The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1915-03-13

of a bunch of Borgias.''
CAS- your superior officer" smiled
the governor, Il can give you orders.
I'm going to give you one now. Mr..
South has applied to me for a pardon
in advance of trial. Technically, have
the power to grant that request. Moral
ly, doubt my right. Certainly, shall
not DO it without a very thorough sift-
ing of evidence and grave considera-
ton of the necessities of the case
as well as the danger of the precedent
However, 1 am considering it, and for
the present you viii parole your pris-
oner in my custody. Mr.. South, you
will not leave Frankfort without my
permission. You will take every pre-
caution to conceal your actual identity.
You will treat as utterly confidential
all that has transpired here-and.
above all, you will not let newspaper
men discover you. Those are my or
ders. Report here tomorrow after
noon, and remember that you are my
prisoner"
Samson bowed and left the two cou-
sins together, where shortly they were
Joined by the attorney general. That
evening, the three dined at the execu-
tive mansion, and sat until midnight
in the governors private Office, still
deep in discussion. During the long
session, Callomb opened the bulky vol
ume of the Kentucky statutes, and laid
his finger on section 1918.
There's the rub" he protested, read
ing aloud: The military shall be at
all times, and in all cases, in strict
subordination to the civil power"
The governor glanced down to the
next paragraph and read in part:
The governor may direct the COM
handing officer of the military force
to report to any one of the following
named officers Of the district in which
the said force is employed: Mayor of
city, sheriff, jailer or marshal
Which list" stormed Callomb, 'is
the honor roll of the assassins."
'At all events"-the governor had
derived from Callomb much informa-
ton as to Samson South which the
mountafneer himself had modestly
withheld South gets his pardon.
That is only a step. 1 Wish 1 could
make him satrap over his province.
and provide him with troops to rule it.
Unfortunately, our form of govern
ment has its drawbacks"
cit might be possible" ventured the
attorney general, ito impeach the
sheriff, and appoint this or some other
suitable man to fill the vacancy until
the next election
THE legislature doesn't meet until
oh
is one chance. The sheriff down there
is sick man. Let us hope he may
die"
. One day, the Hixon conclave met in
the room over Hollman's Mammoth
Department store, and with much pro-
family read a communication from
Frankfort, announcing the pardon Of
Samson South. In that episode, they
foresaw the beginning of the end for
their dynasty. The outside world was
looking on, and their regime could not
survive the spotlight of Iaw-loving
scrutiny.
1.-The fust thing" declared Judge
HOLMAN, CURLY, lis to get rid of these
damned soldiers. Well attend to our
own business later, and we don't want
them watchin' US. Just now, we want
to lie mighty quiet for a speIl-tee-
totally quiet until 1 pass the word"
Samson had won back the conf
dence of his tribe, and enlisted the
faith of the state administration. He
had been authorized to organize a
local militia company, and to drill
them, provided he could stand answer
able for their conduct. The younger
Souths took gleefully to that idea The
mountain boy makes a good soldier,
once he has grasped the idea of dis
cipline. For ten weeks, they drilled
daily in squads and weekly in platoons.
Then, the fortuitous came to pass.
Sheriff Forbin died, leaving behind him
an unexpired term of two years, and
Samson was summoned hastily to
Frankfort. He returned, bearing his
commission as high sheriff, though,
when the news reached Hixon, there
were few men who enyied him his
post, and none who cared to bet that
he would live to take his oath of Office.
That August court day was a mem
orabIe one in Hixon. Samson South
was coming to town to take up his
duties. EVERY OnS ISCOSulL6u the
| day of final issue, and one that could
hardly pass without bloodshed. The
Hollmans, standing in their last
trench, saw only the blunt question of
! HoIlman-South supremacy. For years,
! the feud had fiared and slept and
broken again into eruptions, but never
before had South sought to throw
his outposts of power across the wa
tiers of Crippleshin, and into the coun-
ty seat. That the present South came
! bearing commission as an officer of
the law only made his effrontery the
more uncomfortable.
Samson had not called for outside
troops. The drilling and diseipIining
of his own company had progressed in
silence along the waters of Misery
They were a slouching, unmilitary
band of uniformed vagabonds, but they
were longing to fight, and CaIlomb had
been with them, tirelessly whipping
them into rudimentary shape After