Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1897-12-18
GRIDLEY'S CHOICE.
II WAS AWlSE ONE, AS SUBSEQUENT
EVENTS PROVED.

The Law and tho Condemned Murderer
Made Combination That became the
Cause of Sheriff Hartwenter's Dcstruc-
zion as en- omcial.
San Pete county is located in Utah, and
Utah ID the state where they sometimes
shoot murdorcrs instead OF hanging them
But although custom supports death by
the bullet, there was timo when the ter
ritorial laws were more liberal. They
offered q condemned man q full menu of
DEATH One sentenced to give up the ghost
for q capital offense was allowed to choose
between hanging, shooting and decapita-
ton. Ae least so it was written in the
leather backed books. But only one man
is known to have chosen the slioing proc
ess, and it is Of him that this story is
written.
Gridley, who had no first name, and
whose surname was matter of conyen-
ienoo according to the part of tho country
in which he was residing had injudicious-
" killed man who was contracting to
Bring an irrigation ditch into the San
Pete country and to spend some money
among the people. Previously Gridley had
assassinated few odds and ends of super
luous men, and little had been thought of
ii. but on this occasion the disappoint-
inent Of the people, thus suddenly and
wickedly deprived of their ditch and the
prosperity which its construction would
bring, surmounted custom, and Gridley
was arrested, and to his intense surprise
locked up, tried and convicted of murder
The district judge came down ono day
When he had nothing better to do, and
calling the convict Gridley before him
told him that according to law he could
select either to be made into a target, to
he dropped at the end of rope, or to be
biseeted in the neighborhood of the neck.
"Well, Judge, said Gridley, IF it's all
the same to you, I've always kind of ham
l1ered TO have my head chopped off. 1t
seems such a first class an bon ton way of
shufllin of Most any Teller can go over
into Colorado or Nevada an be tied to
beam, but this here looks like a sort Of ex-
elusive thing Chopin 1t is.
Everybody ia the courtroom was sur
prised and many were eminently dis
pleased. The Gridley hangin' had been
talked of for two weeks and several ex-
cursions from outside camps had been ar
ranged for, and it WAS q serious question
with the reception committee whether or
not anything but hanging would suit the
tastes Of the expected guests. Especially
was James ID. HGrtwcnter, the sheriff, dis
turbed by Gridleys decision. Hartwenter
was hulnnne man, and he had been put
ting in several days Of practieing q crew of
marksmen and gang of scaffold experts
with the view of making Gridley's exit as
comfortable and expeditions as possible
when it came to the day of the passing ont.
Hartwenter himself had no liking for the
business of methodioally killing men by
programme, but he felt that with lot of
unknown rihemon aiming at eulprit's
heart there could be no after remorse, be-
cause nobody would ever know whose bull
let had killed, and to some extent the same
conditions prevailed in hanging where
the cord was cut by man unknown to
these present. But decapitationl There
was no fashion Of concealing identity in
such case-no comfortable way of beliey-
ing that nobody knew just who had done
tho killing. And as he, the sheriff, was
tho official directed to perform on the
Strengthening day, he felt intensely worried.
lie went to Gridley in his cell.
Look here he said. what kind of
fool notion is this of yoprn? Don't you
know you'll Spite your clothes an waller
around in disgustin way analogous to
chicken killed for dinner? What sort of a
dignity is there to the demise of man abb
breviated by use Of a butchers cleayerf
What you want to do is to git up there on
a scaffold like q man with some idea Of
etiquette and be swung off like the Swan
Creek people expect you to"
Gridley fired up "Who is furnishin the
goods fer this here entertainment, he de-
manded, me or Swan Creek? The judge
passed the thing up to me- an l made my
bet, an it was for the cuttin.''
But, doggone it all, don't you see I'm
IN interested party? I don't want to have
to stand out there in the sun an chop at
you like man workin on stove wood. I
amt used to it, an, moreover, you amt
used to it, an We'll make blamed botch Of
it"
Gridley leaned back Independently AID
pulled twice at his cigar. Jim, - he said,
I voted fer you, an I'd do most any rea-
sonable thing for you, But look here This
matter Of your desires amt nothin to me-
This is q paramount case. l ain { maxim
10 kick on the KILN, but bein the star
hoaTder, so TO speak, demand my rights
Look herel Who was shot last month?
Hunko Pado, q blamed Mexican that you
an me wouldn't reco' nize socially. An
who was hung in June? Old Bill Grason,
u miserable oritter without lineage nor
posterity, An that's the way it's been
since 1 been here. Not decent, high
toned gentleman has ever been hung or
shot. Do you think I'm goin to start it?
No. sir. There's somethin renowned an
blood stirrin an dignifed in hein behead-
cd an them s my choosins. Why, they'll
telegraft about it all over the east, an I'll
be notorious like tho president of the
United States, an so on. It's the greatest
moment of my life. There is tide in the
affairs of men, you know, an this is my
tide. Who remembers Hunko Pado or
Grason today? No one. But fer years this
camp'll talk about how Gridley stood up
an took his KILN like man in q pictur,
an you'll none Of you fergit me. -
Hurtventer was sad and gloomy. He
had no taste for his forthcoming Job, and
he argued and entreated Gridley to be
oblging, but Gridley would not. 1t was
the chance Of his lifetime, and he did not
mean to throw it away. Hartwenter offered
to paint the gallows in three colors and
have some flowers for distribution as SOU
venirs. In vain. The heartsiok sheriff on
the night before the day set for the execu-
ton visited Gridley for the last time with
his final appeal. But Gridley, growing
eloquent concerning the unique character
of his impending decease, positively re-
fused all proffers of rope or bullets. Hart
wenter eyed him for few minutes, and
then, with sigh, he said: can right,
Gridley. Theys only one thing fer me to
do"
And be went out and seemingly forgot
TO lock the door.
The Swan Creek people came near max
ing demonstration with rope in connec-
ton with the sheriff when they arrived in
town the next morning and found that
Gridley had escaped. But wiser counsel
prevailed, and they evened it up by bury
ing Hartwenter under an avalanche of
votes at the next election, his successful
competitor being redheaded butcher who
had no fine feelings about decapitation or
niEoh Of anything else.-Chicago Record.
TUFTS Pills
Cure All
( Svyom Ef1o