The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1929-08-16

WdlidilIS Will SckliiB WHISKY WiIiiOuI d
license. Sixty days in the county Jail
or a fine is the greatest penalty, so
Kenny could not believe there would
be resistance offered. and I was
friend and guide that he knew and
had confidence in. I asked him if he
had any fire arms. No, he had not,
but he had two pair of hand cuffs.
Without his knowledge went and
secured 38 Smith & Weston.
We proceeded to get ready for the
trip. A reliable and competent man
| and two birchbark canoes had to be
secured After looking around and in
quiring, I finally engaged man by
| the name of Dan Trump. Trump was
| good canoe man, and understood
camping out, but would rather have
had most any Of a dozen other men
| that made Tower their headquarters,
| but he was all to be had. The two
canoes were bought from John Bear
| grease (an Indian), some supplies were
secured, and we got started in the
/ forenoon.
John D. Kenny at that time was not
young man, pretty heavy. He had
Il
| previous experience on canoe trips in
the woods, or out where it was rough.
I knew him well, truly good man
he was, but totally unit for that par
ticular job.
The route taken was from Tower
beach, Lake Vermilion; eleven miles
through Lake Vermilion to Mud Greek;
up Mud Greek about six miles; Mud
Lake two miles; portage Mud Lake to
| BURNSIDE Lake 2 miles; some 4 miles
on BURNSIDE Lake; then a short port
age into BURNSIDE River; down Burnt
side, 6 to miles to Long Lake; east
through Long Lake about miles to
our objective point, the town of Spald-
ing. We camped that night on Mud
Lake portage.
About one o'clock p NJ next day we
were at Spalding. We made landing
unobserved, a short distance from the
cabin, walked to it. The door was
open. Several men were at the bar
drinking, and our man busy waiting
on them. After a little wait, Kenny
spoke to him and asked him to step
outside for private word. I was not
; | noticed, but followed Kenny told him
, of his mission His man was mad in
{ | flash, swore, and said, Read your
, | damn warrant" Before Kenny got half
: ! way with the reading, the chap drew
and pointed gun at the deputy, and
ordered him to stick it (the warranty
or he would be full of lead in ten
seconds.
I had taken up a position about six
; feet away, sidewise to them, and facing
. his gun side. yelled, drop it." He
looked at me sideways, saw my gun
pointed at him. again hollered. He
!, obeyed His gun fell to the ground
!. from an arm straight out. Had he shot
, Kenny or swung my way, would have
had a split second the best of him,
!. and he knew it. We grabbed him, and
! put the irons on, but Is was some tusSle
He fought with all that was in him,
and there was a lot in him, and
know that never in my life before or
since have I had moments Of greater
secret satisfaction than when that man
from straight arm pistol cooked and
pointed at Kenny, let it fall to the
ground, or if he had shot Kenny or
| swung to me, would have killed him,
| and that would have been sorrow
that would have been with me through
all my years.
We then took him to the log hotel.
He acted so bad that we had to bind
his ankles together. We came in con-
tact with woman at the hotel, that
seemed to be in charge, we were re-
fused rooms or Accommodations of any
kind Kenny told her what would sure
ly be done to her if she persisted. We
got three rooms, carried him up a
stairway, and threw him on bed. We
left Trump in charge, and hurried
away to get the other man.
Up to the time Of the arrest, Trump
did not suspect the nature Of our mis-
sion, or did either him or Kenny know
that I had gun. Trump was very
mad, and told us that If he knew what
we were going to do, he would have
"seen us in hell" before he would have
gone with us. He got some plain talk
that sobered him.
We hurried on for the other man.
The distance was about mile and a
half by trail around the south side of
the lake, rather thickly timbered, as
I recall When we we're out of sight
and hearing, Kenny and had good
talk was pretty mad Kenny, he
never would forgive himself, if I got
shot, and he wanted me to cash the
gun, but I didn't We moved at a
fast pace when we got near the place
out on the tip end of the point. We
heard men chopping and hammering
and driving nails. I asked Kenny to
wait a bit, and went ahead a little
way, took a cautious look through
brush, saw man and woman sitting
on log. There was work being done
erecting building. There were two
big tents to be seen, and other women
returned to Kenny and told him OF
the man and woman sitting on the
log, and that the man absolutely an
swered the description of the man
wanted and proposed we would walk up
as customers we would appear to be
Speak, ask him his name, and will
draw and say, put them up There
will be no trouble. he will put his
hands up, and you put the irons on.
mo, no, If we can't arrest him with
out pulling a gun and maybe killing
or get killed, then he can stay here"
"An right, you are the boss, don't
know if am even legally deputized"
We walked up. A good day was said
He still sat and was without arms. We
asked the man his name; he was our
man. Kenny told him the news, and
he answered by saving. "Well. that's