Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1897-04-07
DRAWN TO HIS DOOM.

There was unusual excitement a.
Fort Clark. Catt.emen. cowboys hoIss
ranchers. teamsters, soldiers, all moved
around in in uneasy, excited way, and
threats of violence again some un.
known person came fast and furious.
Fort Clark is a frontier post In South
western Texas. 1t was not of so much
Importance as town in 80 as IL is
now; but. civilization not ha v1Ag crept
SO close over iron rails, 1t was of more
Importance is a frontier post Word
mad come in that Willie Pray, a sheep
herder on Turkey Creek, had been
round III his cabin with a gaping knife
wound in his breast, and a Mexican
woman, whom he had recently eu-
gagged to go out TO take charge of the
domestic arrangements at his ranch
was also discovered with her tbroat
cut.
Whatever was the ca use of the dou-
Die murder was only matter Of sur
mise, but surmise is generally enough
for Judge Lynch. He doesn't waste
much time upon bubbles. The matter
was argued out in this way:
anybody seen any Indians about"
came from young soldier who stood
in group near Bill Chunks store
Taint no Iujuns." came from a
loIg-haired hunter, who was seated OH
a stump mending the cluch of his sad
die with buckskin thongs.
Why. Uncle Bin?" came from sew
eral voices.
''Injuns don't knife unless it's for
hair. Sides that eff they'd bin around,
l reckon that thar jacal I'D bin a
blazn'. How did this yer news come
anyhow"
No one seemed to know. The report
just appeared 10 spring up without
there being any responsible author for
ir. 1t started as a rumOr, and the story
gradually developed until the whole
post knew of it and was consequently
excited.
Here comes Jake Breen," said one OF
the group, he seems to know as MUCH
about il as anybody" -
When Jake came up he said he did
not know any more than the rest
Someone had brought IN the report and
he had just heard folks talking about
it. He agreed with Uncle Bill that il
was not Indians. aud, with many GA tbs.
he explained his theory
You see, Pray took a greaser WON
an out there to look after his ranch.
Most Mexican women have lovers OF
their own color Everybody knows
Mexicans are jealous and reyengeful.
They mostly use knife while n white
man uses a shooting iron. The report
says that both were killed with knife,
which shows that it was done by a
Mexican who was Jealous OF PRAY. anl
the only Mexican we know OF about
the place is the herder he had looking
after his sheep. 1t looks as ii he was
the guilty party"
That's So" said several, the Mex
lean must have done it."
Then what's the use waiting around
heref The greaser amt going to come
here and ask Us 10 hang him. He NAV
be around the ranch yet, II he ain'r
skipped to Mexico. We've got to hang
. greaser mighty quick. if We wants 10
do justice in this ma tier" said Jake,
and the most of those there assembled
appeared TO agree with him.
Jake was Il desperate OF the frs,
water, and was necessarily an authori-
" In these matters.
"Whar's the coyote ez brought the
news" said Uncle Bill.
Again there was no answer.
II reckon we'd better go and see ef
they're dead, afOre We hang anybody
We'd best go to the ranch and take
look at the late lamented afore We un-
dertake to do anything else. We can
take judge along for convenience. in !
case We need him. I'm going to the
ranch" and Uncle Bill picked up sad .
die that lay on the ground near him AMI
started for a pony staked out Oh the .
prairie hundred yards off.
This move OF Uncle Bills appea red
to meet with favor in the crowd, and b7 {
the time lie was on his pony and start
ed towar Turkey Greek he had party
of twenty-five at his back, among
whom was Jake Breen.
II was Not long ride to Pray's
ranch, and the ponies went on a trot. ,
The way led principally over a rolling /
prairie. with an occasional motto Of /
live oak or chappa raj thicket to re-
neye the monOtony-
When they had come within mile OF
the ranch some one N the cayalcade I
called cut thar there was a herd 0f
sheep off 10 the northward. The COM
pany halted and looked in the direction,
and. sur. enough on the other side OF
sliSkt depre sion in the prairie was .
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