The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-01-10
HIXS0N'S TRIAL.

forgets solar plexus politics and the other
bothersome things Of his daily existence
and reverts In anecdote to the gladstone
days when he sport loving son of slave
holding sire, ranged the rcd clay SCARED
Tennessee.
And In those moments the precise, cul.
tivated accent OF the university bred, city
habituated physician is softened by the
lazy drawl and the broadened vowels OF
the men Of the hills concerning whom ho
speaks.
On such an occasion, few nights after
the election DR.. Girdner was reminded Of
primitive court trial which he had wit.
messed in those years before tho war had
changed the complexion of good many
things in the mountains Of Greene county.
at all came about on account Of the
peryerse actions of afox," said the doctor
pensively, "but when I'd found that 10
was to be case Of get dinner at Sherrill's
Cove or not get any dinner at all spurred
up my horse and took fences and gullies
as they came till I struck the bride path
along the branch which led to that very
primitive settlement.
IL intended quartering myself and my
horse on old Squire Nathan Lamb the
soul Of real homely hospitality and great
friend of my father.
but half mile from the squirrels house
at n crossroads l met a procession riding
single file. 1t was composed of four men,
each mounted upon a little, shaggy noun.
tain horse, riding with the long stirrup
and the loose, easy seat Of tho lazy noun.
tain men.
"In front rode one Alb Henry, who car.
ried long squirrel rifle across the POM
mel of his saddle. Next came Andy Xix.
son, Hercules who lived some nine miles
up the mounting, the most notorious and
irrepressible moonshiner In that section Of
the country Andy had no rife, and was
panied to see that his hands were secured
behind his back by blight Of heavy rope,
while his feet were dashed securely under
his horses belly. Directly behind Andy,
carrying q long Colts navy revolver In
his right hand, rode Galloway Myers, cons.
stable Of sherrill's Cove township and be.
hind him came Hez Lamb, son to the
squire. who also mounted long squirrel
rifle at his saddle bow. ~
II saluted the procession cheerfully and
fell In alongside of Constable Galloway
Myers, 60 long as the bride path was wide
enough to allow us to ride two abreast.
1--WE all air jest a-takin Andy hyar
up befo' the squah tub be tried, he OK
planned casually.
Tried for whatH asked.
'Fuh a-shootin o. one O. them rev.
noos," replied the constable. He done
popped one on ON ez KEN up from Knox
vile last week tub raid Andy's stillhouse,
an the squah he lowed as how we all had
gottah try him fun It,
Ln-sBein ez how ain t noways objectin,'
put in the prisoner, turning to speak over
his shoulder.
'Bein ez how Andy amt noways OBJ
jectin, an even done insisted on bein
brought In tied an gyahded, explained the
constable.
"'So's they CANT be no ruction raised
about cts bein no onfaih trial, put in
Andy. "a.
Jest so said Myers noddinR, IAN I
reckon thuh will be some O. crowd
a-waitin fun U.s.
"There was crowd for that sparscly
populated country. At least hundred
people had gathered in the shaded open
space surrounding Squire Nathan Lambs
cabin. The women wore linsey woolsey
and stick sunbonnets, gossiped languidly
and dipped snuff The men-gaunt,
bearded, ragged, booted-leaned on the
fence or on their long squirrel rifles and
pulled cobpipes orchewed tobacco.
1.-The 'squah, a venerable man, who
had donned coat of many patches in
token Of his assumption of his official du-
ties, was seated behind puncheon table
In one corner Of the living room of the |
,abin. Ovor his head hung a cord swung |
whatnot, upon which were three books. |
One was Pilgrims Progress, another the |
Bible. Tha-third. a dinCy. -sHaaays.r -ctuiftf
bound volume, the 'squah' re7ersntly lift
ed down and spread open upon the table |
before him.
ANDY Hixson was led to a seat on q
bench fronting the table. He was still |
lightly bound. Directly behind him sat
Galloway Myers, with the muir
ferrous looking Colt pointed directly at !
the small Of Andy's back.
The prisoner began proceedings HIM
self
=" Ell the constable will reich ovah an
TEX off nah hat, he remarked reproach-
fully, 4 reckon this hyah trial will be mob
ieoent an fittin.
" TEX of the prizzonah's hat, Gallo
way, commanded the court Then con-
;inuing:
"'This hyah volyume befoh me ez thuh
tatoots o. the state Of Tennessee, made
IN pervided. Accordin tub them, Andy
dixson, we all air a-goin tub try ye al
uh a.killin that rev'noo last Thursday
week. Whut hev ye got tub sayS Air ye
guilty eh not guilty, an may God hev
nehoy upon yer soul.
"'Not guilty solcmnly responded
Andy. 4 drawed bead on thuh crittah,
,ut he he'd his gun out an wu2 a-oomin
nah way
1.-THE court bowed grayely, and then SOL
mnly, slowly searched the statoots' from
over to cover Having finished, he closed
he book with decisive air and sat up to
ender judgment.
candy Hlxson prizzonah at the bah,
tan up, he said.
ANDY arose, towering above tho heads
I the tallest In the room.
This hyah count, began the judge
has done sarched them than
tntoots O the state O. Tennessee made an
crvided, from kivah tub kivah all don't
nd nothin in en- mex kin 1t no crime fun
uh kill rev'noo.
This count hez no doubt but whit
hubs somethin on the subjlct in tho stat.
OTIS, made an pervided, o these hyah
United States, but ez so come this hyah
Quits jooisdicting ez confined tub these
yah state statoots, made an pervided, an
hey amt no Representative O the Unit.
d States hayh fun tub han ye all ovah tub,
his hyah count ez bound tub dcclah yer
ot guilty o. the change o muhdahing
hat than rev'noo, Andy, al tub instruct
Galloway Myers tub cut them
hah haltah ropes all tuhn ye loose.
Constable Galloway Myers did as In.
tructed, and the whole party, including
ne court, mounted and adjourned to Andy
lixson's moonshine stillhouse to celebrate