The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1899-07-05

me, who was evidently watching my
every move, and feeling the weight
of his guilt, supposed I knew all
about it.
While we were waiting the change
of mail at Lower LIE Sueur, the dep
uty sheriff asked me to get QUITO the
stage, and said to me: Major Il was
called major in those days., had we
not better take another look at those
fellows on the stage? They are
going ont of the country when every
body is coming in. It looks to me
suspicious Iagreed with. him, and
took another look. I at once discov-
cred that they were both dressed
from head to foot in new slop shop
clothes, indicating the necessity for
an entire change of costum, and
concluded from this cue there we're
sufficient grounds to suspect them.
So the deputy said: You hold the
stage ten or fifteen minutes and I'll
go to Henderson and take out a war
rant and arrest them on the arrival
of the stage, so that if we are mis-
taken, no particular harm will be
done. !" He started on. l got my
hand bag out of the boot and buckled
on my six-shooter, all of which was
seen by the thieves, who must have
fully understood the program; at
least such must have been the case
with the Frenchman, as subsequent
events led me to doubt whether che
German was a participant in the
theft, or more than a mere deserter.
[ had a sense of uneasiness about the
double -barreled shotgun carried by
the German, but I thought I could
handle the Frenchman. He started
and, much to my relief, when he
reached the ferry over the river the
German fired one barrel Of his gun
at pigeon and snapped several
caps on the other, which refused to
go off. AS we approached Hender-
son, quite a crowd had gathered to
see the arrest, and just as the stage
swung to the sidewalk the French
man took out of his pocket small
penknife, the largest blade of which
could not have been over four inches
[ong. He opened it so quietly that
it did not excite my apprehensions
in the least, although I had my right
hand on my six shooter intending to
cover him the moment the stage
stopped. Hemade desperate lunge
at his breast with the knife, and
handing me a carpet bag which lay
on his lap, he said: ''The money is
all in this bag, sir, 'justas if we had
been talking the whole matter over.
I, fearing that he might strike at me
with the knife, drew my revolver
and struck him sharply over the
making the knife fly out of
the window, and selling him by the
throat with my left hand, I covered
him with my pistol. The stage stop
ped. Retaining my hold on him and
still covering him with my pistol,
we got out of the stage on the side
walk. He wavered for second and
fell dead. He had put the knife an
inch into his heart. I found in a
belt on his body and in the bag,
50, 800 in gold which deposited in
the United States land Office at Hen
derson, subject to the order of Maj.
Cullen, who got it all in good time.
The Frenchman had in his pocket
book some letters from lady in
written in French, con-
some very tender sentiments.
I never thought he was bad man,
but had yielded, as many do, to a
strong temptation, and had decided
to die rather than be captured. It
was not more than twenty minutes
before we were on our way to St.
Paul. AS no evidence connected
the German with the theft, he was
sent back simply as a deserter.
A curious question arose as to the
reward. Maj. Cullen insisted on
giving it to me. l knew very we'll
that had it not been for the superior
detective sagacity of the deputy, the
thieves never would have been
caught, so I refused it, as I would
have done under any circumstances.
Then the sheriff claimeds 1T, and
finally the major left it's disposition
to me, and I divided it between the