The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-12-10
THIS SHERIFF
HAS A HEART
Shirked His Plain Duty Instead OF
Arresting a Thief
AND WAS CAUSE OF HIS DEFEAT
woman's Story swegyed Him From
His AVowed Purpose - she
Stole % Keep Her
Starving Family.
AND WAS CAUSE OF HIS DEFEAT


"It isn't always an easy matter Tor q
public official TO perform his duty, SAID
the man of experience. by duty / mean
what is required of him under law
which is sometimes widely Al variance
with the prompunss OF heart ana con
science have I'm mind now the diHicuil
task imposed upon Charles IaIihan
when he was sheriff Of Ciermont count -.
Tatman had been "a good friend Oh H''s
for many wears. When he was elected
10 the Office Of sheriff bee asked me ~
acf ms deputy. During the first year OF
Tatman's term nothing Of importance
happoned. But along in the second year
nj ann service. Just at the time when
Tatman began 10 lay his plans Tor re-
election, we struck snag.
...rhe farmers in the southern part OF
fine county gave the alarm. For some
time. so they complained, they had been
suffering from the depredations OF some
pettv robber or band of robbers. Most OF
.ne fbefts fore small. but they were con-
lnuous and systematic. The luckless iar-
frers had banded themSeives together Tor
the detection Of the cuprij, and the pro
lection Of their meat and potatoes, out
they made no progress in running down
the thief once or twice. indeel. after
light fan OF snow. they had succeeded In
tracing footsteps from three or -FOUR
houses whose cellars had been looted
10 a place about a quarter of mile
distant from tine scene of plumber. but a.
that distance the footsteps suddenly
disappeared.
The farmers suspicious were strongly
D.
The teaches had been always considered
the most worthless white trash in the
nelehborhood. They were lazy they were
uucieauly. and thew We're Ignorant.
Finally the farmers appealed 10 Tatman
10 help fix the guilt and In response 10
this entreaty Tatman sent me down INTO
the southern township 20 SEQ If 1 could
find the thieving rascals.
-T too. was banled when trying TO
discover the purloiner of hams and simi-
lar food. Three r0bbefies We're committed
m as many weeks after l took the case
in hand. AT last / determined 10 get out
a warrant and search Leacls house.
Before taking action 1 went up To Batavia
and consulted Tatman.
" Il suppose. De said dOubiiuiif. th't
Il is the only thing we can do. I've got
10 do something 10 make n record LOT
myself, or I'm be as bad off as they say
this Leach IS. j guess TIT go with you
My presence win, perhaps, make the
maneuyer more effective and serve as
political timber next FAM
~ QUEST OF LEACH
cit was a cold. snowy day In march
when Tatman and left Batavia to make
our raid ON Leach's house. IL was twenty
miles from our town 90 tine river country.
a. fr OIL
weu-nigh impossible. and although we set
out early in the morning 10 was late in
the afternoon when we turned into the
narrow lane that led from the highway
back to LeachS This lane was long and
winding and It's Intricacies were hard 10
master. but after having passed through
"a b8uyard which was entered af poo Jess
than a dozen places by as many sets OF
bars. we found ourselves 0u the crest of
a steep hin, at the foot of which. accord
ing 90 the testimony of the boy who was
feeding the shiyorug animals in the sheep
shed we should lnd Lelchs house.
Ta'man and J got oIt of tle buggy and
walked down tne hHl We kept peerns
round us sharply as We went but not
until we came almost to tle base ot ile
hIl did we sce amy signs of a. hdbitaton.
Then suddenly a little pun of blue
smoke "|tI.I.I- |H tIt.'..t..t A..'
deuded branches of the trees TO our
right. we went on Cd few steps farther,
and the house itself was in sight IL was
such 90 little house of frame and logs.
and fts color WAS $50 very dr3b and disc
couragine chat bad we not had the boy
word for il that Leach lived there. We
should have been Iu doubt as tu whether
Toach's house were really house OPP
stable. Notwithstanding the evidence Of
the chimney and ,he smoke.
1--WE hitehcd orr horse 90 cherry tree
and went into One yard. The sound OF
hDofs and wheels had aroused the in-
mates OF the house. and before we reache }
the door Il small colony Of children and
dYes came troopiug round t0 the northern
corner of the building and stood looking
at as wonderiney. The children were
clad scantily They were about the ug-
lcst children L ever saw IN my life. Tat
man stepped up and addressed the taIlest
bow Where's your father? he asked,
"The boy pushed back the tow-co.1red
name through which he had been staring
and nodded toward the rear 0f the house
The sharp whack OF a descending AK
striking against hard wood emphasized
the boys nod. To was now apparent that
the sound of the ch0pping which had
been breaking 0n the stiu. heavy air at