The Savannah morning news., 1900-11-16
MELTED or JUSTICE HERSELF.
This Woman Guarded Murderer
and AfterwRrd Hanged Him.

MANY strange stories OF human action
have come out OF the god fields Of Alas
IA. but among the strangest Is that OF a
woman who guarded murderer for
months. then. when no one came 20 her
succor. hanred the prisoner TO limb
OF a tree. 30 be upheld later when she
tod her story by United states Court
as a LEGAL execuuOucr.
The woman name Is Mrs Hans Mel
son. tho man she hanged was known as
Michael DENIM. and the scene Of che ex-
ecuuon was on L@tuya bay. hundred
miles from skagway.
This is the story Of the execution and
the events leading up 70 g.
Hans Nelson and his wife, with three
miners from Skagway had gone to La
tuya bay on a prospecting trip. wiki pro.
visions and supplies. Taey had "a meas
ure OF success Ia their venture. and few
thousand dollars among them represented
the returns for their first months work.
one morning they sat in their rude
cabin az breakfast. Michael DENIM. one
Of the party. mad noe as yet come from
his tent Mrs Nelson mentioned his nom
appearance with some wonder. AZ he was
usually promptness Itself a. meals. \
Joke was passed on his absence and the
laugh nad not subsidized when the cabin
door was thrown open and DENIM appear
ci shotgun la hand.
lie said no word but raising the gun
To- Ms shoulder, fred point-blank az one
of his minor comrades. The second bar
rel was tnen surued upon the other Of his
tent mates and a load OF huckshot perfor-
atei him.
Within two seconds OF time two men law
dead. literally shot 20 pieces with the
heavy loads 81 large shot discharged az
So close q range.
Michael threw open the gun barrels and
reached in his pockets Tor two moro
shells. Then Mrs Nelson awokc to the
necessity OF quick ocslou and spTang Ike
"a wildcat upon him. She twisted her
Fingers into the Goth about his throat
ana hy the impetus Of her attack drove
HIM back against tho wall.
Her husband. slower OF action but now
aroused TO justinable rage. grappled with
the biz lrishmln and hammered him into
irsensibihiy with the barrel OF his shot
gun before Mrs Nelson could prevail on
him so desist. Together they bound the
murderer hand and foot and rolled him
into a bunk They then turned their at
teutlou 70 tho two men lying on the floor
stone dead
II was a grewsome days work that lay
before them. and the frenzy and excite
men, of those few minutes struggle had
LEFT them weak and exhausted. But Mrs
Nelsou had not gone through the trials OF
j. long search for gold 10 hesitate at any
THING that might come The task had 10
Doe accomplished ana So She reused her
husband from the depression OF the hor-
rihle scenes he had passed through to
| ihe necessities OF the hour.
They went outside the cabin into the
sunlight and clear air OF the day. and
with picks and shovcls dug graves on the
beach. They we're shallow but were the
result OF an hours hard labor. Here they
buried their Two friends. Nelson reading
a chapter from the Bible over the newly
made mounds.
with an energy born OF intense excite
mont Mrs. Nelson set 10 work and clean
cd mp her cabin. Tho murderer. who hnd
recovered consciousness and was moan
ing 10 the bunk where he had been
thrown was taken care of and his bruises
washed end dressed. Hans would not
touch him but watched with a deep
frown while his wife bound towel
around his head. He sin felt the anger
OF man who has been attacked-the re-
sentiment natural against would-be
murderer
Then there were days Of waiting-days
thar nearly drove Hans and his brave lit
tie wife crazy
They were alone IN that wild country.
FAR from my human being. with muir
dercr on their hands.
Nelson had gone 90 high point on the
beach and riggcd up o distress signal on
"a pole .u the hope that a passing steam.
er would observe % and send a boat
ashore but none came
For ten days they waited thus. Mrs
Nelson tells the story OF that horrible
time in these words.
"Tho first two days Hans STAYED at
the cabin with me and We took turns
watching DENIM 80 had recovered from
ti- hlmmering Hans gave him and was
sullen ana angry ] would slt hy tho hour
with rihe across my lap opposite the
bunk where hr was tied and sew or knit.
jumping at every move he made We
would feed Dim attcr We ate-or l would.
because Hans would not touch
MIN or speak 20 him. once
day peuuins feet were I'M
ued and d. was let out with a long
rope around his waits; Tor exercise Hans
stood close 20 him al the while with the
rife cooked ready 70 shoot him II he
started 10 run.
We expected those frst DAYS that a
fteamooat would pot IA and take him
away aud az one time schooner did
$50 our signal and headed into che bay.
nut soon afterward they went about
number Of siwash Indians camped at .