Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1908-05-16

His White Hair.

[Original ].

] anu went lO blbEiOlD ~ IlIItlltt.
| knew enough of "rarnin" and law to
inspire confidence in a mining people
and was eventually elected judge. My
| principal duties were to settle such dis
| putes as We're not settled by the re,
volver
One morning a man was brought be
| fore me on a charge of attempted muir
der He was a trim built fellow OF
twenty-five, of refined appearance, and
what surprised me beyond measure
was that his hair was white rs snow.
There were three witnesses against
him-a miner, Tom Mason, and his two
assistants, Pete Galloway and Steve
| Tucker Mason was a pitiful sight to
behold. His left arm was in 4 sing.
His right leg in a splint, was supported
by a crutch. A bandage covered an
eye. Whatever of his face was not
covered with patches was of many
hues. The condition of his two assist.
ants was not much better
The prisoner gave his name as Albert
Parkinson. After hearing statement
from his accusers called upon him
for his story
Judge" he said, I'm mining en-
| gineer. | spent four years at college
In the scientific department, then went
| to Germany to study my profession.
| From there | returned last month and
came out here to get some practical eX
| perienCe. This man Mason accepted
an offer from me to work in the shaft
where he is drilling and blasting with
out pay, and the day before yesterday
| went down with him, watched him
drill, put In his charge of dynamite and
| light the fuse. Then we were hauled
up in the bucket by these two men.
got as far from the hole as possible
and waited for the explosion.
"After learning the process of setting
the blast yesterday offered to set and
fire it myself. Mason consented. and
when the hole was drilled he came up.
gave me the charge, and went down
In the bucket. AS soon as had light
ed the fuse | called out to be drawn
up The windlass creaked, and felt
myself rising. When was hauled
halfway something above seemed to
be caught and everything stood stock
| still. Mason called down in fright
ened voice that the WindlaSS had bro
ken, and he must go some distance to
get man to come and repair it.
called to him to pull me up by hand.
but there was no response. | coull
| I,, nr I, ~ 4,
in loud voices what it was best to do.
There | was, midway between the
surface and the bottom, with the fuse
sputtering below | started to climb
up hand over hand, but one of the
men who had been left behind let me
down as fast as | climbed up. | got
| back to the bucket exhausted and con
cluded to drop and put out the fuse
The man looking from above drew me
up far enough to make my drop GER
tain death. | looked over at the fuse
and saw that 1t was within an inch Of
the charge. | shut my eyes and waited
to be blown into the air.
81 tainted, and when | came to was
lying on the ground beside the wind
lass. Mason and his two men were
standing over me laughing.
"'You fool tenderfoot.' he said. there
warn't no charge in the shell. l TUX
1t out and put in dirt
II saw 1t ala huge joke to Initiate
beginner into the mysteries Of min
ing. 1t was some time before | felt
like rising. | was daZed. Then be-
gan to realize the enormity of these
mems treatment. After that | began
to get mad. The madGer | got the
/ stronger | got. Presently | got up
and made dive for Mason. His two
men came upon me, but | seemed to
have the strength of Hercules. After
beating Mason awhile | carried him
to the shaft and threw him down. The
two men by this time We're frightened
and ran. | ran after them, caught one,
gave him drubbing. then caught the
other and did the same by him.
"When | came to myself | feared
that had killed Mason. | went to the
shaft and heard him groaning at the
bottom. | put one of his men in the
bucket and lowered him. lie got Ma
son in it, and hauled him up, then
uuuItu lllt otilcl UP nat All nave
to say, Judge II 1t is murder, make
the most of it.
"Mr Parkinson" | said. you seem
to be a very young man. How is it
that your hair is prematurcly whiteT
"White?" he said. IT'S black"
called for small mirror hanging
outside In the washroom and handed
1t to him. He looked at his hair with
astonishment; then his anger returned,
and | saw that he was about to spring
upon Mason anew
Hold" | cried. 81 will give your
tormentor the rest of his punishment.
Thomas Mason, stand up. The decl-
sion of the court is that, while harm
less practical jokes have such hold
on the people of this country that they
can't be wceded out, such n joke as
you perpetrated on this gentleman IS
attempted homicide. You go to state
prison for three years, and you, Peter
Galloway and Stephen Tucker, for one
year each. The prisoner Is discharged,
with the thanks of the court on behalf
of the community for whatever of
punishment he has meted out to the
perpetrators of this unheard of cruelty.
and the court only regrets that he
didn't finish the job and save the state
further expense"
Mr. Parkinson afterward became in