The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1903-02-06

gray, and his eventful life was
filed with strange happenings
that afforded many an interesting tale
to those he honored with his refiec-
lions and condolences.
We were seated in the sitting room
waiting for the call to dinner. The
occasion was family reunion, or, at
least, gathering of as many relatives
as could be present All the family
news had been told and discussed,
and a silence prevailed. 1t was then
that the man of "reminiscences related
one of his many unusual experiences.
II do not believe much in justice"
he began, cynically. "At least l have
never seen it throughout my life. The
law is on the side Of the biggest pocket
book, and the poor, often ignorant, man
who has the misfortune to have any
thing to do with either lawyers or the
law pretty generally becomes the
worse off for the connection. How
ever, case of the perversion of JUS
tice, in which l was mixed up, has
Just occurred to me.
1.-THE time was about twenty years
ago. the place was the village near
New York where l had my farm. A
heavy fall Of SHOW had covered the
roads, making them in some localities
impossible. We had finished our
weeks work and were preparing for
Sunday. Chris Johnson, an illiterate
German, who could not speak English,
my farmland, was told to go to the
village, about mile and a half away,
for some supplies. He received two
dollars from me and set forth on his
errand. 1t was about half-past nine
when he left the house.
"He trudged along the middle Of the
road, where travel had packed the
snow so that walking was not very
difficult. He carried an old cane, q
keepsake from his father. When some
distance down the road he heard sleigh
bells behind him, and side-stepped into
deep snow for the vehicle to pass with,
out turning aside. AS the sleigh drew
near Chris, the driver swerved the
horse toward him, and before he was
aware of danger, the fellow in the
front snatched the cane from my mans
hand, grabbed him by the lapels of
his overcoat, and belabored him about
the head. He was stunned as result
Of the assault, and his assailants went
through his pockets, taking the two
dollars and few cents which were
therein. They also took his hat and
cane. and drove off, leaving him lying
in the snow. Chris, however, got n
good look at the wielder of the weap-
on. But 1t did stand him in very
good service, when it should have
been Of the greatest assistance in send
ing the fellows to Jail.
MY man soon recovered conscious
ness sufficiently to grope his way
home. He stumbled into the house
with blood streaming down his face,
and with Jumps on his head almost as
big as ones fist. 1t was with some
difficulty that got him to relate just
what had befalien him. He told me
that the sleigh had large runners, and
Nh.~- AhS hoist was WIN luall W slS
good clew, as 1 had noticed such
a vehicle, containing three men bent OH
having hilarious time, travelling about
the vicinity for the past three days
Moreover, had recognized these men,
and my suspicion was directed against
them. But my man was positive that
there were only two men engaged in
the assault upon him.
Securing a revolver apiece, we went
over the trail made by the runners of
the sleigh. They left a very wide
track which We had no difficulty in
following. We saw where the men
turned in, where the horse stopped,
where the scuffle occurred, where one
got out and went through my mans
clothes. where they threw his body,
and where they continued their jour
ney. We then returned home, when
l cleansed Chris's wounds and dressed
his head, cautioning him to remain as
silent as the Sphinx about the assault.
/ promised to do what could for him
on the morrow.
EARLY on Sunday morning. a clear.
crisp day. l began the search for Tn
eliminating clews. The trail was rs