Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1897-08-23


not gull y, we're Alika matters OF indif.
ference 10 him. They were members
OF the Henry gang AMI that WAS
enough.
A4iho cathed al clock struck twelve,
the expectanr multitude saw emerging
from the lane, which led from the Jail
TO the plaza, a small crowd OF perhaps
twelve men. With drawn revolvera,
they silently marched TO tho center OF
the plaza. where Stood the well. II
could be seen 10 the center OF the group
two men carried an indistingu'shable
something 10 q blanket, and a close
inspection would have ~discovered an
other OF the party who could hardly
WALK. Arriving at the we'll, q tall rnAn
was seen TO throw "a rope over the
500 fold. and the we'll known. tones OF
"Alysterlous Dave" were heard to
address the men who carried the
blanket, In three words: "Stand him
up Wounded unto death, In fever
and delirium, the mind OF poor Jim
Vest reverted for the last time to the
scenes OF his innocence, OF his home
and Of his mother. Around his neck
che cruel hands of Mathes fixed the
cord as carefully, as ccolly, as though
bio was adjusting a ~cravat, and as the
supporters Of the doomed boy raised
b m to a standing position. he looked
with glazed eyes into the hard, dark
face and said; "My mother , '.Why
didn't you think OF her last night, you
d--n baby p" came back from the lips
OF the unmoved executioner, and an
other erring soul had crossed over the
great realm Of eternal mercy, CT uu.
ending love.
Coolly throwing another rope over
the scaffold, sMysterions" issued an.
other command: "Bring on Dorsey ~
With tears and sobs and piteous
cries, " thprott ts'ions Of innocencsa d,
applications for mercy that might
have wrupg pity from the heart Of tho
mad Caligula, but that never came
within a thousand miles Of reaching or
affecting "Mysterious Dave, " the poor
cook, already halt dead with frigh',
was hanged by the side of his master.
While these scenes were TRANSPORTING,
the restless eyes of Tom Henry were
searching every direction for.a friend
ly or familiar face. Escape, he knew
to be impossible. Entrapped into
s~urrendcriug by the false promises OF
Mathes that he should have q fair
trial, he recogn,z d n,w that the end
had come, but with it came no tremb-
ling fear. Stained and spotted with
with no preparation for the
dark voyage before him. perhaps with
no wish for pardon, he maintained to
the last a firm and constant courage.
His only wish seemed to be to cheat
at once "Mysterious Dave and the
gallows. Al he became accustomed to
the uncertain light, he saw in the
crowd a face that he knew. 1t was
The face of s.Big Curly Beaver" gamh-
Ter, outlaw and desperate tough. As
heir eyes met, Henry motioned with
lis head, to come q Beaver
Everybody in that crowd
lnew him and he had no diff Guilty In
approaching.
II want you to do me a favor, Curly"
Isnry whispered. "What is lip" asked
he other. 81 amt afraid of Dave
iathes aud / amt afraid 10 die, but
ont want him to hang me. He lied
, get me here, aud now blow my
cad off quick"
With no hesitation, the one desper-
r%ufi4n, up oreciating the sensitive
sss and comm auding the sdecision Of
Ie other, drew his gun. A single
lot rang oct, aud the dead body ~of
Big Tom" Henry lay at the feet of {
Ia comrades suspended absve. |
FRANK s. WnIrELAw. 4
Kansas. Ii