The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1915-12-02

lence while the mounted man contepn.
plated us with an unabashed stare.
Finally he spoke again.
Morning, strangers" he said.
There followed . p~rotracted series
OF questioning between the native
born as to the health and well being
OF their respective families.
I thought I saw the lnountaineer's
eyes glitter with sudden interest when
Weighborne's name was given him,
but the light died quickly out of his
, pupils, leaving only the WEAKNESS and
sadness of his dull life.
At times the climbs were so steep
that we had to trudge alongside, lend.
ing a hand at the wheels. The last
two miles Of the journey, said our
driver, would be impossible for a
wheeled vehicle. He would have to
deposit us and our luggage at Chick.
en- Gizzard creek.
A little later, while we were walk
ing up the steep incline. Weighborne
drew me back out of ear shot Of the
teamster.
I'D better post you on a few de.
tails" he said. ever hear Of the
Keithley assassination"
shook my head and he enlightened
me.
"Keitherly was the prosecuting at
torney in some rather celebrated muir
der trials. He was shot to death one
afternoon as he came out of the court
room"
"Yes?" I questioned.
"Six months later Con Hoover was
shot from the laurel on this road. He
had allied himself with those who
sought to avenge Keithley."
I nodded my head.
There were Gale Springer, Bud
Dode-I could enumerate other VIC
Tins, but that is all detail. What con.
Germs us is this. Jim Garvin is coun-
ty Judge. In a rough way he is the
political boss of the region and he has
built up a fortune. His own gun is
unnotched, but a half dozen men who
have incurred his d%ispleasure have
come to abrupt ends.
"The newspapers in Louisville and
Lexington have intimated that besides
being at the head of fiscal affairs and
operating a general store, the judge
also issues his orders to a murder
syndicate"
"Why," I demanded in some disgust,
Hasn't it been proven?"
ut is difficult to prove things of this
sort-when the defendant is more
powerful than the law and when jur-
les walk in terror" Weighborne re-
minded me. HE has twice been tried
for completely. A company of state
guards patrolled the court house yard
to reassure veniremen and witnesses.
The only result was the defeat, at the
next election, of the judge and prose-
cutor who had made themselves OBJ
n%oxious."
"Why," I inquired, 'aren't such
male-factors taken into a civilized
circuit, on a change Of venue, and
tried where jurors are not intimidat.
ed?"
"They have been-with the same re
suit" affirmed my informant. "You
see, while the jurors were freed from
fear, the witnesses knew they must
return home"
"Shall we be likely to meet this
highly interesting %character?" I ques.
toned.
"The store where u wagon turns
back" said Weighborne, "is his
place."
"Then I an to be careful not to
form or express my opinion adverse
to judicious homicide? Is that the
point?"
Weighborne smiled.
"Our plans involve bringing a
branch railroad along the way we
have been travelling" he replied, "and
the coming Of that railroad means the
death knell of Jim Garvin's power.
What is still more to the point, our
attorney here and the man for whose
house we are bound is Galloway Mar
eus.
HE was Keithley's law-partner, and
he is a marked man. He It was who
prosecuted Garvin-and lost his Off.
cial head. His actual head he keeps
on his shoulders by riding at the the
center of q body guard. I tell You
these matters 50 that you may watch
your words"
"Shall we encounter open hostility
at this placer" I inquired
Weighborne shook his head. ION
the contrary, we shall be most courte.
ously received. Politeness is highly
esteemed hereabouts. The fact that
a man to lay-way' you to-
night with a squirrel gun is not
deemed sufficient reason for relaxing
his courtesy this afternoon.
An hour later our conveyance drew
up at the junction of two ragged roads
where thin, ~outcropping lodges OF
limestone went down to the rim of u
shallow stream. Beyond the water