The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-06-09

and the town was all torn up over the
loss of horses by the depredations OF
thieves. Finally Mike Corey, a we'll
known Piochan, lost fine bay mare
and Mike thought enough of her to
take active measures to get her back
If possible and punish the thieves. He
sent word out to all the camps and
settlements, and in the course of sew
eral days he heard of the mare at Des-
ert Spring, about serenty-five miles
away. A man had bought her over
there from party he did not know.
Mike made all the inquiries he could,
and at last we had round up that
is, we put guards over the town and
called on all the inhabitants for miles
around and fifty men reported and all
were duly accounted for but three.
These three could not satisfactorily ex-
plain themselves, and they were locked
up till we could have the Desert Spring
man pass on them. He came and at
once said that they were the crowd
who brought the mare to Desert Spring.
Ihat was all the testimony we wanted
and after trial by a picked-up jury.
the three horse thieves were con-
demned to be hanged that same after
noon down at Big Tree, four miles from
town. A procession was formed with
the three prisoners in a wagon having
high seat for convenience at tho
hanging, and we moved off toward the
scene of action in good order Arriv-
ing there one man was seated in the
wagon and driven under the limb of
the tree with the rope dangling down
from it, and when he was properly ad-
Justed for the application of the rope
our leader took blank book out of his
pocket and addressed the prisoner
What's your name?' says he, L
don't mean the name you go by out
here, but your real name; the one they
know you by at home?
THE prisoner gave his name as re-
quested and it was not the same by
which he was known in the west.
Now your address, continued the
leader, after writing down the name,
so We can notify your folks that you
are dead. OF course We won't say
that we hung you for horse stealing,
but will call it accidental, or some
| thing like that, so they will not feel
SO bad over your loss. Anything else
you want to say or word you want to
send will be put down in this book
and your last wishes will be attend
ed to as far as possible. Now what
have you got to say?'
THE man begged and pleaded to be
let go, making all sorts of promises,
the leader in the meantime writing
down all the facts he wanted for his
final report.
"Drive son. he said briefly to the
At q
swung from the wagon seat and held
up by the rope arolnd his neck.
Then the wagon was driven around
| and the second man was put in, and
| when he was under the limb and the
rope fixed, the leader took out Hs
| book and pencil and asked him the
| usual questions, winding up with,
Now what have you got to say?'
"He told such a pitiful story of wife
and children and temptation and bad
| company that the crowd began to
weaken. The leader closed his note
! book with a snap. Drive on he conf
manded, and the next instant the prs-
oner was swinging and the wagon
moved around for its third and last
| load.
This chap was an ugly, little sawed
| OFF cuss, with a face like iron, and
| he had watched the entire proceed
| ings without turning a hair. He
| stepped to his place and took his seat
| like soldier facing a fort, although
his arms and legs were tied and he
could not move with much grace. The
| leader, as well as the rest of us, was
more or less moved with admiration
for his nerve, and when the old man
took out his notebook and pencil he
was quite pleasant in his manner.
"'Well, Shorty he said, addressing
him familiarity, what have you got
| to say?'
"'Drive on said the prisoner as
| calmly as if he had charge of the
| funeral, and the effect was so startling
that the whole crowd broke into ap-
plause and asked for a stay of pro-
| ceedings. 1t was a case of good hard
nerve winning against big odds, and
| the prisoner was told he might have
a chance for his life. He didn't break
| down, then, either, but said he would
do nothing or say nothing until we
| had released him from the ropes
around his arms and legs, and we
soon had him loose. Then he told us
| that if we would let him have any
old plug of a horse and len hours
start he wouldn't ask any odds of any
body. He got the horse and he got
the start, and he got out OF the coun-
| try quick, and we never heard OF him
again. but l have always thought we
let the worst one of the gang get