Judith Gap journal. [volume] (Judith Gap, Mont.) 1908-19??, 1911-02-17
HOW HE
WAS SAVED
BY WILLIS BEACH POTTER
Copyright. 1910. by American Press
Association

There had been u lot o. cusSetlness
III Galloway county. and the people
was hot to find some un to string up
fer warnin'. Ole Man Thompson
had been murdered in his bed and
$500 taken. Bill Stin,sun was held up
on the road and relieved of his watch
and chain. These and other crimes
were committed. yet no one was ar.
rested.
About that time my brother Tim
come from Californy and was stayin'
with me on the farm. Tim was us
peaceablc Il Teller as you ever see
wouldn't hurt nobody. But he liked
to hunt and. it bein' in the fall O. the
year when game was plenty. got Il
lot o. my friends to 20 over into Ma
son county. where there was wood
cock We took kit with us. calcu-
latin to he gone Il week.
Waal. one cvcnin' when VIC was
collectin' in camp ull OH us got III OK
cept Tim. When we Sut down to sup
per he wasn't there. and when it was
time to turn in we was Obleeged to do
It without him. l wanted to go out
and hunt for him. but the rest lowed
l couldn't find him in the dark. that
he'd got lost or somep'n aud would
turn up next day.
Waal. about midnight was woke up
by Tim himself.
"By gum. Tim" says. "Iave v
seen Il IhOSt!'
He was the most skecrcd Teller you
ever Seen-whte rs the snow and his
teeth chatterin'. As soon rs he
could ketch his breath he said:
"They're comm TO hang me. was
watchn' fer birds when met Il man
who looked at me kind q queer. He
went off and come back with two 9th
er men. They all tied my hands and
TUX me to Il small town. \ Teller was
brought in. who looked at me and said.
THAT'S him." Then they all set around
and talked me over. ! knew they TUX
me fer some I'm else and there wasn't
wasn't. Most Of 'cm was for hangin'
me right up ut onct. They said if the
law got holt of mo Id never be pun
ishrd. begged SO hard for 'em to give
me one day to prove who | was that
at last they consented.
"They TUX me to some un's office and
left me in charge of two Of 'eln. One
Of the two left me in charge Of the
other. while he went OFT to git somep'n
for en- both to drink. He brought
back bottle. which they finished.
then the other one. he went off and
got another bottle. and by the time
they'd drank that they was both
drunk. First one went to sleep then
the other. dug out and here | am
As soon as I'm missed I'll be follered."
woke up the other men. Abe Wood
ruff and Oliver Swayne. and we held
a consultation. IF they come to take
Tim there'd probably be enough of 'cm
to take him in spite Of all We could
do. but We was four shotguns in the
party and concluded to put up a fight
rather'n have 'cm take him. About 1
O'Clock In the mOrnin' we heard the
barkin' o dogs. and l knowed they'd
find Tim shore. since they was after
him with bloodhounds.
we WISH Iur from JlmtOWn. where
there's postottice. and the railroad
runs through it. While We was con-
sultin' we seen man git up on plat
form and hang mail bag to one o.
them posts what's used fer dcliverin'
the bag to man in the mailcar on Il
pasin' train without its stoppin'. The
man left the bag and went away. The
barkin was comm mighty near. and l
concluded Id go out and meet the
posse and havea talk with 'em. Resin
my shotgun across the ponmel of my
saddle. rcde forward. crossin' the
track beside which the mail bag hung.
lOokin' In the night for all the world
like man swingin' on Il gallows. At
fust it seemed it meant that my broth
er would swim. shore. Then all ON a
| student an itlce come to me, There