Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1903-03-25

can let out yell or make move
there's sharp report, the ping Of a
bullet, IN, Sir, down goes that brandin'
iron, kerslap, an without a word the
man sways an slides off his horse.
While Murray's pullin' himself to-
gether the kids on his feet, swingin'
from side to side like fellow with one
drink too many. When he stands be-
side the man he's killed, he looks n
mite of a young un to send fellow
straight into the Bad Lands without q
word Of warnin'. By an by the little
mare comes up out of the river an
stands shiverin' an wh1nnyin'. She
wants her little master all right, but
She amt goin' near that body. Then
the kid turns roun' an lays his head on
the mares back an sobs fit to kill, not
sobs like fear nor sorrow, but JUS
pentup mis'ry let loose.
At last he swings on to his mare an
rides off over the hill. Murray slips
down an hurries to the body, thinkin'
somethin' might be done for the poor
devil. But it's all overnight through
the heart, as pretty bit Of marksman-
ship as you could expect from boy
born an raised on the plains So Muir
ray takes handkerchief an spreads it
over the mans face-a face hard in
life an horrible in death.
Then he hears voices. There's two
men an a woman comm over the hill.
The men jabber away in Swede, but
the woman JUS sets rockin' an moan
In on log close to the body. Once
the men raise the handkerchief, an she
takes one long, shudderin' look ut the
upturned face. Murray said he could
read in that look all the horrors of a
lifetime Of degradation an hardship.
At Last the men rode of after the
coroner an sheriff, leavin' Murray set
tin with the woman. Eight miles
them fellows had to ride for the off,
GERS, but before they'd reached Roarin'
Branch corner Murray, In his quiet,
persuadin' way, had the woman drop
her apron from her face. an she was
talkin' in her queer mixture of Swede
an 'Merican. What she told of her
life an her children's with the man
stretched at her feet was somethin'
Murray never liked to talk about, only
he said that for nights afterward he
couldn't sleep natural
Anyhow, when the officers an the
hired men came back, with cowboys
an ranchmen at their heels, Murray
told 'em he'd been engaged by the
widow to defend her son, Nels Jensen,
on the charge of murderin' his own
father.
Everybody said the case ought to
gone to ole Colonel Boomer. He'd
been the leadin' lawyer of these parts
for years an was always on the side
that had the most money. He'd sent
more men over the road to Canon City
while he was district attorney an kept
more from goin' there when he wasn't
than any lawyer in San Juan. Besides
he'd fought In the civil war an wore
a wooden ham, an when the Roarln'
Branch guards was formed he headed
the subscription for uniforms. All San
Juan agreed that ole Colonel Bloomer
was the only man that could save Ncls
Jensen from the gallows or long term
at Canon City.
1t wasn't no cinch Of case. The kid
was only fifteen, one Of them quiet,
stubborn natures common enough
among Swedes, but mighty aggravatin'
to 'Mertcans. His father had been
square enough, paid his taxes reg'lar,
never annexin' calves that probably be-
longed to his neighbors an payin' cash
at the Roarin' Branch store. But Muir
ray didn't seem to be worryin'. He
kept on fishin' an trampin' an gettin'
fatter an better tanned every day.
District court set early that year,
with Judge Hyatt, as square judge as
ever set In Colorado courtroom, pre-.
sidin'. He'd one Of those jolly moon
faces, but face that could turn hard
as rock If anybody tried monkey
business In his court. He'd two boys
OF his own, as fine pair us ever open
ed eyes to Colorado sunshine.
When the case of Colorado versus
Nels Jensen was called, every man in
the San Juan that could make 1t was
right on hand. 80 were some of the
women, sayin' how poor the widow
looked an how shameful 1t was for
her to come into court in the same ole
brown dress she'd wore before her hus.
band died.
Ole Colonel Bloomer was on hand.
too, sni1fin' the air like warhorse an
betttn' with the Denver reporters that
the kid would get a good term at
Canon City If he escaped with his neck.
The colonel had been watchin' Murray
pretty close an said there wasn't no
evidence collected. The ole man was
sore because he know the Widow Jen-
sen was well heelcd an the fec was
sure.
1t didn't take long to hear the evi.
dence. The boy admitted shoot1n' his
father. He'd done 1t with a revolver
bought to protect himself against the
,ruelty OF the dead man. Yes; his
mother knew he had the revolver.
She'd given him the money to buy it.
Ole Colonel Boomer shook his head.
Jamagin' evidence, that, an showed
between mother an son.
durray did not push the boy to tell of
lis fathers cruelty, an the only thing
no kid stuck out for was that the ole
4.