Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1914-04-30

nent citizens of this we're toWn-Martin
Shaw. Nathan Parker. Thomas War
rem and George Urner. l would like
obleegcd to any citizen to tell 'em that
III wait for 'em at O'Neili's tavern.
Say that it's not question of shootin',
but of law"
After saving this the speaker and his
attendant rode on to the tavern, where
they dismounted. The gentlemen men
tioned-the four members of the vigi-
lance committee who had signed the
| round robin-were informed of the in
vitation and after consultation con-
Guided to accept it. having been as
sured that they were wanted not ON a
matter of gun practice, but of law.
Gents" said HOLSTER, drawing a
paper from under his shirt, y have
we're evidence of a conspiracy on your
part, with Bill Cundiff, to murder
me. Bill, havin' shown signs of refor-
nation lately. instead of committin'
the deed, comes to me repentant and
with tears in his eyes hands me this
4 Heie agreement " pay ulh F-oO iOA
my scalp. He finds me likewise re-
| pentant for my many sins and dispos-
| ed to abandon gun law and leave these
| yere questions to the courts. There
fore it is my painful duty to sw'ar out
a warrant agin you four gents. to be
dealt with by the courts in the reg lar
way"
There was a grim silence on the part
of the men who in trying to be saviors
of Jimtown had walked into trap
and. according to law, would be pun
ished by death or Imprisonment by the
courts they had taken so much pains
to establish.
OWN to the tenderness of my
| heart the desperate continued, 'and
| the reformation goin' on i'll my bosom,
don't want to be hard on you. My
| duty as reformed citizen is plainly to
let the law take it's course. But you
gents bein' disposed to help US who are
irwin to turn from our wicked ways
Bill Cundiff kin testify to that-and
some of you havn' families, wouldn't
mind pecuniary consideration instead
of seem you suffer. In the fust place,
Bill, who was too conscientious to take
the price of my blood, should be re-
warded for right dom. Five hundred
| dollars would be small sum for so
much resistance to temptation. In the
second place, if Your scheme had work
ed | would now be sleepin' in the val
ley, with the long grass wavin' over
me and coyotes scratchin' for my
bones All these should be paid for
But rememberin' that there's no great
wealth in the town, III make the fig
ures reasonable Call my share 81 .500.'
The signers of the round robin ask
ed how long they would have to accept
or decline this generous proposition
and to raise the money if they accept
ed it and We're given three days, at tn
end of which time the warrant wOul,
be sworn, out Then they retired TO
consultation.
Advancing civilization brings man.
problems. Here was a problem with
paradox. A villain was about to use
court Of justice as an instrument 70
the condemnation of men who wer
working to eradicate crime. What wa
to be done: After consultation thu
round robiners sent a message to as
the two reformed men if, on the pay
ment of the sum demanded. they woul
leave the town. never to return. Th
reply was that. having reformed. the
would prefer to remain and Cundit
had decided to run for mayor.
While the deliberations were going o
! it happened that young man VIII
had served an enlistment as an elet
trician passed through the town on hi
way to large mining center that ha
acquired civilization, where he was
be employed putting in electric light
and different devices made practicab
by electricity. Hearing of the dilemn
that confronted the citizens of jim
: town and especially the round robil
y ers, he volunteered to show them
IS method by which they might get ri
e of the two villains without danger
y themselves. They offered to pay hi
IS literally for any device that Won
o bring about that end, but he decline
II to receive money for such purpose
~ to work it himself.
- During the three days that the rour
robiners had been given to come to
'e decision and raise funds the electl
clan worked nights. and no one sa
:. what he did. He was engaged in la
- ing wires from an empty cabin to Il
le house of one of the remnants of Il
- vigilance committee. Martin Sha'
~ When the time was up, after explai
y ing his device to Mr.. Shaw he wit
&c drew from all participation in Il
- scheme.
" On the third day after the return
~ HOLSTER and Cundiff they were
vited to the deserted cabin in wifi
- the electrician had been at work
AZ receive the first installment of the ia
~ som that had beer levied on the tow
'e The four citizens most interested we
in the cabin, at the other end Of t
LII wires, where they could see plain
81 the place to which the rascals h