CanÌƒon City record. [volume] (CanÌƒon City, Colo.) 1883-192?, 1907-04-11

of guilty, and OF the judge a sentence
of death He said death was much
preferable to him than Waldren's talk.
The big legal four had eaten dinner,
taken a few minutes rest, and were
going over the hill towards Pueblo. 1t
was near l O'Clock, though, and us
boys were to finish our work for Zan
that afternoon and follow on to Pu-
eblo the next day. We had at least
another hour to sit upon the porch
and rest, also listen to Zan's MONDAY
yarns.
Fan sat just to one side of the door
and we had taken our places on either
side in good hearing and listening
distance Zan filled his corncob pipe.
Little Tom, the 4-year-old son, had
arrived with the live coal upon the
small shovel, and Zan received the
coal and proceeded to settle it down
upon the tobacco with the largest and
longest finger of his right hand. This
finger turned down at the first joint
1t impressed me with the idea that
II was certainly Iue ilSnN hASSA IL lle
right place 1t had served SO long
in that direct capacity of settling the
coal upon the corncob pipe that it was
crisp, hard and sleek as the pipe,
equally insensitive to heat Also one
of our men knew just what to say or
do to start Fan going on a subject
most perfectly. He said that he saw
by the Rocky Mountain News that
Slade had killed the last one of the
desperate gang who terrorized Ben
Holidays stage line out near Bradgess
Pass. This remark had the desired
effect Zan took three or four whiffs
at the pipe, then extended it at arms
length, then replaced it and took an
other half dozen whiffs, reminding
one of a heavy freight engine drawing
a heavy loaded train trying to get on
some headway at the foot of steep
grade.
And then Zan began his story.
Il never was called upon but once
to uphold the peace and dignity of
the law, and that was about the first
of last March The sheriff over at
Conejoes arrested one of the most
desperate horse thieves that ever an
noyed Colorado. He came in here
about sundown and said, We had lit
tie to eat and no sleep for four days
and nights They had no Jail at
Conejos and he was taking him to
Pueblo, as they had good stone jail
there. The sheriff ate supper and
went to bed, telling me l was depn-
tized to guard the prisoner until
morning
My, but he was n desperate look
ing villain; you could see in his face
that his love for rope with a good
horse fastened to the end. was his
greatest delight. He was very large,
weighed more than 200. apparently all
bone and muscle. made him sleep
there with his feet toward this door.
He lay like log all night. 1t was
very cold and that night seemed as
long as the month OF February, l
just kept stamping and turning about
in front OF this door, never taking an
eye on him.
"At last the chickens crowed and
the light of day flashed up there in
the east. Oh. but l was rejoiced.
rested my gun on the door sill and
stood and res.ed ,;:s:-- lack here against
this facing. Quicker than thought or
81
between me and the opposite door fac
ing. | struggled for moment, when
l saw he was bound to get out of the
hoGss, SO let so of my gun and as
he passed out sprung upon his back;
he took around the house and up the
creek. hung on for at least ten min
utes and could see that he was get
ting nearer the mountains. % l con-
cluded to let him 60