The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1905-07-27

nearest place where you can catch it
now. Have him sent back here"
At this moment an absolutely infer
nal shout rose. Gerard caught the
meaning Of the cry. Tall enough to
look over most mems heads, he was
able to see the outskirts Of the crowd,
and with amazement and horror he
deserted Frank Blair. Gerard burst
through the crowd and reached Hlairs
side. The stormier elements of the mob
were fighting their way toward the new
suspect, but Gerard outstripped them
Frank" he cried, II got you into
this. thought you were safe out Of
the way and that l could gain time.
But I'll take it Oh myself now Men,"
he yelled, turning to face Jerry Starr
and his coil of rope, II did this thing.
I confess it,
The motive Of this declaration was
too obvious. 1t was greeted with angry
cries Of derision. With surprise, Ge-
rard perceived that his friend was en-
tirely unaffected by these menaces.
That's all right, Warren" said he.
"You haven't let me in for anything.
I've got IN, alibi."
Two lean old miners We're standing
beside Blair, and it was due to them
that the crowd had not seized him.
They were known men, and they held
revolvers In their hands.
That's right" said one Of them. 1--WE
eat with this man last evening; we was
with him from that time on except for
few minutes while he was packing
up. We went to the depot with him,
and he missed the train, and he's been
playing cards with US all night. Just
f1gur' on that for few minutes be-
fore you try any lynching."
The crowd was thrown into confu-
sion. From the midst Of It Allen, the
telegrapher, advanced toward Blair.
did you tell anybody about Howard
4 Cop he demanded
Il told Jerry Starr" replied Blair.
Il went into the bar for minute, and
be was there alone
Where's Jerry StarrT' cried Allen.
Starr, come up herer'
There was momentary silence. Peter
Carey stopped in the thickest press Of
the throng and picked up something
from the ground. It was the rope
which Starr had been so prompt to
bring. But the man himself had slip
ped away. Itwas not till evening that
he was found skulking around the
freight cars on the sidings. There was
talk Of hasty justice, but the crowd
was cooler by that time and accepted
Peter Carey's dictum, which was ex-
pressed as follows:
I'VE were too cussed anxious to hang
two innocent men this morning. /
guess we don't feel like hanging any
body this evening""
Accordingly Jerry Starr was commit
ted to the care Of the proper authori-
ties, to whom he eventually told the
true story of the crime. 1t appeared
that he had walked out to the bridge
about s O'Clock with no thought of in
tercepting the mail carrier. He had
found John Hunt lying on the ice at the
end Of the bridge unconscious from the
effects Of fall, In Stars opinion dead.
An impulse to rob the mail had sud
denly seized upon Starr. He dragged
Hunt down beside the abutment OF the
bridge and began to search the mail,
when he was amazed to see Hunt sit
ting up and feebly attempting to draw
his revolver. Snatching 1t from hi
hand, he shot the man dead and threw
the body into the creek. believing tina
the current would draw it under the
ice. which would hold the secret lon
enough to give abundant chance for
escape.