Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1907-05-04

almost everybody did. Cheney was
convinced that that money belonged to
Uncle Sam, but personal conviction
and legal proofs are far apart; so he
bided his time.
you're not drinking. stranger" said
the hOspitable sport. ''Why not?"
/ Not thirsty, thanks" said Cheney
with his smile
! well. by God, when l set 'em up
every one drinks or settles with me-"
In a flash it looked like rough
house." but just then a clatter was
heard outside and an overland caravan
pulled in, putting an end to the i'm
pending trouble. The members of the
caravan filed into the saloon and were
| soon washing down the Nebraska dirt
with BLUE Ruin" whisky. Cheney and
his companions slipped out and short
ly afterwards retired for the night.
j They were quartered in one room in
! the Sunflower hotel Their bed was
pallet on the floor. For awhile they
! talked over plans for the morrow
when they would hunt up Lem Stock
/ ham, the sheriff, and prepare to get
the gang; and finally tired nature as
serted itself and they slept. That is
Lonergan and Cheney did, but Guthrie
was uneasy and restless. He lay
awake for some time listening to the
sounds of the crowd outside. Occasion
! ally there was shot or two, yell,
ribald song, and so the night wore
on. 1t was quite warm and after toss
/ ing about for some hours Sid got up
to go out for a breath of air. He was
gone quite awhile and walked down by
the Sycamore creek. Finding an in
viting spot he took plunge, and just
as the first rays of dawn came up over
the horizon he started back to town.
He had been out about two miles and
! it was quite light when he turned the
] hill and looked down the street. He
was surprised to see large crowd OF
men standing around the door OF the
hotel and in a second scented trouble.
He had seen mobs before and knew
this one was bent on mischief. Guthrie
was a believer in lunches" and
something told him this mob had
something to do with Cheney and their
work. He made his way cautiously
through the crowd, keeping his eyes
and ears open and his mouth shut.
He learned that the caravan which
stopped there for the night was from
/ Cincinnati and Ohio river towns. One
of the members, a boy 20 years old,
| had about 81 900 strapped in his money
i belt on arriving. The caravan was
fho oIo re kh0
| town and the boy had left his bucolic
] friends after midnight to go to camp.
En- route he had been waylaid and half
killed. When he recovered conscious
ness his money was gone and he stag
gered back to town. His head was
pretty badly battered up and when he
half fell into the saloon where his
companions where making night of
it. he wasn't very pleasant picture to
behold
In broken accents he told of the rob-
| berry, how two men had held hia up,
robbed him of his money and then
beaten him, supposedly, to death. But
life is very tenacious, especially in 20
year old youths.
A glass of liquor revived him lit
tie more.
How many men, you say?" asked
his wagon boss.
1.-TWO are all l saw" faltered the
boy. The description he gave was
meager.
Buck Ewing and few Of his friends
listened and the one who had wanted
every one to drink with him early in
the evening snarled out: 'I'll bet it
was that chap who wouldn't drink
with me- He and his partner left early
in the evening" and his befuddled
brain forgot there were three in
Cheney's party. For once too much
liquor was a good thing.
In times like those just recorded rea-
for revenge Of legal law there was
mighty little in those days. Lem
Stockham, the sheriff, was away and
so the mob had full sway. All this
time Cheney and Lcnergan were peace
fully sleeping, and Guthrie was trying
to walk off his restlessness.
Another round of drinks was served
and then the mob was ready for any
devilment. Buck Ewing and his party
and the wagon boss led the gang.
Gould you recognize the two men
who slugged you?" asked Ewing of the
boy.
''Yes, | think / could" the lad re-
piled.
The search began and each house
was inspected. At daylight .they
reached the Sunfower hotel. Cheney
and Lonergan must have been Sleep
ing like dead men not to have been
awakened, but the first thing they
knew their door was thrown open and
they were looking down the muzzles
of six shooters pointed at their heads
Cheney's nerve was magnificent; so
was Lonergan's. Long ago they had
learned when a man has the drop on
you it is better to submit and play for
time.