The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-04-05
DAD LUCK OF
p JOHN KEENAN,.
Although Not . Horse Thief, He
Was Yet the Victim Of
Circumstances

i was up In that part Of New Jersey
again the other day said John Gilbert.
the travelling grooeryman. and they told
me John Keenan, got seven years. ! was
kind O. sorry TO hear It, for although John
keenen undoubtedly deserved all he co.,
he was victim Of circumstances and mis-
taken identity. and I can't help wishing
they hadn't socked 1t to John quite 20 hard.
Il must tell you about John keenan,.
year or so before hearing that he had
got seven years was on business trip
in that part Of New Jersey, and early one
forenoon was standing talking with store
keeper In the little town. A number Of
men were lounging about the store door.
cold a. the weather was.
Presently q stranger drove up 70 the
store with a ine-looking horse hitched
to light spring wagon. He had scarcely
stopped when two or three Of the lounges
stepped forward and looked closely At
the horse and at him.
This scrutiny the stranger evidently
did not fancy. for he gathered up the reins
and started his horse. Instantly one OF the
loungers sprang forward and seized the
horse by the bride. Two or three others
jumped to his side.
@Quiok a. . fash the stranger levelled
a revolver at the head of-the man who had
seized the bride, and told him to let 60 or
he would blow his brains out.
THE man dropped the bride like hot
coal and jumped out Of the way, a. did all
the rest. some Of them tumbling over one
another to get through the store door.
The stranger gave whip to his horse and
drove away with it on run.
That's Dumond's hoss and Bailey's
wagonr exclaimed half q dozen Of the
scared natives, after they had got their
breath. That's Dumond's hoss and
Bailey's wagon. and that's the man that
stole emf
As quickly a. It could be done two shot.
guns were obtained at the store by two
Of the loungers. and the stranger and the
rig were still In sight when . crowd Of yell
ing Jerseymen started In chase Of them.
armed with clubs, axes and any weapons
they could lay hold on.
Curious to see what the result would be,
I followed with the crowd. There was q
long steep hill an eighth OF q mile beyond
the store. The hill was Icy, and when tho
pursuers Of the alleged horse thief reached
the hill the horse was half way up 1t, but
was getting on with difficulty. owing to
the slippery surface and the grade.
.Then he slipped and fell. Tbe purr,er.
.s.,- -. - a..
"e'e P,eeehe eios0' siu tne Stranger
Jumped from the wagon. ran into the woods
and disappeared. ! drove the horse back
to the store. The crowd kept on after the
Suanser.
The storekeeper told me that Few nights
before some one had stolen q horse from
Dan Dumond, who lived two or three miles
t,or, tho ,iII.o. ana . .nr;n. v.,on 60,
ioi, ,uo 'u,"e' e "eson ,Io'n
neiehpor OF ms named baaiey' ana nothing
had been heard OF the property since.
That horse the Teller just drove up
here with 10 Dumond's, sure enough, said
the storekeeper. And that's Bailey
wagon. all right. Funny the thief should
be comm right along BY here. He might
have known that the horse and wagon would
be recognized
Anxious TO know how the chase Of the
horse thief came out, waited all day at
the store, but none OF the pursuers came
back. The storekeeper sent word down
to Dumond that his horse had been recov.
cred. along with Bailey's wagon, and all
he had TO do was to come up and get II. Along
In the afternoon Dumond came up.
What's this you're sayin' about my