Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1897-10-07

little heard of now
They were not theatrical enough !.
their ways of killing or they had n
gang to crack them up. They never go
the great names that some men did VIII,
were afraid of them. Such a man wa
Patterson, from Alississippi-Ferdln
and Patterson-who figured in San
francisco and Nevada and afterwar
in Oregon. He was what is known ia
the far west as a white-eyed man-tha
is, his eyes were Of a gray tint, so pal'
as 10 seem almost white. He was {
powerfully built man, handy viii
weapons, and he came as near being
| perfectly fearless as a man can be.
remember him at his trial for the kill
ing of Capt. Staples at Portland, Ore
The captain had headed a crowd 10
! lynch Patterson for his secession seDti
ments. Feeling ran high against Pat
terson. it being in the time of the civil
war. and the sentiment in Oregon being
| for the union. When ne was acquitted,
as he was, after an exciting trial, on the
ground of self-defense, it was believed
that he would never leave the court
room alive, but he passed through the
hostile crowd without the sign of fear,
with such a presence that no one
molested him. can compare his look
only with that Of lion. His shooting
of Pinliham. the mining man, was an
other famous killing. 1t began by his
insulting Pinkham for his northern
sentiments. Pinkham pulled his pistol
and fired Patteson stopped, lodging
the flash, as the saying is, and then sent
in the mortal shot. He was bully
through and through. Yet he was
capable of being magnanimous. On
one occasion a man fired at him, the bull
let striking him fairly in the forehead.
Instead OF dropping, as any other man
would have done, he grappled with the
man, threw him. and took away his
pistol.
"'spare me for my wife's sake he
cried.
Patterson let him up. Run for a
doctor he commanded. IF die, TIL
haunt you
"rhe story that particularly wanted
to tell when | began TO talk about Pat,
terson shows his character in it's best
light. 1t was in Montana and there had
been a mining town started in the re-
gion then known as the Bill MCGOWAN
country. People were flocking there
and the roads were strung with all sorts
of outfits hustling along 10 be first on
the ground. was on my way there 10
start a faro bank and had stopped for
dinner at a roadside place where a man
had q sort of hotel. Among the dozen |
or more wagon outfits drawn up before |
the corral was rickety, canvas-topped |
belonging TO an old man who |
was coming out with his family TO be- |
yin life anew in new country. There |
we're the old woman and half a dozen |
girls, but only one son, a weak-looking |
perhaps IS years old, who
iidn't count in what took place. 1t |
was a pretty poor looking outfit, but |
they had pair of good horses, which |
was about all they had in the world, for |
he rest of their equipment couldn't
nave been auctioned off for $50 | had |
passed them on the road, and now, |
when / came out doors after dinner, I |
'cund them in a peck of trouble, the |
women crying and the old man looking |
'crlorn and helpless. In place Of the |
wo horses I had seen them driving /
,ack on the trail, there stood two
plugs that had been next
o worthless to start with, and had been
driven nearly ia death besides.
"They were good sort Of people, so !
lslled them what the trouble was. and
hey told me. They had made their
looning at the well, and were just
litching the horses to the wagons
,eady to start on again, when three
men. who had arrived in a wagon about
he same time with them. came over
leading the two plugs, and had left their
horses and taken away
he two good ones. When the old man
protested against being robbed. one OF
hem drew a pistol and threatened TO
mash him over the head with IL II he
lidn't shut up. This was their story,
md had only to look at them to know
hat they told the truth. There was no
aw in the country then. they had no
riends, and they were not strong
'nough to defend themselves; so there
hey we're. plundered and the same as
eft afoOt on the trail, with no help for
I that they could see. As they told
heir story there were the three men. in
oil view. getting ready TO harness the
stolen horses into their wagon and
aughing in high glee among them
elves.
81 didn't like 10 leave the emigrants
n that plight. and had no crowd with
ne, and couldn't very well go up
gainst three men. particularly in an
ther party's quarrel. But talked with
he family little to cheer them up. and
ad Just handed the old woman a five
ollar gold piece, when Fred Patter-
on came riding up. having stopped TO
after his horse at the well. He nod
ed to me. and was going to ride on. but
stopped him, and told him what had
to the emigrants.