The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1904-04-22

VI tue sueTlu preseuce. anu lue MANU-
on the sheet made a formless motion
which Horner understood, and he took
the pale fingers in his own very gent
ly and then set them back. Smith
turned toward Meredith, but the latter
made a gesture which forbade the at
torney to speak TO him and went to q
corner. and sat down. with his head in
his hands.
A sleepy young man had been
brought in. and he opened u notebook
and shook a photographic pen so that
the ink might flow freely. The law
yer. briefly and with unlegal agitation,
administered an oath, and then there
was silence.
Now, Mr.. Harkless. If you please"
said Barrett insinuatingly, IF you feel
like telling US as much as you can
about it."
He answered in a low, rather indis-
tinct voice very deliberately. pausing
before almost every word. 1t was
easy work for the sleepy stenographer
Il understand. / don't want to 60
| or my head again before I finish. IL
it were only for myself should tell
| you nothing. because IL am TO leave
| / should like IL better IL no one were
punished. But that's q bad communi-
| ty over there. They are everlastingly
worrying our people. They've always
was stopped for good. i don't believe
very much in punishment. but you
| can't do a great deal of reforming with
| the Crossroaders unless you catch. them
| young. before they're weaned. They
wean them on whisky, you know. l
| realize you needn't have sworn me for
me to tell you this"
Horner and Smith had started at the
| mention Of the Crossroads. but they
subdued their calculations. while Mr..
Barrett looked as II he had known IL,
for the dim voice and the soft tran
scribings Of the stylographic pen.
81 left Judge Briscoe's and went west
ON the pike to a big tree. 1t rained,
and stepped under the tree for shel.
ter. There was q man on the other
side OF the fencABob Skillet. he
was carrying his gown and hood
suppose It was that-on his arm. Then
saw two others a little farther east
In the middle Of the road. think
they had followed me from the Bris
Goes or near there. They had theil
foolish regalia on, as all the Others
had. There was plenty of lightning
to see The two In the road were sim
ply standing there in the rain looking
at me through the eyeholes In theil
masks. I knew there were others
plenty-but thought they were com
ing from behind me-the west.
| 81 wanted to get home-the court
house yard was good enough for me
SO l started east toward town. | pass
ed the two gentlemen, and one fel
down as l went by him, but the othe
fired a shot as a signal, and l got hi
hood OF his face for - I stopped
long enough. and It was Force John
son. I know him well. Then l ran
| and they followed. A little ahead o
me saw six or eight Of them spreat
across the road knew I'd have
time getting through. so l jumped tn
fence to cut across the fields. l lit II
a swarm of them. 1t had rained then
inst where | jumped. l set my bacl
20 the fence. but one OF the fellows Il
the road leaned over and smashed m.
head in. rather-with the butt of
gun, I believe. | came out from tn
fence. and they made little circl
around me. No one said anything.
saw they had ropes and saplings. an'
didn't want that exactly. so wen
in TO them. I got good many mask
of before IL was over. and ] can swea
to quite a number besides those I toll
you"
lie named the men slowly and car,
fully. Then he went on: II think the
give up the notion of whipping. W
all GOT into h-~"' --'' ''.--- "o-idn'
get clear to shoot without hitting som
| of their own. and there was a lot o
= gouging and kicking. One fellow neal
!, ly got my left eye. and l tried 10 tea
!, him apart, and lie screamed goo
!, deal. Once or twice thought | NIGH
get away. but somebody hammered III
over the head and face again. and | &c
dizzy. and then they all jumped ava
from me suddenly. and Bob Skillet
stepped up and-and shot me. ii
! waited for furry of lightning. and
was slow tumbling down. Some on
else fired a shotgun. think, | can't b
. sure, about the same time from th
side. l tried TO get up. but couldn'
and then they got together for col
......s....s: The pan 1 had hurt-l didn