The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1902-11-06
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THE PARDON|ING
OF SIDEWHEEL
DAWSON ByD. II. 1slmssss
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Copyright, 1901, by d. II. Tdlmddoe

OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
Mr.. Dawson's FIN" was weary from
vigorous shaking, his back was sore
from repeated slaps, his neck was
chafed by the collar to which it had
long been a stranger, but his state OF
mind was one Of most excellent salts
faction.
A man who has been sentenced to
twenty years of hard labor In the pen
itentiary and who comes forth free
and in the full possession Of his health
at the end Of five is certainly entitled
to some felicitation. That was pre-
cisely what had happened to Mr.. Daw-
son. He had killed his man under
what appeared cold blooded circum-
stances to an intelligent jury. He had
pleaded self defense conventionally,
but the testimony was such that there
seemed no doubt of his guilt. True.
there had been no eyewitnesses to
the slaughter. Those who testified
merely told of threats he had made. Of
his bad reputation. of the peaceable
character Of his victim. The defense
had called no witnesses.
"'Tain't worth WHILE" Mr.. Dawson
had said to his attorney. "'Twould do
more harm than good for any of me
friends to testify to the gentleness Of
me disposition. Snapper Griffin'd have
had me dead in another wink If I
hadn't jerked the trigger when 1 did,
and that's straight. He begun the
trouble and kept pushin' it on, while
tried me levelest to reason with him.
He'd been dopin' with somethin'. I
think, but he didn't wiggle a wiggle
when he pointed his gun. He was
himself all right, and there's some
comfort in KNOWN it, for I'd hate like
blazes to feel that the only man I ever
killed wasn't responsible for himself.
I've got a mighty tender conscience,
whether you know it or not, and it's
perfectly comfortable now. I'll take
whatever the court gives me, and I
won't whimper a whimper."
The first night he slept in the peni-
Tertiary his attorney was delivering in
the levee district a message to his
friends. Hump yourselves to get Van
Altren elected governor" was the bur-
den of it. The levee gang did not
know exactly what to think, but they
were sufficiently well acquainted with
Mr.. Dawson to accept the instructions
In good faith.
Mr.. Dawson's message was entirely
ho
contrary, it was only an important
drop in a toierably large tub Of politi-
cal suds. Their own candidate had
"done them dirt''-quite by chance,
certainly not by intention. He had al
lied himself in a moment of mistaken
wisdom with the Prohibitionists. They
were engaged in hesitating and grum-
bling and scowling when Mr.. Daw-
sons message came, throwing the bal
ance over to the Van Altren side. Side
wheel Dawson never did anything
without a good reason, but what his
reason was in this particular instance
they could not conjecture. They were
still in the dark on the day when Mr..
Dawson unexpectedly and triumphant
ly returned.
"Say," said he after the first wave
of welcome had passed and he was sit
ting comfortably in the rear room at
Muggsy Kellys place with a number
of old and tried associates about him.
"I'm OWN you boys lot for the way
you helped old Van to the puddin'.
was bit leary you wouldn't get next
to what 1 was up to. but it didn't cost
nothin' to try"
1--WE didn't get next; we amt next
yet" candidly observed Mr.. Kelly. Us
Van a partic'ler friend of yours?"
Mr.. Dawson smiled. NO" he re-
piled, "but he's got reason for believin'
me when I tell him l shot Snapper
Griffin cause Snapper Griffin was dead
set on givin' me the long trip and for
no other reason"
eve believe that" said Mr.. Kelly.
1--WE knowed your story was true, but
we couldn't do nothin'."
course you couldn't. If any Of you
had stuck your mugs into the game,
I'd have been queered to the limit.
Likely I'd have got the drop and CUR
gle, and then Van couldn't have
reached me even if his gratitude was
twice as long"
"Then Van was OWN you some
thin'w Mr.. Kelly and the others look
ed at Mr.. Dawson with common ex-
preston of curiosity and admiration
mingled. you've got US in the air,
Sidewheel. Take US down or We'll
bust"
Mr.. Dawson laughed this time and
rubbed his hands together. "Sure, I'll
take you down." he said. "'Twon't
take me long to do it either. Muggsy,
do you remember a little job we had
on six years ago this summer down at
Bayside, when"-
.sWhen you was out all night and got
nothin' but a pair Of red eyes and
fit Of sickness and stink of gas?' Mr..
Kelly put in. Eyes, remember. / al
most lost me faith in you that time"
Eyes" Mr.. Dawson chuckled i'm
81 was to divvy what I
got from the place-that dead easy
place with the open cellar windows
you spotted one Sunday afternoon
when you was .strolling home from
church. was to divvy, and got
nothin' butt He suddenly assumed
q reflective attitude, his hand upon his
shayen chin. his gaze upon