The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-05-21

man with a bona fide skeleton in his closet.
and that the skeleton had story IL ala
not require any persuasion 10 OBTAIN
glimpse OF the skeleton. The owner pres
emily led the way 10 an clubhouse. and,
opening the door. displayed the skeleton OK
a man, badly fastened together. and hang
ing 10 the wall by the neck. The Missouri
ian did not object TO telling the story.
That fellow he said. motioning with
his thumb 10 the skeleton, was once an
acquaintance OF mine, and / like him so
welg'-this with a laugh-'that have kept
him by me ever since. so that can come
out and stir him up whenever l feel dis
posed" and he gave the skeleton dig In
the ribs. ''It was this way he continued.
closing the door on his acquaintance
During the war l lived in one OF the
Southern states where l was about the
only Northern man. They took nearly ev-
erything that had. as time went on: killed
my stock. killed some Of my people. and
finally announced that they were going 20
Kill me. Nearly all the country was ter
rorized at that time by good for-nothing
chap whom We viii call Jim Conner: that
was not his name. but IL will do-one name
is ar good as another now.
When the war broke out he started in
as sort Of independent guerrilla, and be
gan system OF looting and killing. |
knew him we'll. and he sent me word that
he was coming my way. and was going To
burn my house and hang me TO the trees
In the yard. / sent word hack that was
ready for him. We heard Of him all around
men shot. niggers killed, houses burned
so that the name of Jim Conner became a
thing 10 scare children. not 10 speak Of
men | was always trying TO help North
ern men, and one time had two or three
with me, passing them on as occasion Of
fered. had not heard from Conner or his
raids for some weeks, when one day he
Il gszs~ -urI urA thaf he
going to burn the house. We had no means
az protecting ourselves except by using a
rifle. and with that l tried TO pick him OF
from the top story; but ne had picked up
one Of my friends who had been in the field,
and they put him on horse and stood be-
hind him and shot at the windows OF the
house at the same time gathering brush
with which they said. 10 burn the house.
''Rut no one dared 10 approach the house.
Bs | was a sure shot. i supposed that they
would ais until night AMI then creep up
and burn me out. kept oiii OF sight, and
could not believe that they would murder
man in cold blood But, hearing shout,
! glanced through bullet hole In the shut
ter and saw Them driving my friends horse
up 10 a trre~-a fine old tree that I hal
PLANTED as a hoy. one Of the limbs crossed
tire drive, and to this they fastened the
rope and drove the horse away. leaving my
friend dangling there, and I watching the
locking on SOM United States troops I'm
ally came along and drove them Of and cut
tae body down and Joined tn the chase,
hunted the gang fer weeks: then gave /;
W, a. II evident that they had given
Us the slip After she war I moved ta Cali
foFnla ri came here. / soon heard of
curious character. who lived up IN one OF
N. canyons the Hte q hermit. never
connected hss name win Conner. il being
more % less common. but when he died
one dav tAe story was that he mad had A
had record baek 81 NiSsnuri-thAt he
na6 been Murderer, cte.-~and II occurred
- ne Sast Is might 81 nay OFF enemy the
usn had neen after for So many years.
| - cant Ray tnAt ! have a particularly r..
vsnGe{us disposition" said TIE skeleton
exnsY ''nut 10 had murdered ny friend
All lad never given up re hope % End
lns Aira aad IVES aiwass or fae lockout
Tae aiG gelow was alSos AM homeless, ii
seems. With 70 friends and shsy buried
III ~ the ss3e 81 MS hat / heard q Il a
.sH asys iate- and e1pia eyed some men 10
aid ule IN sae Investigation Conner rad A
tad 81 Orr wound arr9ss tire face. ssy whtca
% sns could ever Ia. 80 recse h. him
s8d = Ser enfcs& he grave sasYe Vas
iae a&a. - SAGE "a f@srs sh8eh he less bowed
| fsas ~ vas Eganev. bad found am too
axe - taTu h.Bz over to tGs Law 30 I pro-
g~ss@a - han1 aim here catsls4 keep an
eva 90 ajm for tre rest % srsy life and ia
nay al propose - leave instructions thar
| ~ sslaa Do ls.t hanging banging IN iae
~ind. j4si Sc - hs2 bsrsvG rny friend
| rad hls sssasscn rrrpaTes a. 50 nne
| c4stE.s. Alna. sna sgnx = m Gp a. a warn-
| .ns % szy % a4s see& aag wsxAg s0Isop
Is soots;e2a -SA.~axs 12ss. OSsaA~