The Press., 1915-03-24
A Mysterious Disappearance A Story of the Workings of
 Lynch Law
By JOHN TURNLEE

One evening when the stagecoact stopped at the tavern at B., town ir New Mexico, a melancholy looking man alighted, with no baggage but g gripsack in his hand, and, being re ceived by the landlord. the two went inside together.
 .Iandlord." said the stranger, "I have come out here from the east to settle and try to make living. have been recommended to this town among others, as one likely to grow, and I've concluded to put in my stake here, but haven't>a cent. It's better to tell you this in the beginning than to stay with you awhile and then have you turn me out for ponpayment of board. I'm an educated physician and hope to gather a practice. If you'll board me while I'm getting patients I'll pay as get in fees"
 | That's just the kind of man we 1 want out here," replied the landlord. ''I like the frank way you put the case. It shall not be said that Jim Henderson refused to help any man coming into New Mexico to try to make living. Most of our people who have come here from the east have come strapped. If they hadn't been strapped they wouldn't have come. But I don't remember any of them that have been as frank about it as you have. Enter your name on the register; supper is ready, and after you've filled up I'll show you to a room"
 The newcomer thanked the landlord for his kindness and entered his name as "Dr. George Atwater. City"
 'T see you don't give the point you hail from" said the landlord.
 "what's the use? I'm a citizen of this town"
 "So you are-so you are. Nobody here cares where anybody comes from | as he behaves himself after he gets | here"
 Dr. Atwater was recommended by Henderson, the landlord, and occasion ally got a case in some one of the guests of the tavern. He became popu- lar in the town and would have sue ceeded had there been more people or greater proportion of invalids there. But B. did not grow as fast as had been expected and was very health full place. Atwater managed to pay his board by turning over fee when he got one, but after he had been at the tavern about year there came an in terval when not a person in the town was i'll, and. there being no fees, there was no money to pay board. | In new countries where there is no law the punishment for crime is usual ly assumed by vigilance committee There hay be conditions of society | where a vigilance committee is better than no law or even poorly admins tered law, but after all Judge Lynch is but return to barbarous methods There were at this time more or less shooting going on among the citizens of New Mexico and considerable horse stealing. There was no objection tC the shooting so long as each man had a fair chance, but the horse stealing was bitterly condemned. A vigilance committee was organized to punish murderers and especially horse thieves. Since shooting them was not con sidered murder the principal business of the committee was catching and punishing horse thieves.
 One day Bill Evans, one of the com mittee, entered the barroom and of fee combined of the tavern. Tender son was sitting by the stove with his back to the door, while pr. Atwater was leaning against the bar. Evans came in just in time to hear Tender son say to the doctor:
 You haven't paid any board in four months"
 That was all the conversation Evans heard, for Henderson, hearing step, turned, and the doctor left the room. The remark made no further impres- sion on Evans than to acquaint him with the fact that Atwater was in debt for his board.
 One day Dr. Atwater received let effect upon him. After reading 1t he put it back in its envelope without re mark, but Henderson, who was with him at the time, noticed that he had received some unwelcome news. The landlord, however, was not a man to pry into other peoples affairs and made no mention of the matter to the doctor.
 It was not long after this that summons came in the middle of the night for pr. Atwater to attend an in yalid.- He went on his errand and did not return. When a week elapsed and nothing was seen or heard of him people began to talk about the case. Curiosity was the chief incentive to debate the matter. and all speculated upon a reason for the mysterious dis appearance. No possible clew to the cause of his going away was sug gested until Bill Evans told of the re mark he had overheard when he had ,uddenly entered the tavern and found Henderson and Atwater to- gether. He told it simply as it has been told here. but when it was re peated it was given as follows:
 "Bill Evans come on 'em all of a suddint an hearn Henderson abusin' the doctor cause he wouldn't pay no | board"
 The next version was that Evans had reported quarrel between the TWO men. in which Henderson was abusing the doctor about an unpaid board bill.
 It was at last reported that Tender son had Atwater on the floor, pum meling him and demanding money from him.
 The citizens of E. began to keep away from the tavern except when they went there to see if the murderer showed any signs of guilty con- science. Strangers who knew nothing of the stigma hanging over the house still came and went. When Tender son met his former friends on the street they looked at him askance and passed by on the other side. regarding him as having blood on his hands. There was hardly citizen of B. but