had almost forgotten all about his /
murder and the chief of police, the first
birth having come along about that
time TO give us a fresh excitement to
talk about. In fact, we had just about
decided that the lion Lonigan and the
lamb Wilkins had lain down together,
and that the lion had awakened on the
wrong side of the lamb, when one fine
day we received telegram from him.
The telegram was dated Arcadia, Tex,
and read:
Send down the cannon TO me by ex-
press at once"
The cannon was one of Boulder's insti-
buttons. 1t had once belonged at Fort
Marcy, in New Mexico, where it had
done some service against the Indians
The cannon stood in front of the new
and on the Fourth of July
played a star part in our celebrations.
We could not imagine what Lonigan
could possibly want with it. but as il
was the middle of the winter season.
the Fourth of July some six months
III, and the APaehes at peace with the !
surrounding country, we decided 70