The times., 1897-09-20
Modern ArgOnauts Dispense a
Law of Their Ruling.
BALDOTING FOR A VERDICT
Graphic POrtraiture OF Scenes At
tending the Border Rule Example
Stealing Provisions Pathetic iE-
cideDt of the Voting on His LIfe.

dixie traH, for stealing a fitch of bacon.
lie was the first victim OF lynch law ~ |
the new gold country
Martin arrived in Juneau last August
with only fairly comfortable Quilt.
lie was anxious TO start right away fer
the gold fields, but was obliged to wait
for tile arrival OF a belated party. lie
seemed a quiet, thoughtful sort of man.
with nothing radically wrong about hir.
There We're about thirty men in tue
party. All but one of them Were stern,
broad d-shOuidered, bearded men, with stout
hearts and iron inascles. The exec ption
was a pale-f8ced, studious looking boy
named Ferry. lie had a cough, and when
ever he became overtired one of the big
whiskercd giants would swing the boys
pack atop his own with a gooc-natured
laugh and carry il for d mile or two.
1t took the party five daysto get across
the pass. In the meantime Martin had
evidently discovered that he had made
miScalculatlon in the matter Of provis-
ions. lis stock was running low, and
IT was only a matter OF a few days
before ne would either have to return
or s;arve.
some attention in the camp, and his soil
tary and preoccupied manner was com
mented upon. Hes little daffy," said
one. Hes in love with his wife, said
another, W no had seen Martin kissing a
small and dingy photograph.
Camp followed camp in monotonpus sue
cession. There were the long daily tramps
over the difficult trail, the hours Of
dogged, desperate silence, the st0lid dreams
Of gold, the twilight of awful mountains,
the glinmering campfires, the troubled
klumhers, and again the sunrise and the
long march.
So u went. until the little party, piung-
ing deeper and deeper into the wilderness.
came upon tie shores Of Lake Bennett.
on the margin OF the lake the camp was
made, and tie evening fires We're lighted
Then, v hen the miners were preparing -
cool their frugal repast, Abner Davis dis
covered :iat somebody bad stolen a side
OF bacon from Ills outfit
Davis strobe over to the camp Of John
Hogan, VINO was regarded as the leader
OF the party, and made known his loss.
Don't say anything about ii until after
supper, Ahner,r' advised Hogan. Then
wen hold A meeting II we've got a thief
in tie outfit we must clear him out
damned quick" After the supperof bacon
and bread and black coffee, the men gath
cred around Hogar's campfire looking very
serious. "W here's Marting'' somebody
asked. Hes ont on the Ike fishing"
replied Ferry, the sickly looking boy
Then Hogan got mp and made a sort of
speech. Men, said he, there's a THIEF
among Us. Abner Davis has missed side
OF bacon he had when we camped here
this evening There amt no wolves about
80 early in the night. Now, what pro-
pose is that every man Of US have his
oCtfit searched.
And, men-I amt sayin' this to any
particular person, but TO all Of Us, myself
included-the one that stole Abner Davis
bacon is I'm a mighty unhealthy locality
That's all I've gOt TO say" Hogan's plan
was agreed to. A committee was ap-
pointed, and the search was prosecuted
with vigor. Outfit after outfit was in
EpeCted, bat nothing suspicious was found
Martin 5 provision bag was opened Two
pieces o. bacon were found. One was
small and thin and scrawny. It was Mar
tins. The other was large and streaky Y
and good 10 loci, upon. 1t was Davis. II
had been marked "A. B. but the letters
had been clipped away with a knife
Another meeting was called at H0eans
tent. The men gathered around it one by
one, silent aud determined. Wood was
piled on the fire until the surroundings We're
as br light as day.
Then the miners sat down, smoking after
the fashion OF Indians, and waiting for
Hogan 10 speak.
Men" sai5 Hogan, after long pause,
''you all know who the thief is, and you
know the sneakin crime he has committed.
Here we are, ali honest men, trying TO get
20 the Klondike. We have only enough pro
visions 10 carry US through, and yet a
thief who ha- Come along without his
proper share is stealing from us 1 move
we hang this man and do it quick
Abner Davis was the next speaker: Il
don card a for the bacon, and you all
know that. It's the principle of the thing
] am kickin shout. He could have shared
my camp fire e be had asked it. 1t is not
becoming for me 10 vote, bein' the plain
tiff, SO I Wont vote, but 1 want 20 say
that 1 believe that all such varmints should
be strung up
Others among the miners spoke in favor
of Martins execution. and vote was
taken. TWO scraps Of paper were given 70
each man. One was marked with a cross,
which meant death. The other was left
blank; this meant life.
The votes We're cast one by one into a
hat, and one by one the were dra wn on
and read by Hogan. DEATH death deathI''
fen monofcnously from his lips. Death
DEATH death!'' and then life the only
one in the entire number of ballots.
The ma Jority decides In favor of dea th,' ;
said Hogan: there is only one vote in favor
OF life, and ] would like TO know the name
or the lvhite-livered person that throwed
It in"
Their there was commotlon. Into the
circle of freight stepped Ferry, the thin
faced boy with the cough. His face was a
white as dea tn.
II was me- he began, in voice that
was half a whisper: it was me. throweC
it in. Don't do this thing, men. LIE;
Martin 90. God viii reward you for i:
That poor man is trying to get 10 tn,
Klollike. He has sold all he has or
earth TO do it. He has wife and babl
at home 1t was only an error or Judg
ment. lie did not have enough provisions
and has even spent the nights catching
fish TO exc out his store
The plea was Intellectual. The crime OF
the outskirts OF civilization was too fla
grant for forgiveness, and the die had beer
cast thai Martin must die, and the miners
with a rope, went u his quarters.
Under the sheItering arms OF a pine
with his face cleaning in the moonlight
Martin lay asleep. The black Silhouette