Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1901-06-09

20 to get up. and the others passed me
- ] did 30. Some thought impelled
me, just as I reached the door, to look
back and see IL I were really the last.
don't know why / did it, for don't
think l would have gone back just
then. even II there had been anybody
who needed help. but I looked.
There was nobody there but Small,
and he haG left the table at which
he was sitting and had stepped over to |
another. where they had also been play
ing poker. This table. like the one he
had left. was s.sewn With cards. but
there was also a quantity o. money on
it. which ome player had left IN his
panic. and Small was picking I. up. |
OF course. he may have been doing this
with the Idea 0. returning it to RS
owner. but he was on deck with the
rest OF US almost immediately, and |
| noticed that he hadn't anything in bis
hands.
did 4 say anything abou. It? Ger
tainly not. | didn't know who had left
the money. and 1t was none OF my bust
ness to make inquiries. | heard no
complaint made. and / didn't feel called
on to say anything to Small about it.
Its a good business rule in that part OF
the country to attend strictly TO those
matters that concern you personally.
But my opinion of Tom Small as a per-
son Of remarkable presence of mind
was considerably strengthened. And l
concluded that he must nave no nerves
at all when L saw him after the panic
was over trying to get another poker
game started.
After that | saw him several times.
though | don't think he ever recognized
me. | have no desire to make his ac-
quaintance. and to him l was always
one of the general public. Nothing
happened to Draw his attention to me,
and l was glad of it. He didn't seem
to be the sort of man l had any use for.
But ! did see him do one more thing
that proved what needed no additional
proof, that he was a man who couldn't
be feazed.
Coming up the river on my way
home from a regular trip, | found l had
one more stop to make at Helena. 1t
had been a long, lard trip, and | was
enjoying the rest OF the river voyage.
doing nothing but look around, and not
much of that. | did notice, however,
that one of the passengers who got
aboard at Arkansas City was Small. |
took care that he shouldn't see that 1
ing cards as usual, | had no difficulty
in keeping way from him.
When we reached Helena l saw a
man whom / knew by sight as the sher-
if standing on the levee waiting for the
g~angplank to be thrown out. When
that was done he stepped aboard the
spoke to the mate for a moment. Then
scrutinized the passengers who were
getting off. Among them was Small.
and as he stepped in the gangplank the
sheriff said:
did that man get on at Arkansas
City?'
THE mate said he did, and without
more words the sheriff stepped up to
Small and arrested him. Small never
turned a hair, but in his uhual voice
and manner asked what the charge WAS.
You'll find that out up at the cour
house said the sheriff grimly. and
keeping a tight hold on his prisoners
arm he started across the levee.
Il noticed then that some twenty or
thirty men who had been standing by
were watching the proceedings closely.
and as the two walked away they fol-
lowed in close order. My curiosity was
aroused. and 4 followed along. asking
some OF the men as we went what the
arrest was for.
They told me that one Of those hid
eous crimes for which negroes are so
oiten iynched had been committed near
Arkansas City. but that a white man
had committed 1t. lie was known to
nave escaped on the boat we had just
left aud there was a description OF him
at the Court House sent by telegraph.
IF this man answers that deserip-
uon.' said one of the crowd quietly. I
don't reckon they'll have the trouble o.
taking him back And two or three