A CASE OF LYNCH LAW.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume I, Issue 27, 14 January 1911, Page 3 (Supplement)

A CASE OF LYNCH LAW.

These was only one train a day out of the Louisiana town, where about a 1 dozen of us had somehow come to- '! gather, and that leit at eight o’clock in the morning. Every guest .in the house made arrangements to leave’ on Sunday morning, as it was understood there would be no Sunday train. The landlord was a good fellow, and he didn't go mad when one after the other kindly informed him that it was the poor-ait excuse for an note! they had ever run across in all their travels. Ho let its kick about the meat, coffee, beds, and ail else, and charged us up to two dollars a day with a sorrowful look on liis face. He was sorry to; have us go away, but when we insisted he hoped to see us all again. Just after i breakfast, and as we were all ready to start for the depot, a sudden commoI tion was heard outside. Then a strapI ping big negro backed into view around ! the corner, and came to a halt in front of the hotel. He was armed with an j old cavalry sabre, and he was a desI perate man. Pretty soon two white I men came into view, each armed wiijh a ’shot-gun. “Bv George!'’ exclaimed the landlord, but they’ve finally run that nigger down. Gentlemen, don’t shoot, for we want to take him alive and burn liim at the stake. That nigger has killed seven people around here, and we want to make him suffer. You all get up the road and head him off.” AVe formed across the street to cut off escape, but the black man paid no heed to us. Ho was watching the two men with guns. They appeared to be in no hurry to close in upon him, and acted as if rather scared of Ins weapon. “ Look yere. Bill!” cried one; “you might as well surrender and take your medicine!” “Keep-away from me, or I’ll make dog-meat of dis crowd I” answered the desperado. “Bill, you know me!” shouted tho landlord from the reran- ■ dah. “Yes, I knows yo’, Afasser AVilliar.is,” was tho reply. “You’d better surrender, Bill. You’re hemmed in. Just as sure as yur make a break yur will bo shot down!” “What’s yo’ all gwine to do wid me if I surrender!” " Why, I suppose you will lie taken to gaol and have a trial.” “Somebody ihm tolo me ye’ was gwine to tie me up an’ sot fiah to me.” “Don’t you believe that. Bill; you just surrender to mo and I’ll see that you have a fair trial.” “If you 'lon't, I’ll give you this handful of buckshot!” added one of the tnen. as he handled his weapon in a threatening manner. The black man backed np a few steps. Then he looked all round him as if to note what chance there was to break through. He finally asked for five minutes to consider, and tho landlord replied, "Give him five minutes, boys, and if he does not surrender in that time open fire upon him !” The desperado took six minutes, and then sullenly surrendered, and was marched off. We then headed for the depot, but tlie landlord called after us, “ AVhero are you ail goin’ to now? The train has been gone ten minutes!” Such was the fact, and after a great deal of swearing wo had to settle down to remain until Monday morning. It was after dinner on Sunday before anything dropped. Tlieh, in parsing along the kitchen verandah, I espied the desperado of the day before with a cook’s apron on. “ Why, why, I thought you were in gaol,” I said, as I stood before him. “ I thought you Yankees de smartest, cutest folks in de worl’,” he quietly replied, “but yo’ dun know beans when de bag's ontied. Hush, now! I’ll see yo’ latrc-.” He did, and he told me it t was all a “put up job” to make us miss the train and have to remain over Sunday. He bound me over to keep secrecy. and I kept .ny promise, but it was awfully hard to be deprived of the privilege of sheeting that landlord full of holes when we settled up again on Monday morning, and he heaved a sigh and said, “Mighty .sorry, gentlemen, mighty sorry you can’t be here to-mor-row an’ see us burn that nigger at a stake, right out hers on the public square!”