Omaha daily bee., 1902-02-16

other than Doll, his poor, faithful wife,
battered and beaten by her husbands bru-
tally, yet, ~woman-like, fighting for him and
loving him to the end. With a shrek she
threw herself upon the dead body.
"'Tis his wife, said the women among
themselves. They were whispering, now
awe-struck in the presence Of death. Look
at her. They call her Doll. She married
him FIVE or six years ago. You remember?
We laughed at her because she had gotten
a black man. He was a good husband to
her when he was at home except for q
black eye and a kick and a turn OF the
strap. What odds for a black eye, with
such a husband as that7"
They carried the body into the house and
upstairs to the room where he had slept.
Doll followed with despair in her face.
Then the constables marched away In 81
lence. The landlord prepared for the coro-
ner's inquest, which would be a thirsty job,
and the crowd dispersed-the women still
chattering and the men downcast and re-
proachful. They ought, 1t was felt, to have
rescued so brave and strong q victim OF
the law.
oliver attended the inquest, standing
modestly at the door. The coroner and the
jury viewed the body. They took the land
lords evidence. The man and his wife had
come to his house some days before. They
had money and they took a room-the room
which the jury had seen. They paid for
the room and for the food and drink which
they ordered. They were free with their
money. The man never told the landlord
what was his trade or anything about him
self. For his own part, 30 long as his Gus
toners paid their way and behaved quiet
| and hIa he aaLaA m nuaaftoOas fha
company that used his house was the most
respectable; they found the man friendly
and pleasant. That was enough for him.
When the constables came to arrest him he
was down below, by himself, except for his
wife. He fought the whole posse, having
for weapon nothing but a chair, which he
soon reduced to a leg; being oYerpowered
by numbers he escaped up the stairs and
barricaded the door; he got out Of window
and was set upon by the constables. Some
one among them who had a sword drew n
and ran him through a vital part.
The head constable also gave evidence
Information had been received that a Ger
tain man, the man upstairs, had escape,
from the plantations of Virginia, whithe
he had been transported for life; the man
name was Truxo; he was a negro who haI
been sentenced to death, but his sentence
was COMMITTED. He was ordered to sum
mon a posse and to arrest the man; h
brought a dozen constables with him; Their
was a fight; the man threatened to muir
der everybody. The night was terminates
by a sword thrust which killed the maj
and prevented further mischief and prob
able loss OF life. Had he been arreste,
he would have been hanged most certainly
Runaway cases were never pardoned;
man may have one chance. but not more"
The coroner summed up. The jury foun
that the man had met with his death in tn
course Of resistance to the law. and hat 1
was iustihable homicide. So all was over
The jury went away. oliver felt some
what sorry for the fate Of the man. VIII
was. after all, In spite of his daring an
his strength. a mere criminal, unworthy 0
pity. He, too, came away. There wa
nothing more to be done. The man wa
dead. He had certainly left no paper
behind. His widow knew nothing. OF re
Dembered nothing Of the event. Their
was no cause to fear her. She would max
a living somehow or other. How do sue,
women make a liVfngf