The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-11-17
TIE EVENING STORY
The GaI1ows in the Gloon.

Didn't ever tell you about Cy Pax
son and the sheriff? No? Wen, I'll tell
you now.
There was a heap of excitement when /
Norton was found murdered, and as /
soon as it was known that Paxson had |
been with him at his cabin over night /
and had dug out some time before
mornin' posse got after him, found /
him on the road to Hunkers, brought |
him back, tried him and convicted him |
before the excitement had had time to |
cool. They was goin' to string him up
at once when his wife come and plead |
SO hard for a leetle time with him be-
fore he left her that she, bein' woman,
got en- to give three days. Meantime |
the prisoner was KEEP in a barn, with
two citizens to watch.
Aft Baker and me was friends of Nor
tons, and I was a friend of the Pax
sons. Molly, she come to me, Wringin'
her hands, and begged me to do some
thin. I'd "a taken Cy'S place at the
end O. the rope if 1 could, but, of course,
l couldn't, so I made up my mind to
die tryin' to help him break Jail. I
went to ALI Baker, who was a level
headed sort Of a teller, to git points
how to go to work. He laid out plan
and agreed for the woman's sake and
not believin' Cy guilty to help me out
with it
The fust thing he did was to go blus-
/ term around, sayin' he didn't believe
they was goin' to punish Cy for KILN
| Norton nOhOw and let on as II he Spect-
! ed they'd contrive to let him escape. In
this way he got himself put on to watch
| the prisoner with another man. Durin'
/ the evenin' Als sent the Teller of for
some tobaccer, unlocked the door and
tole Cy to come out. I was waitln IN
| the road with three bosses.
There's no doubt we'd a got Cy away
if we hadn't struck streak o bad luck
F'ust, my boss got a stone into his shoe
and we lost all of ten minutes gittin
1t out. Then, the night bein' dark as
pitch, we got often the road. By the
time we'd got back on to it we'd lost
half an hour more. But what did the
business for US was the lamin' o the
boss CIV was ridin' This was about
o'clock in the smornin' when we was
comm to the railroad. We pulled up
and was feelin' of the critters leg when
we heard a faint sound o gallopin'
hoofs.
It seemed as if the game was up.
heard a moan from Cy and saw him
starin' at somethin' lOOmin' agin the
sky. looked and saw gallows with
a man swingin to it. couldn't believe
it. It must a been a phantom gaHows
set up by the murdered man to mock
his murderer.
Look" I said in a whisper to ALI.
ALI looked at it for a few moments
J. without sayin' word. Then an 1dee
seemed to strike him, and teiI1n Cy TO
hide in the bushes and me to come along
he rides back to meet them that was
comm. When we was hundred yards
| apart he called on EN- to halt. They
D11lled in and we chinned. They was
| the sheriff and the man that ALI had
sent for tObaccer. When he'd gone back
and found the barn empty he hurried
to the sheriff and reported the escape:
Then the ewo of 'em, without Walttn
for any one else. had hurried over the
only road we could well have taken and
r followed US. ALI tOle EN- who we was.
I'VE didn't believe you meant bust
ness" he said, so we allowed Wed 40
2 the job ourselves.
WHY. hangin' that galoot Cy Paxson
for the murder of the best friend 1 ever
2 had"
you hanged him?"
you bet
' What have you done with him?"
Hes swingin jist back there"
We'll" said the sheriff after some
thought, wen go and see # you am [
2 lynn wen take the body home.
You can see if you like, but as 70
2 takin' the body back Wen take care O
s that ourselves. You see, we both mink
heap o. Molly Paxson, and, although
= we hain't said nothin' to her-hain
made no promises-she's goin TO nave
a chance to give the man she loved a
Christian burial. Now, Wen show you
! the body hangin' to the gallOWs we
come out here and set up yis'te'day But
e you shan't go a step furder without a
promise that AFTER you We seen II yOu
2 go home peaceable."
WAL. the sheriff he talked awhile.
' but Aft stood pat, and he knewed ALI
Z wasn't to be trifled with, SO at last it
! was settled We rode back till we
could dimly see the thing swingin'. It
wasn't a pleasant sight at that time IN
the mornin', and we all felt creepy.
WAL" asked ALI, air you salts
s ehd2''
! reckon" said the sheriff, Il don't
1 want to rob a poor woman of a leetle
comfort, and now that the laws been
enforced I've nothin' more to do with
! the case"
The two of 'em rode away. ALI and
I waited till they was outen hearin',
then we larfed and larfed till we re-
! membered poor Cy, when we erode on
3 and called to him. We give him the
I best boss and tole him to light out.
. Then me and ALT rode back
i Aft let me break the good news to
y Molly. and when she fell on my neck
with tears Of joy and gratitude 1 felt
: queer all over
, That same day the real murderer
e was arrested covered with blood and
4 with Norton's watch and money on
The explanation? Why, 'twasn't no
gallows 1t was a post for shippin'
+ mail on to express trains with a mail
r bag hangin' to it.
a W. LIE ROY WISE.
/. QUAKER REFLECTIONS.