The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-04-22
A DEPUTY SHERIFF'S WORK
Aided by His Prisoners He Pre-
vents Their Lynching.

Armed With a Gun a Norwegian
Woman Acts as Guard to Prevent
the MaIefactors From Escaping-
MOB-s Losses Confined to Horses
The ol6time deputy sheriff functions
at the tirae of a Jail assault and a lynch
ing were many and varied He invari-
ably took his cue from the sheriff. There
were times when the sheriff did not on
ject TO a lynching-there We're political
and other reasons why he should not
Then there We're times when it was abso-
lutely necessary, for other reasons, why
a lynching should be prevented The case
of the Bell brothers will illustrate. They
Will be remembered not only as accom-
plished horse thieves. but also as high
waymen, and even worse than that The
first time they came under the notice Of
this particular sheriff they were lodged
in his Jail, charged with having absorbed,
made way with and disposed of a herd
Of sheep. The herd, the Indictment
stated, contained 600 more or less Grip
pied. foot-sora, red-eyed wanderers of
the coulee range The Bell brothers made
no objections to their arrest. since they
were caught in bed and their weapons
were not conveniently handy. After be
ing placed in jail they settled down to a
continuous game of cribbage between
themselves to which the deputy was not
invited On the third afternoon of their
arrest he was informed by the sheriff
that a party of ranchmen would attack
the jail that night and attempt to take
the brothers out and lynch them.
I'm informed said the sheriff, that
if they are lynched the West Enders viii
like myself with guns. I've got to go
across country tonight, but I advise you
that no hanging bee is wanted. Be care
fuI with the boys, but don't let EN- in"
The population of the county was com
posed Of West Enders and East Enders
The Bel. brothers were West Ende-s:
their wouid-be IyncheTs were East Enders-
The West Enders were cattlemen; the
East Enders sheep herdeTs. The jail
stood almost in the centre Of the county
on what might have been called neutral
ground The deputy understood the
sheriff TO mean that the East Enders
must be made to see that it was neutral
ground that night. He thought long and
earnestly after his superior left him. He
knew that the sheriff had lodged the pos
sible outcome Of the Taid-a lynching-
lodged because he was politically a COW
ard, but that did not relieve him He was
one man, and a little man at that He
had plenty of -Winchesters,
Remingtons. Colts. but the raiders would
number fifty at least The town COM
munity gathered about the Jail was small
and could not be depended upon for help.
He was truly puzzled until thought
came to hirn-a big thought. He walked
to the front of the Jail and into that part
of II used by the sheriff for his home.
The only 0ze in charge there was Nor
wegian woman, a sort of housekeeper for
the sheriff, who was a widow and child
less He had little conversation with
her. which resulted in the home being
closed, and she retiring to the jail portion
which was separated from the home by
heavy iron doors. Next he called upon
the Bell brothers, and this is what he said
to them:
Now you galutes can be hung tonight
or fight with me- The East End is going
to raid US and I'm alone If you're hung
it'll be because I'm dead II you light
with me we may stave the boys of and
save your neckS. But you We got 10 tote
fair or III save EN- the trouble of hang
ing YOU Now. what l want you to do
is to come out here in front when / n
ready ana watch the main street When
the boys get here they've got to come
the front way After they begin business
| want you to kill their horses. Shoot
the horses. but don't touch a man. See27
The Bell brothers appreciated the situa-
ton They told the deputy sheriff that
they would aid him in UphOidiug the law
and either win or die with him. Then he
called OF the Norwegian woman again
and explained to her his plan He said.
You've handled q gun and you've got
nerve Now / may get killed in this muss-
up but somebody's got TO account for the
prisoners They mustn be lynched. That's
my orders m going TO put them IN
front where they can do some fighting II
necessary and yet not get hurt. But If
get hurt-if / m killed want you to Kill
the Bell brothers Don't you either let
EN- get away or be lynched- The East
Enders won't hurt you, but don't you
let the Bel brothers get iynched-''
" ell, this woman was OF her kind
faithful uryielding brave She could not
appreciate either the comedy or the traS-
edy of the situation. bur she did realize
what was wanted of her, and like most
frontier women she was not found want
ing When darkness settled down the jail
was strongly bolted and barred. In the
front room Of the second story overlook
ing the court the Bell brothers lay by a
barred window, mattresses for shields
and waited for the coming Of the ayeng-
eTs- They had noted that back Of them
and some distance away woman was
sitting by a table, and that she had on
the table a magazine Winchester-had It
III such d way that il commanded their
position Still they did not understand
As for the deputy he was q II over the iaii
looking after things. He had no other
prisoners 20 care for, but he was inspect
ing locks and barriers which he mad Gre
ated BY 10 0 clock the settlement outside
was asleep BY II there was a fringe of
moonlight on the eastern horizon and the
prairie waste was IiiumiGed with a white
light In the stiffness the uneasy NOV
ings Of distant herds of cattle could be
distinguished and often the call Of the
ranging wolves. The Bell brothers TESTED
with themselves on the outcome of the
night raid.
y never tried rope for collar" said
one
Us too tight said the ether
The woman sat immovable.
Up through the moonlight came riding
the East Enders, fifty strong as the
deputy had suspected. They galIoped
through the town and citizens whc heard
them crept closer in their beds They
knew il meant jail raid but they were
not responsible for the jail. The horse
men halted in front of the structure. and
their leader beat hard on the door with
the butt OF a gun In time the deputy
lazily raised window in the second story.
and as lazily asked, What in thunder