St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1902-12-03
pardouing of SidewheeI Dawson.

Mr. Davson's Fin" was weary from
vigorous shaking, his back was sore
from repeated slaps, his neck was
chafed by the collar to which 1t had
long been a stranger, but his state Oh
mind was one of most excellent satls-
faction.
A man who has been sentenced to
twenty years of hard labor in the pen
itentiary and who comes forth Tree
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. lie had
pleaded self defense conventiona!ly,
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 Grifin'd have
had me dead in another wink If |
hadn't jerked the trigger when l did,
and that's straight. He begun the
trouble and kept pushin' it on, while l
tried me levelest to reason with him.
He'd been dopin' with somethin, |
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 l 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 |
won't whimper whimper."
The first night he slept in the peni-
Tertiary his attorney was delivering in
the leyee district message to his
friends. "Hump yourselves to get Van
Altren elected governor" was the bur
den of it. The leyee gang did not
know exactly what to think, but they
were sufficiently we'll acquainted with
Mr. Dawson to accept the instructions
in good faith.
Mr.. Dawson's message was entirely
responsible for their action. TO the
contrary, it was only an important
drop in a tolerably 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 Il 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 hi
reason was in this particular instance
| they could not conjecture They Wert
still in the dark on the day when Mr.
Dawson unexpectedly and triumphant
| ly returned.
Say" said lie after the first way,
of welcome had passed and he was sit
ting comfortably in the rear room a
Muggsy Kelly's place with a numbe
of old and tried associates about him
Pm OWN you boys lot for the wa.
you helped old Van to the puddin'.
was a bit leary you wouldn't get mex
to what I was up to, but it didn't cos
nothin' to try"
I'VE didn't get next; we amt mex
yet" candidly observed Mr. Kelly. 81
Van a partic'ler friend of yours"
Mr.. Dawson smiled NO" he re
Piled "but he's got reason for believin
me when | tell him l shot Snappe
Griffin cause Snapper Griffin was de2
set on givin' me the long trip and TO
no other reason"
eve believe that" said Mr.. Kelly
1--WE knowed your story was true, bu
we couldn't do nothin'."
Course you couldn't. If any of yo
had stuck your mugs into the game
I'd have been queered to the limit
Likely I'd have got the drop and gun
gle, and then Van couldn't hay
reached me even if his gratitude wa
twice as long"
"Then Van was OWN you some
thin'w Mr., Kelly and the others look
ed at Mr. Dawson with common eN
preston Of curiosity and admiration
mingled you've got us in the all
Sidewheel Take us down or We
bust"
Mr.. Dawson laughed this time an
rubbed his hands together. Sure, T.
take you down." he said. "'Twon'
take me long to do it either. NIuggsy
do you remember a little job we ha
on six years ago this summer down a
Bayside, when
when you was out all night and sc
nOthin' but q pair of red eyes and
fit of sickness and stink of gas?" MI
Kelly put in. yes, remember. | a
most lost me faith in you that time"
Eyes" Mr.. Dawson chuckled in
moderately. Il was to divvy what
got from the place-that dead cas-
place with the open cellar window
you spotted one Sunday afternoo
when you was strolling home froI
church. l was to divvy, and | sc
| ,i,,J To