Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1921-09-30

fer TO It. Right here onder this here
warnut tree we're a-goin' to hold cote
and have yore trial, by jedge and jury.
and you'll shore git what's a-comin'
-"
Bill Dale cut in with some bitter
ness: And you'll be the judge, and
your plans have already been laid, and
I'm to be hanged by the neck until
dead; eh7 Well. you'll pay dearly for
1t, l promise you. We always have
to pay for what we get, you know.
The Morelands and the Littlefords will
be quick TO settle the account. You
know that"
NO" old Ball disagreed hotly, 81
don't know thati"
He turned to the others.
set down, boys. It's the same price
as standin'. The jury will please set
over thar pointing to his right. 1.-The
pris'ner and his guards will please set
right over thar" pointing to his left.
The hon'rable jedge, which same is
me. will please set right thar" indi-
eating a spot at the base of the gnarled
walnut. 1.-THE rest" he finished. will
set anywhar they d-n pleases. Set
down. men,"
His orders were obeyed Dale found |
himself sitting on the ground between
two pairs Of mountaineers and facing
line Of twelve mountaineering So
called jury. To his left was the self
appointed judge, and to his right
ounged score or more of men whose
attention was then being turned to-
ward jug of fiery new whisky that
had never been near to revenue
stamp or anything else that was hon.
st. The jug Travelled rapidly from
me hairy mouth to another.
Old Ball passed the jug to men,
'er Of the Jury" and announced:
We'll, dammit, co'te's open now
Kitty, kitty. kitty" tainted Walt
turner. pore little kittyi"
The mockery began. 1t was ridicu-
Gus, and yet it was grim. Adam
'alrs father himself furnished most
I the evidence; also he acted as
rosecuting attorney. OF course there
'as no counsel for the defense. and
wouldn't have helped if Dale had
ad proverbial Philadelphia lawyer
n the grounds; all the proof and clio
uence and pleading in the world never
ouid nave changed. in the slightest de-
rec, the sentence that had been cut and
ried Tor BIZ Dale. The mock trial
ms being held solely because the
ais and Torreys felt that by hold
Ig II they were insulting the majesty
the law and making their ven
eance sweeter. II became worse than
travesty.
Night fell during the worty and
'ofane harangue of the Ball leader
I'd it was ordered that fire be bun,
once. AT once fire was built. dry
ushwood being used. and i'm its rod I
"a fickering glare the faces of rho
linen looked douhly dark and doubI,.
icked. Then the Judge begged y
ew OF tobacco and deliberately kept 5,
e whole twist and told the Jury to ~
out and bring back a verdict with. 20
[ losing time.
The twelve mountaineers rose nm -.
,adily and went to the creek ana N,
ere one Of them uncovered another dc
: of fiery new whisky that was alien r
revenue stamp. They drank
avily and returned TO the walnut
g court without mentioning the
al.
The foreman was Torrey, and a W,
rticulariy bad one. His swarthy III
e, with its high Cherokee cheek Of
les and Its thin-lipped mouth, was m
ultra-vicious. He entered 60
circle Of red and pickering freight to
WY. smiling evilly, and the other ia
ven crowded up close behind him. K,