Year: 1873

since, found stage load of passen-
gers gathered together around the
warm fire of a tavern bar-room in a
New England village. Shortly after
we arrived, peddler drove up and
ordered that his horse should be sta
bled for the night. After we had
eaten supper we repaired to the bar
room, where the conversation flowed
freely. Several anecdotes had been
related, and finally the peddler was
called upon to give us story, as men
of his profession are generally full of
adventures and anecdotes. He was a
short, thick-set man, somewhere about
forty years of age; and gave evidence
Of great physical strngth. He gave
his name as Lemuel Vinney, and his
home was in Dover, N. III.


swell, gentlemen" he commenced,
knocking the ashes from his pipe and
putting it into his pocket, suppose l
tell you about the last thing of any
consequence that happened to me-
You see am now right from the
West, and on my way home for win
ter quarters. 1t was during the early
part of last spring, one pleasant even
ing, that ! pulled up in front of the door
Of a small village tavern in Hancock
county, Indiana. I Isaid it was pleas
anti meant warm. | went in and
called for supper, and had my horse
taken. care Of After I had eaten l
sat down in the bar-room. 1t began
to rain about eight o'clock, and it was
very dark out of doors.


"Now l wanted to be in Jackson
the next morning, for / expected a
load of goods there for me, which l in
tended TO dispose of on my way home.
The moon would rise about midnight,
and knew if it did not rain I could
get along through the mud after that.
So l asked the landlord if he would
see that my horse was fed about mid
night, as / wished to be off about
two. He expressed some surprise at
this, and asked me why / did not stop
for breakfast. l told him | had sold
my last load about out, and that new
lot OF goods was waiting for me at
Jackson, and l wanted to get there
before the express agent left in the
morning.


"There were a number of persons
sitting round while I told this, but |
took little notice of them, Only one
arrested my attention. had seen
notices that week for the detection of
a notorious robber. The bills gave a
description of his person, and the man
before me answered very well to it,
He was tall, well-formed man, rath.
er slight framed, and had the appear
ance of a gentleman, save that his face
bore those hard, cruel marks Which
an observing man cannot mistake for
but the index of a villainous disposi-
ton.


"When / went to my bed-chamber
/ asked the landlord who that man
was, describing the individual He
said that he did not know him; he
had come that afternoon, and intended
to leave the next day. The host
asked me why l wished to know, and
if was acquainted with him.


II resolved not to let the landlord
into the secret, but to hurry on to
Jackson, and there give information
to the Sheriff, and perhaps he might
reach the inn before the villain lett,
for l had no doubt of his identity.


II had an alarm watch, and having
set it TO give the alarm at one o'clock,
/ went to sleep. / was aroused at
the proper time, and dressed myself
When l reached the yard I found the
clouds passed away, and the moon
was shining brightly. The hostler
was esily aroused, and by two o'clock
l was on the road. The mud was
deep, and my horse could not travel
very fast. However, on we went, and
in the course of half an hour | was
clear from the village. At a short
distance ahead lay large tract Of
pine forest. The road lay direct
through this wood, and, as near as |
can remember; the distance was IL
miles. Yet the moon was in the east,
and as the road ran nearly west, |
thought / Ishould have light enough.


II had entered the wood and gone
about half a mile, when my wagon
wheels settled with a bump and jerk
into deep hole. ! uttered an ex-
clamation Of astonishment. But this
was not ALL heard another exclama-
tion from some source. What could
it meant / looked quietly around,
but could see nothing; yet | knew the
sound / heard was very near me. AS
the hind wheels came up heard
something tumble from one side to
the other OF my wagon, and | could
feel the jar occasioned by the move.
meAt. II was simply q man in my
cartl / knew this on the instant. OF
course / felt puzzled. At first l i'm
agined that some one had taken this
method to obtain ride. My next
idea was that somebody got there to
sleep; but this passed away as soon
as it came, for no man would have
broken into a cart for that purpose
And that thought gentlmen, opened
my eyes. Who ever was there had
broken in. My next thought was Of
the suspicious individual ! had seen
at the tavern. He heard me say that
my load was all sold out, and Of
course he supposed that had some
money with me. In this he was night,
for l had over two thousand dollars.
/ thought he ment to leave the cart
when he supposed l had reached q
safe place, and then creep over and
shoot me, or knock me down, All
this passed through my mind by the
time had got a rod from the hole.


In a few moments my resolution
was formed. My horse was knee