The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-12-14
A Sheriff Who Failed to Get Re-
elected.
SHIkKED HIS PLAIN DUTY
A WoMAN'S STORY SWERvED
HIM IN HIS PURPOSE.
She Confessed to Being the Culprit
He Was In Search of and Said
She Stole To Keep Alive a Starv-
ing Family-The Public Said He
Was No Good.
Chicago Inter ocean,

Chicago Inter ocean,
1t isn't always an easy matter for
a public official to perform his duty"
said the man of experience. BY duty
l mean what is required of him under
the law which is sometimes widely at
variance with the promptings of heart
and conscience. I have in mind now
the difficult task imposed upon Charley
! Tatman when he was sheriff of Cler-
mont county. Tatman had been a good
I friend of mine for many years. When
he was elected to the Office of sheriff
he asked me to act as deputy. During
the first year of Tatman's term moth
ing OF Importance happened. But along
in the second year of our service. just
at the time when Tatman began to lay
his plans for reelection, We struck a
SnaS.
THE farmers in the southern part of
the county gave the alarm For some
time. so they complained. they had
been suffering from the depredations of
some petty Iobber or band of robbers.
Most of the thefts We're small, but they
were continuous and systematic. The
luckless farmers had banded them
selves together for the detection of the
cuiprit, and the protection of their
meat and potatoes. but they made no
progress in running down the thief.
Once or twice, indeed, after a light fall
of snow. they had succeeded in tracing
footsteps from three or four houses
whose cellars had been looted to a
place about a quarter of a mile distant
from the scene of plumber. but at that
distance the footsteps suddenly disap-
peared.
The farmers suspicious were strongly
aroused against family named Leach
The teaches; had always been con-
considered the most worthless white
trash in the neighborhood. They were
lazy, they were uncleanly, and they
were ignorant. Finally the farmers ap-
pealed to Tatman to help fix the guilt
and in response to this entreaty Tat
man sent me down into the southern
townships to see if l could find the
thieving rascals.
Il, too. was baffied when trying to
discover the purloiner of hams and
similar food Three robberies were
committed in as many weeks after /
took the case in hand. At last l deter
mined to got out warrant and search
Leach's house. Before taking action
went up TO Batavia and consulted Tat
.-,ar.
Z suppose he said. doubtfully,
that it is the only thing we can do.
I've got to do something to make a
ACNOAu lOl iiySCti. VI IL De DdQ Oll
as they say this Leach is. / guess Tn
go with you. My presence will. per-
haps, make the maneuver more effec-
tive and serve as political timber next
fall
In Quest of Leach.
1T was a cold. snowy day in March
when Tatman and 1 left Batavia to
make our raid on Leach's house. 1t
was twenty miles from our town to
the river country. The roads were
rough and in some places well-nigh
impossible. and although we set out
early in the morning it was late in the
afternoon when we turned into the
narrow lane that led from the highway
back to i.each's- This lane was long
and winding, and its intricacies were
hard to master. but after having passed
through a barlyard. which was enter
ed at no less than a dozeS places by
as manv sets of bars, We found our
selves on the crest of a steep HILL at
the foot Of which. according TO the
testimony of the boy who was feeding
the shivering animals in the sheep shed.
we should find Leach's house. Tatman
and / got out of the buggy and walked
down the hill. We kept peering round
us sharply as we went, but not until we
came almost to the base of the hill, did
We see any signs of a habitation. Then
smoke was seen curling up through
the denuded branches of the trees to
our right We went on a few steps
farther. and the house itself was in
sight. 1t was such little house of
frame and logs, and its color was so
very drab and discouraging that had
We not had the boys word for it that
Leach lived there, we should have
been in doubt as to whether Leach's
house were really a house or a stable,
Notwithstanding the evidence of the
chimney and the smoke.
I'VE hitched our horse to a cherry
tree and went into the yard. The
sound of hoofs and wheels had aroused
the inmates of the house and before
We reached the door a small COLONY of
children and dogs came trooping round
to the northern corner of the building
snd stood looking at us wonderingly.
The children were clad scantily. They
were about the ugliest children 1 ever
saw in my life. Tatman stepped up
and addressed the tallest boy. Where's
your father?' he asked?
THE boy pushed back the tow-colored
name through which he had been star
ing and nodded toward the rear of the
house The sharp whack of 2 descend
ing ak striking against hard wood en-
phasized the boys nod. 1t was now ap-
parent that the sound of chopping
WHICH ndQ bSc1 OH tie Slliis
heavy air of intervals since We began
to descend the hill originated en- Leach's
premises. In response TO the boys 81
lent request to follow him, Tatman and
I fell in with the group of boys and
girls and dogs and went around to the
backyard. Once in sight of this dreary
spot, we came to a dead stop. The
chopper was an old woman. The
womans cheeks were thin and creased
and her eyes were sunken. Her thin
calico gown displayed every angle of
her gaunt, ungainly figure. Taken all
in all, she was avery homely, uncouth
woman, but somehow there was some
thing about her that made me feel
timid Tatman saw my trepidation and
took the initiative. He stepped for
ward and stood directly before the
chopper. She held the ak poised in the
air for moment, then let it sink down
easily on the hickory chunk. She rested
her hands on the handle and bent her
tall body slightly forward.
A Disconnected Moment.
well she said. what do you wsnt?'
Her steady look disconnected Tat
man. to, for a minute. but he braced
up and came to the point without any
useless prelimnaries.
Does Hiram Leach live here?' he
asked.
Yes she said. stiffiy.
rs he at home?' continued Tatman.
Yes she repeated
L should like to see him., said Tat