Sioux County pioneer. (Fort Yates, Sioux County, N.D.) 1914-1929, 1919-05-08
NAPIER KIN.
ne Bolt Falls.

T. t'a ne Bolt Falls.
Three times that winter had seen
Benjamin Grimshaw followed by the
Silent Woman clothed in. rags and
pointing with her finger. .,....
The trial Of Amos came on. He had
had 'bsood on his feet" as they used
to say. all the way from Lickitysplit
to Lewis county in his flight, having
attacked and slightly wounded two
men with bowie knife who had tried
to detain him at Rainy Lake. He had
also shot at an officer in the vicinity
OF Lowvilfe, where his arrest was eff
fected. He had been identified by all
these men, and SO his character as q
desperate man had been established.
This In connection with the scar on his
face and the tracks, which the boots
Of Amos fttedl and the broken gun
stock convinced the jury Of his guilt.
I remember well the look Of the
venerable Judge Cady as. he pro-
rounced the sentence Of death upon
Amos Grimshaw. A ray Of sunlight
slantfng through a window in the late
afternoon fell upon his gracious coun.
teLance. shining also, with the softer
light Of his spirit. Slowly, solemnly,
kindly. he spoke the words Of doom.
It was his way of saying them that
first made me feel the dignity and
majesty Of the law. The kind and IA
therly tone Of his voice put me In
mind Of that supremest court which
is above all question and which was
swiftly to enter judgment in this mat.
ter and in others related to It.
Slowly the crowd moved out Of the
courtroom. Benjamin Grimshaw rose
and calmly whispered to his lawyer.
He had not spoken to his son or
seemed to notice him since the trial
had begun, nor did he now. Many had
shed tears that day. but not he. Mr..
Grimshaw never showed but one emo
tton-that Of anger. He was angry
now. His face was hard and stern. He
muttered as he walked out Of the
courtroom. his cane briskly beating the
door.
The Silent Woman-as ragged az
ever-was waiting on the steps. Out
went her bony finger as he came down.
He turned and struck at her with his
cane and shouted in a shrill voice that
rang out like a trumpet in his frenzy:
eco way from me. Take her away,
somebody. can't stan 1t. She's KILN
me. Take her away. Take her away.
Take her away"
His face turned purple and then
white. He reeled and fell headlong,
like q tree severed from its roots, and
lay still on the hard, stone pavement.
It seemed as IL snow were falling on
his FACET grew % white. The Silent
Woman stood 40 dtill as he, pointing
at him with her finger, her look un.
changed. People came running toward
us. lifted the head Of Mr.. Grimshaw
and laid 1t on my knee. II felt like the
head OF the stranger In Rattleroad.
Old Kate bent over and looked at the
eyelids Of the man which Auttered
family and were still.
"Dead!" she muttered.
Then, 90 II her work were finished,
she turned and made her way through
the crowd and walked slowly down
the street. Men stood aside to let her
pass. AZ IL they felt the power Of her
spirit and feared the touch Of her gar
ments.
Two or three men had run to the
house Of the nearest doctor. The crowd
thickened. Az rat looking down ct
the dead'fAce In my lap. q lawyer who
had come out Of the courtroom pressed
near mo and bent over and looked &C
tho ct eyes q BENJAMIN 0rimshaw
and said: B, "a
.shs aoossd I'm 4 last. Inasv 81