Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1907-03-07

Aftcr the capture OF Jim Freshman.
TN" moonsh;ner. Cheney led AN un-
eventful life for six months. True.
ne ran down several cases of more or
less Importance, but there was moth
ing Ia cause the blood to quicken in his
veins. He was becoming afflicted with
"nnui when he was placed on a case
requiring delicacN. tact, diplomacy and
skill. The first and hast qualities COL
one Cheney had: They We're inherent in
liiNl. The second and ,hird. however.
We're somewhat unde, developed. The
nature of the case need not be mem
toned here. ave to say it required
Cheney to be disguised. and took him
south. New Orleans being his OBJ
jertive point. Cheney always was a
gentleman. so it was no disguise To act
the part: but as his work took him
south, he assumed the part OF u south
ern planter who Mas just returning
from II trip north. Dyes made his hair
and mustache jet black; walnut fixed
his complexion to suit. and taken all
in all. Colonel Jack Cheney was quite
impresSively good looking when he
boarded the New Orleans sleeper at
Memphis. lie ha.! come by boat from
~. Louis.
1t was in early summer. and travel
south was not very heavy. Yellow
fever had not been conquered then. as
foW. and every so often the stegonlyia
got very BUSY and II fever epidemic
vas the result. Neither were Pullman
Sleepers such iu%Yuriant palaces on
wheels as in the present day. There
were Only -four other people in the car
Magenta as the train left Memphis.
Cheney took then, all in, two single la
dies and a man and his wife. Cheneys
section was near one end OF the car,
and that occupied by the man and his
wife al the other end. The man soon
showed signs at liauor-ln-lhe smoking
--. Ia, ,,,As $500 n,,n n hnl SJI
flask with the usual Sa!utatiun:
Have Il drink. stranger"
'rhanks. no." said Cheney. Too
warm this evening"
THAI the only reason" just a
faint suggestion of u sheer accom-
panied this.
That's the only one care /" offer
right now" said Cheney. his blue eyes
becoming stecly gray.
The stranger VAS a big man. physi-
cai!y. He had long Jet black hair.
parted way over on ome side. and his
eyes were the same colo. His express
sion was not very preposscssing. and
something told thena: II keep his eyes
on him.
Well. there's 40 harm done; here's
my card
The card read Fred Leigh and
gave II street address IN New orleans.
cheney thought a minute. and then
remembered the address given was in
the gambling district in New Orleans.
He also a heard of y bad Il
among the gamblers named Fred Leigh.
This was evidently the man.
Presumably Leigh thought the mere
sight of his am would thoroughly
COW the stranger. and perhaps he
would give him his card in return. But
Cheney did nothing of the kind; he
merely bowed. and CURLY SAID
Thanks" then returned To his seat
During the evening Leigh iInbibed
freely. and several times Was engaged
In animated conversation with his
wife. Angry words passed between
them. Cheney kept his Eyes ears
open. but nothing unto~ard happened
which would warrant his interference
The next morning Leigh sumo his
drinking. and by 1890 was ugly drunk
The conductor and porter did nothing
to keep him quiet; in fact. they i'm
formed Cheney that Leigh vas 4 bad
man. Thev knew him Well. and. as
.he porter expressed il. Ell anyone
crossed Mistah Leigh. he was turlibla
bad" Cheney had seen "turrible bad
men II plenty in his day. and knew that
generally there was u streak OF vel
ioM in their makeup If someone hao
nerve 10 bring il ont.
Quite a number OF passengers had
boarded the train since leaving Mem
phis. and abou. 1885 in the morning
Mr.. Leigh staggered NJ the aisle nut-
tcring imprecations unde his breath
lie WAS looking for trouble. and, as Is
Usually the case. he got it. He dropped
into the seat beside his wife, who "i!
small and quite pretty. She apiearec
afraid of him. but demonstrated viii
him in regard to his conduct.
Shut up he growied. like q cur
and then without the least proVora-
ton or warning he struck her on tht
cheek with his open hand.
Cheney had learned never TO inter
fere in IL wordy war between man an'
woman. but when Il blow WAS struck
then 1t is time for action. Like a flasl
he went up the aisle. Leigh was ;
larger man than Cheney, but Cheney.
muscles were ike bands OF steel. lii'
life and training We're good. and h.
knew self defense from \ 20 Il. IL
caught Mr.. Leigh by the back of hi:
coat, icrked him out OF the seat an,
shook him like a terrier docs Il al
With a feeling of disgust Cheney threw
Leigh into an unoccup;ed seat acros:
the aisle and said to him:
DO that again. and by the ct"rna
I'll thrash you until you can't SCI.
Leigh was really too drunk In I'M
derstand what it all meant. The fai
may have stunned him for II ne
ywa he remained quiet ana even
tually fell into a deep sleep.
Mrs. Leigh was profuse in he
thanks to Cheney. bu, peggei him t.
be oareful; Mr.. Leigh would be yer.
ugly when he awoke. In fact. sh
asked Cheney TO change his location Il
another ear. lie wasn't that kind. how
ever, and resumed his seat.
Leigh slunbered until aoout . ),
and then awoke surly and mean. From
his valise he took Il fresh bottle "
whisky: his supply seemed inexhaust.
BILE. BY 800 he was again unde III
Influence. and this time he Wa fight
ing mad. III he smoking connpartln"n
he corraled the porter and told tia
worthy tha ne Ueigh) was going I
40 Chanav