Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-05-04
DAILY SHORT STORY
LAW IN cAcHAHoULA COUNTY.
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There was no law in Cachahonla
county. n. NJ. not even that dispensed
by his honor Judge Lynch. The few
scattered people who dwelt in those
parts consequently suffered from the
| loss OF horses, mules and other proper
/ by, besides being murdered in open day
whenever some desperate took fancy
| to kill any one One Of these. called
Redheaded Pete, would come into the
principal town at intervals and usually
! departed with a good deal OF cash.
! leaving behind him one or more
cOrpses At last he killed Bill Mattuck.
/ a man much beloved in the community
! and Bills brother Sam. who was not
! fighting man. but was willing to pay
! literally to have his fighting done for
him, made up his mind that Pete must
die He thereupOn remarked one day
openly that he would be glad 10 assist
any man financially who would do the
| job
Now. there happened to be in the
| crowd ut the time Josh ScIll. one or the
I very men who were SO objectionable.
"what'll v give?" he asked.
Three hundred dollars" said Sam.
| Make Ii $500 and I'll go y.
There was consultation between
Mattuck and the others. All agreed
| that il was a practical way of getting
rid Of ReIheaded Pete. and possibly in
the fray Josh Soul might also he elm
mated Sam Mattuck had offered his
all. but IL was agreed that his fellow
citizens should support him in so
| praiSewOrthy a matter and one In
which all were Interested. so they de
cided to furnish the remaining $500.
AS soon az this was settled Scull was
| commissioned to seek Redheaded Pete.
pick a quarrel with him and shoot him.
but II was not obligatory on Scull to
use such honorable warfare. These
were his instructions. but he might use
any method he pleased without forfeit
ing his pay. the full amount Of which
was given him i'm advance in lien OF
expenses"
Scull pOcketed the money aud started
on his mission. He was gone just long
enough to reach his man and return.
when one evening while the citizens
were sitting on the store porch smok
ing their pipes aud wondering IL their
enemy bad fallen the man who had
gone to STAY aud The man to he Stayed
rode into town side by side and stop
ped in front of the party.
M friends" said Pete, there hes
been a disregard fer the majesty o the
law In this place truly remarkable
Josh Scull here hes informed me that
he hes been paid $500 to murder me-
proceeding which In any court would
| send all Of v to states prison fer n
good term o years. I'm on my way 10
C., whar court is now in session, aud
every man Of v who paid Scull money
TO murder me may look out fer arrest"
He paused. and the citizens looked
not only disappointed. but much trou-
bled
Now I'll play v far game" con
tinued the desperate III raise Yer
$500 list 81. 900. which think III freeze
v all out and I'll give v twenty four
hours to put up. II the moneys in my
hands 10y this time tomOrrer night I'll
let v off; if not in another twenty-fOur
hours VII all be jagged
During this harangue Scull made no
comment, and at its close he and Pete
rode Off short distance. leaving the
citizens To confer as to the acceptance
possible to raise so much ready money
in so short a time. and other means Of
getting out OF the difficulty must he
devised. Finally Msttuck. whose blood
had been slowly rising since the shoot
ing Of his brother and was now boiling
at the swindIe perpetrated by Scull
declared he would risk his carcass
against that rascal If any one would
DO the same by Pete. young fellow
named Scott volunteered. ana the mat
ter was settled.
Scott Informed the two self cOnSti-
tuted protectors of law aud order that
the money would be paid the next day.
This was to disarm suspicion. and il
had the desired effect The deSpera-
does returned to the hamlet and put
up at one Of its six or eight houses
the saloon.
They were invited 10 take just one
more" by one of the contributors to the
fund. aud dozen men were lined up
at the bar. Mattuck and Scott being in
the rear rank. Mattuck behind Soul
and Scott behind Pete. when two shots
rang out little round hole appeared
in the head OF each desperate, and
they fell on the floor
The next day the citizens reassem-
bled. organized one of Judge Lynch's
courts and proceeded to try Mattuck
and Scott for murder The accused
pleaded that the victims had robbed
them of the affections OF their wives.
but since neither OF them was mar
ried the Judge would not allow the
ples. They then pleaded that the men
had PLAYED foul at poker. but since
no gambling had been done they were
obliged to find some other justification.
Scott. who had furnished the horse on
nh Il 10