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Show BOOKBINDING done at t'no Her ald office in best styles and cheapest rates. A HUtlK 1I1IXS NKKTUn. A Di'uiilvui TiiKu!y and a Won -11 r T.-Ml u City. The seeoud day ot A mil w i Hi. slurmieht day experienced in lh' Black Hills during the ihd. r. Tur snow was whirled ahnut in blinding, iiddying clouds, muring everybody to crowd indoors. The unforlu nates who were encamped in and about the neighborhood gulehe tin Lud into the dark, chcerle-et cabins and huddled together in nhivering group aUmt the pitch or pine I) res, kept up for the free accommodation nfIl who might seek war mil i and shelter within doors. At -east thirty men had congregated 111 the iii"l pr.Mii-ineiil pr.Mii-ineiil bluitt, the tatgesl mil h. at in Custer. Tho mud llor was remit red muddier by the thawing of the ic- and .snow which dripped in simill slr-ams from the rnngli wrappings of the eu-mopolitan assemblage. j The btort is a deserted military Inn-racks, a large, low, barn-likej allair, containing beds, tilactaiuith's form, carpenter'! bench, har-room, J grocery and notion nlure, and re-, porter's ile.sk. The center of atlrae-1 lion was tho bar, which was being h lu-1 rally patronized by the shivering! crowd. A paitv of young men from Salt j Lake and tho mines nl Nevada came riinhing inio the store, and, willi loud, oouterous bragauneia, took possession of tho bar. Ranging themselves in a row in its front, th-y called lor "ome o' that ar licktr." Round alt.-r round nf whicky was pound down, and still liny stood mid talk.il, and a lore ami laughed. Tney had ju-i arrived from Cheyenne- aft-r a twenty days' voyage, and were about lo t.ep-irate t.ep-irate ami each co his own way, poimj to thu nonh otiicrs smith, and one r two lo remain; and this was the farewell drunk. For fully two hours they stood before tho bar, pouring down whisky, and about one o'clock started for the door, whero their, teams stood shiverim: in t tic storm. Alexander Shaw and Pom Milhgan were partners, both from Silt Lake, ' bjth young, rough, but alleclionale I'riemit;. jiiHt on tnu point of shaking1 hands before parting. They reached the d'or and rushed forth, shouting and yelling liko drunken men often do, and Milligan drew his revolver, ami find in the air. ' Fire lower. Tom, i r you' II hit some of us." said a companion. Tiki lat. ! the pislol w;ts raised again by the reeling man There was a dash, a report and Aleck Shaw reeled and fell across the threshold jt the dour. "G.hU (iV.! Tom what bav,' you done? D:d yon shot Aleck, i'.vn," , said one of the party. "No, he's only po-u.niiiL', boys,"; answered one. "Get up, G d d -n you, Aleck, and come lake a drink." The reckless shooter stagen-d lo the prostrate form which lay upon' -Ls face, and Seizing him bv the coat collar turned it over. A ghastly, sickening sight was presented to vie -v. The pale face was striped with blo.-d, whicli oozed out of a small hole in the forehead. The bullet had pierce ! through the the brain, and iiad Imlgul beneath the skull upon the bagk uf i the head. For a moment the drunken man stared down in;o his friend s bloody lace, then his countenance counte-nance assumed a deadly pallor, his eyes became tixed with horror. He was sober. Turning round to hi-horrified hi-horrified com pinions he said as he threw his pistol down " Boys, I didn't go to da it. I'll !wear 1 didn't mean to kill him." Then bursting into tears he clasped h: hands to hi-. , face aud stco I s hhing like a child. j "He was the best friend I had in the world, boys, and 1 loved him lik--a brother. Oh, Go I, what have 1 done! What have 1 d-.ne!" "Let's hang him," suggested some excitable individual behind the half-sobered half-sobered group of Sail Like num. "No, no! None o' tiiat ere busii.c-s-just yet in Custer. Tne man muit have a triai," s..id a citizen, coolly, as he drew his revolver. "I arrest you, sir, in tiu name of the citizens ol CusLcr," said Pete McKay, Mc-Kay, the merchant, and Milligan itood meekly awaiting the grasp of the law. "Who'll dart to arrest him?" said one of the drunkeu Salt Lakers. "Vnu Ipt en nf him. von Pele Metav. You've got no legal authority to ar-j rest him, sa jest take your claws oil, him or I'll i "Tula is my authority, said Pele McKay, drawing his pistol. "I am a: citizen of Custer, and intend to turn, this man over to the city marshal.; Who dares to interfere with me?" "No one!" answered one or two oi ; the bystanders, and a half a dez. n . pietols flashed out Ironi their se-ih I ! bards and for several minutes there j was an ominous silence in the group. I It was a hue tableaux. There lay tne victim of a drunken ruffian's reck lessness, the brains slowly oozing from the hole in the forehead. Over him lood the sobered rulfian, pale and paralyzed with horror, wmle pistol in hand stood the merchant grasping the shoulder of the submissive sub-missive Milligan; behind him a duz. n or more miners, hunters and emigrants, eileuily supporting the stern, determined merchant, while opposito them were ranged lie- Salt Lake party, irresolute and surprind. It was a eritical period in the history of Custer. A shot from either hide would havo resulted in a terrible slaughter. The least attempt to rescuo Milligan would have brought forth a volley from the citizeus. and then Judge Lynch would havo been called iu lo finish up the business. Marshal Burroughs, late of Denver, took charge of the prisoner. A jury was at once empanneled and a Iron-tier Iron-tier trial commenced in a little log cabin, the home, office, bedroom and court room of the provisional judge. The trial was brief; the principal witness was the reporter; nearly all the other spectators present at the tragedy were too drunk to remember what transpired. The six jurymen brought in a verdict of "not guilty." Then tho acquitted man was rear re-ar res led for shooting within the city limits, and fined $'2o and costs, which was paid, ana Milligan Btarled forth a free man, to drink, brag, and shoot again should the spirit prompt him so to do. |