The Washington times., 1907-06-02

/ ri0 NtbAH screaming r dllltL- LaAtiNA
| Save me,'
Dropping his weapon Ratliff ran down
the mountain side and darted into
clump OF bushes. Yeager leyeled his
| winchester at che fleeing man and fired.
The charge barely missed Ratliff. but
he was frightened and hid in the under
/ brush.
Squire Bird leaped from his horse
and tenderly lifted his weeping daugh-
ter TO her feet. She was scarcely
strong enough 20 stand, but was able
10 sit on the side saddle brought by her
Yeager Ratlif's Shield.
After the girl had been cared for
| Yeager started on a hunt for the cul-
/ prit He had taken but a few steps
] when he heard the bushes in front OF
/ him rustllng. Yeager raised his rife TO
| his shoulder and was about to fire. when
! Ratlin sprang out Of the underbrush.
Throwing his hands into the air, he said:
Don't shoot me, Paris. I'll surrender.
Yeager led his prisoner up the hill
! and was about TO assist him into the
saddle, when Squire Bird whipped out
/ the revolver and fired point blank at
Rauin The latter begged for mercy
and hid behind Yeager. The bullet
/ passed near Ycager's head. grazing his
| car. Ratlin's plea for mercy further
! enra ged the girls father Selling Yea
! gers winchester, the father fired At
/ RatIiR, bat again the prisoner hid be-
hand the chief Of police and asked 70 be
| spared. Yeager finally got Ratlin into
| the saddle and afterward took both
| weapons from Squire Bird
Arrest Kept Secret.
/ The little girl lapsed into unconscious
ness when she reached home and DR.. J.
! NJ. Yeager and DR.. +. w Guilford were
/ summoned to attend her.
/ The physicians said that she was in
! precariaus condition and they believed
I her mind would always be affected by
! the horrifyihg experience with the
/ tends
Ra.Hn was lodged in Jail. Realizing
that publicity would precipltate a lynch
ing. Yeager kept news Of the arrest from
the citizens Immediately aftlr locking
RatIn in Jail Chief Yeager started for
! the farmhouse TO arrest Gay.
/ Sound asleep on the ground outside the
house Gay was found by Yeager He
had nothing to say and made no protest
against accompanying the chief.
| SIOLlSS OF Gay ana RdlllA.
In jail. several days ago. Gay said: Il
know nothing OF this crime with which
I am charged. Ratlin saw me in Mar
linton Wednesday afternoon and in
sisted on my going TO his farm We
drank considerable whisky on the way
! out When we reached the farm we
saw Caldwell and Miss Bird. They
said something about staying all night
When they told Ratlin they were elop-
ing. he said he would arrest them.
"RatHm left me 10 guard Caldwell.
telling me he intended taking Miss Bird
back to her home. That's all know,
except that chief Yeager took me TO
Jail"
Batlin tells queer story. He said:
y never harmed that little girl. / know
her father ana family. and when heard
she was running away with Caldwell TO
get married I knew it was my duty 10
arrest her and take her home Gay
saddled the two horses, and I started
70 town with her. When about half
way 10 Marhnton l fell of my horse
and she fell of OF hers / tied the two
horses 20 trees and thought I would
rest a little while. Then Paris Yeager
came up on the mountain. and Squire
] 1lEN IEeu Two SalDL6 AT k4it NlllA
know anything about the crime until
) they told me Of it the next morning"
Plot Against Gay.
Chief Yeager says that he does not
, believe word of the story. Citizen,
= here are Infatuated at Ratlin because
he tried 20 put his crime on Cay
shoulders. When Ratlin departed from
the farm with Miss Bird he wore Cay,
hat and coat Had he carried out his
intention Of killing the girl, and Ia,
she been found dead in the woods witt
Gays clothing near her, the latter woult
undoubtedly have been lynched at sight
, Young Caldwell says Gay is as guilt!
as Ratliff, and he viii so testify at the
trial
Both are equally guilty" said Glad
:, well. IF Gay did not do as much as Rat
lift il was not his fault. He tried cnl
should be punished as much as Rat
lift
e I'VE thought Mrs Courtney was a
3 the farmhouse and believed she woul,
e help rs elope. 1 knew Ratlin was
@ good-for nothing. but 1 never suspecte,
d that any man could do the terrible thin