The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1905-03-19
Copyright by the S. S. Mcclure Co.

all-some terrible mistake surely, his
intentions had been the best A groan
from the crowd interrupted him. The
minister sat down hopeless. His thin
delicate hands, still stained with chick
en- blood, were straining with each 9TH
er between his trembling knees. A
pure, girliSh face arose, mutely re-
proachful. before his eyes. Would she
believe IL? How could she doubt it 4?
He himself believed it all, hideous as
1t was. 1t was all terrible. inexplicable
though in his heart he had been inno-
cent OF any wrong intent. Tears came
into the mans eyes. Then the mouth
moved in silent prayer, the lips tight
ened. the eyes cleared, and the face be-
came calm.
Steele was seated beside his prison
er. Willie the jury retired he played
carelessly with the lever of his rifle
The rattle of that lever kept the crowd
respectful. Things look black for Rev,
John Ashton-Kent.
Better make a clean breast OF It,
man, and let me lock you up" mutter-
ed Steele TO his prisoner.
The minister shook his head. The
proceedings had been irregular. Steele
did not approve of them in the least:
but then Andy, old man Mitch, Sol and
Paddy were men not to be ignored in
kiowa, even by Bob Steele. Steele had
no idea what the proceedings were for.
If any one man had an idea that they
were going TO hang the prisoner on
general principles and telegraph pole
he was mistaken, that was all. After
the trial Steele was going to lock up
his prisoner, let the jury decide what II
would.
The jury emerged from the back
room of the White Dog. They carried
table and placed 1T on the sidewalk.
Paddy Maloney, in his white apron, his
bald head shining like a billiard ball.
mounted IL. The verdict was In his
hand. Paddy impressively raised his
moved except Spud Tommy. This
youth was loudly expounding his opin-
Ion in favor OF rushing Bob Steele and
hanging the prisoner, when someone
hit him a crushing blow in the back
with the shotted end of a quirt. He
subsidized between syllables. Then
Paddy read the verdict. Between the
lines showed the fine hand of ]. Cham
berlain Moonson. A dear little blue
dearest treasure. This is the way Ii
reads:
Whereas, the Reverent John Ash
ton-Kent is accused of stealing $269. 40,
the same being all Kiowa's available
church money, getting drunk, stealing
chickens and a roam horse; and,
Whereas, Andrew Jackson Wilson,
Solomon Jones and Ulysas S. Mitchell,
In properly celebrating the saving of
the city of Kiowa from dire political
disaster in petticoats, did by means of
physical force forceably and wrong
fully and sorely against his will, pour
pint of whisky down the throat OF
the said Reverent John Ashton Kent
and,
Whereas, In confusion of mind the
said Rev. Kent is unable to remember
this occurrence which came on sud
denly and without warning from be-
hind: and.
Whereas. the said Wilson, Jones
and Mitchell did secretly take and con-
ceal the S269.40 church money as q
joke: and,
whereas, 1t was poor joke; and,
Whereas, the Reverent John Ash
ton-Kent is good and esteemed citi-
zen and representative of the Lord
among us aud was entirely and totally
innocent of all wrongdoing or intention
to do the same; and,
Whereas. said Andrew Jackson
Wilson. Solomon Jones and Ulysas S
Mitchell were drunk at the time and
are now DESTROYS of squaring things
with our beloved parson; and,
Whereas, there is no church nor