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8
THE BARRIER
Illustrated by
DENMAN FINK
CHAPTER XV.—And a Knot
Tightened
A day of shattered hopes is a desolate
thing, but the night of such a day is
desolate indeed. In all hts life Poleon
Doret had never sunk to such depths of
deepon<iency. for his optimistic philoso
phy and his buoyant faith in the good
ness of life forbade it. Therefore, when
darkness came it blotted out what little
brightness and light and hope were left
to him after Necia's stormy interview
with the lieutenant. The arrival of the
freight steamer afforded him some dis
traction. but there was only a small con
signment for the store, and that was
quickly disposed of; so. leaving the other
citizens of Flambeau to wrangle over
their private merchandise, he went back
to his solitary vigil, which Anally became
so unbearable that he sought to escape
his thoughts, o* at least to drown them
for a while, amid the lights and life and
laughter of Stark's saloon. Being but a
child of nature, his means of distraction
were primal and elementary, and he be
gan to gamble, as usual with hard luck,
for the cards had ever been unkind to
him. He did not think of winnings or los
ings. however—he merely craved the occu
pation. and it was this that induced him
to sit at a game in which Runnion
played, although ordinarily he would not
have tolerated even tacitly such a truce
of his dislikes. As it was. he crouched
tn a corner, his hat pulled down over his
brow, his swarthy face a darker hue
beneath the shadow, losing steadily, only
bow and then showing a flash of white
teeth as he saw his money go. What mat
tered loss to him? He had no more need
of money now than Necla had of his love.
He would spend the dollars he had eked
and scraped and saved for her as she
had spent the treasures of his heart,
and now that the one had brought him
bo return he wished to be rid of the
other, for he was shortly to go again
in search of his “New Country,” where
Bo man needs gold half so much as a
clean heart. It would be a long journey,
far to the west and north—a journey
that none of’his kind had ever fared
back from, and he wished to go light,
as all good adventurers go.
Runnion annoyed him with his volubil
ity, for the news of his good fortune
han fired the man with a reckless dis
regard for money, and he turned to gam
ing as the one natural recourse of his
ilk. As the irony of fate would have it.
he won what the Canadian lost, together
with the stakes of various others who
played for a time with him. and then
gave up, wagging their heads or swearing
softly at the cards.
It was shortly after midnight that Stark
rame into the place. Poleon was not too
absorbed in his own fortunes to fail to
notice the extraordinary ferocity and
exhilaration of the saloon-keeper, nor
that his face was keener, bis nostrils
thinner, his walk more nervous, and his
voice more cutting than usual when he
spoke to Runnion.
“Come here."
Til be with you when I finish this
hand.” said the player, over his shoulder.
“Come here!” Stark snapped his com
mand. and Runnion threw down his
cards
“I’m right in the middle of a winning
streak. You’ll break my luck. Ben.”
But the other only frowned impatient
ly, and. drawing the reluctant gambler
aside, began to talk rapidly to him, al
most within ear-shot of Poleon. who
had to say that could make Runnion start
had to say that could mawe Runnion start
and act so queerly. Well, it was their af
fair. They made a bad pair to draw to.
He knew that Runnion was the saloon
keeper s lieutenant and obeyed implicitly
his senior’s commands. He could dis
tinguish nothing they said, nor was he
at all curious until a knot of noisy men
crowded up to the bar. and. forcing the
two back nearer to the table where he
sat. his sharp ears caught these words
from Runnion's lips:
"Not with me! She’d never go with
me!'' and Starks reply:
“She’ll go where I send her, and with
anybody I tell her to.”
The Frenchman lost what followed, for
a newly dealt hand required study. He
■canned his cards, and tossed the*i face
up before the dealer; then he overheard
Runnion say:
“It’s the only one in camp. He might
■ell it if you offered him enough.” At
this Stark called one of the men at the
bar aside, and the three began to dicker.
"Not a cent less.” the third man an
announced, loudly. “There ain't an
other Peterborough in town.”
It was Poleon's deal now, and when
he had finished boti. Stark and Runnion
had disappeared, also the man they had
accosted, which pleased the Canadian,
for now that Runnion was eliminated
from the game he might win a little. A
steady, unvarying run of bad hands is
uninteresting, and does not occupy one's
mind as well as an occasional change of
luck.
Outside Runnion was saying again to
Stark:
'•She won’t go with me. Ben; she don’t
like me. You see. I made love to her,
and she got mad and wanted me killed.”
••She'll never know who you are until
it's too late to turn back.” said the
other, “and you are the only man I can
trust to take her through. I can trust
you—you owe me too much to be
crooked.” ,
“Oh. PH act square with you! But
look here, what's all this about, anyhow?
Why do you want that girl? You said
you didn't care for her that way; you
told me so yourself. Been having a
change of heart, or is it your second
childhood?” He laughed disagreeably.
“It’s none of your business.” said the
gambler. “I want her. and that's
enough. All you have to do is to take
her to St. Michael's and keep her there
till you hear from me. She thinks she
is going to the mission, and you needn't
tell her otherwise until you get her
■board a steamer; then take her. no mat
ter what kind of a fight she puts up.
You’ve got a light-rowing skiff, and you'd
better keep going till you're overtaken
by a down-river boat. I want her as far
away from here as possible. There's
going to be some hel! in this camp. Now,
hike, and get yourself ready.”
“All right! But I ain’t the safest kind
WINCHESTER.
' ’PS
By REX BEACH,
Author of "THE SPOILERS"
of a chaperon for a good looking girl."
Stark laid a cold hand on Runnion's
shoulder, close up to his neck.
“Get that out of your mind. She be
longs to me.”
"You said just now—*’
“Never mind what I said. She's mine,
and you've got to promise to be straight
with her. I've trusted you before, and if
you're not on the level now, say so. It
will save you a lot of trouble.”
“Oh! Ail right!” exclaimed Runnion,
testily. "Only it looks mighty queer.”
He melted into the darkness and Stark
returned to his cabin, where he paced
back and forth impatiently, smiling evilly
now and then, consulting his watch at
frequent intervals. A black look had be
gun to settle on his face, but It vanished
when Necla came, and he met her with a
smile.
“I was afraid you had weakened,” he
said. “Everything is ready and waiting.
I've got the only canoe in the place, a
Peterborough, and hired a good oareman
to put you through, instructing him to
make as fast time as he can. and to board
the first steamer that overtakes you. Too
bad this freighter that just got In Isn't
going the other way. However, there's
liable to be another any hour, and if one
doesn't come along you'll find enough
blankets and food in the skiff, so you
needn’t go a&hore. You'll be there before
you know it.”
“You are very kind,” said the girl. “1
can't thank you enough.” She was cloth
ed in her simple every-day dress, and
looked again the sun-colored half-breed
girl with tne wide, dark eyes and the
twin braids of crow-black hair.
“You didn't run into anybody, eh?”
She shook her head. Then he led her
out into the darkness, and they stumbled
down to the river’s bank, descending to
the gravelly water's edge, where rows
of clumsy hand-sawed boats and poling
skiffs were chafing at their painters. The
up-river steamer was just clearing.
Stark's low whistle was answered a
hundred yards below, and they searched
out a darker blot that proved to be a
man's figure.
“Is everything ready V' he inquired, at
which the shadow grunted unintelligibly.
So, holding Necla by the arm. Stark help
ed her back to a seat In the stern.
“This man will take you through,” he
said. “You can trust him, all right.”
The oarsman clambered in and adjusted
his sweeps, then Stark laid a hand on
the prow and shoved the light boat out
into the current, calling softly:
"Good-bye, and good luck."
"Good-bye, Mr. Stark. Thank you ever
so much," the girl replied, too numb and
worn out to say much, or to notice or care
whither she was bound or who was her
boatman. She had been swept along too
swiftly to reason or fear for herself any
more.
Half an hour later the scattered lights
of the little camp winked and twinkled
for the last time. Turning, she set her
face forward, and, adjusting the cushions
to her. comfort, strained her tired eyes
towards the rising and falling shadow of
her boatman. She seemed borne along on
a mystic river of gloom that hissed and
gurgled about hei;, invisible but all-per
vading. irresistible, monstrous, only the
ceaseless, monotonous creak of the row
locks breaking the silence.
Stark did not return to his cabin, but
went back instead to his saloon, where
he saw Poleon Doret still sprawling with
elbows on the table, his hat pulled low
above his sullen face. The owner of the
place passed behind the bar and poured
himself a full glass of whisky, which he
tossed off, then, without a look to right or
left, went out and down towards the bar
racks. A light behind the drawn curtains
of the officer's house told that
his man was not abed, but he
waited a long moment after his
summons before the door was opened,
during which he heard the occupant
moving about and another door close
in the rear. When he was allowed en
trance at last he found the young man
alone in a smoke-filled room with a
bottle and two empty glasses on the ta
ble.
For at the sound of his voice Gale had
whispered to Burrell, "Keep him out!”
and the Lieutenant had decided to re
fuse his late visitor admittance when
he lighted on the expedient of conceal
ing the trader in the bedroom at the
rear. It was only natural, he reasoned,
that Gale should dislike to face a man
like Stark before he had regained his
composure.
"Go in there and wait till I see what
he wants,” he had said, and, shutting
the old man tn, he had gone forth to
admit Stark, resenting his ill-timed intru
sion and inquiring brusquely the cause
of it.
Before answering Stark entered and
closed the door behind him.
“I've got some work for you. Lieuten
ant.”
“I guess it can wait till morning,”
said Meade.
“No. it can't; it's got to be done to
night, right now! You represent the law,
or at least you’ve taken every occasion
to so declare yourself, and to mix in with
little things that don't cut much figure;
so now I've come to you with something
big. It's a serious affair, and being as
I'm a peaceful man I want to go by the
law.” His eyes mocked the w’ords he
uttered. “You're mighty prompt and de
termined when it comes to regulating
such affairs. You seem to carry the
weight of this whole community on your
shoulders, so I'm here to give you some
information.*-'
Burrell ignored the taunt, and said,
quietly: “It's a little late for polite
conversation. Come to the point.”
“I've got a criminal for you.”
“What kind?”
“Murderer.”
“You've had a killing in your place,
eh?”
“No, I've just made a discovery. I
found it all out by accident, too—pure
accident. By heaven! You can't tell me
there isn't a beneficent Providence over
looking our affairs. Why, this felon has
lived here among us all this time, and
only for the merest chance I never
would have recognized him."
"Well, well! Go on!” snapped Burrell,
impatiently.
"He's a friend of yours, and a highly
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Published March. I**-
respected party. He’s a glorious exam
ple to this whole river.”
The officer strted. Could it be? he won
dered. Could knowledge of this affair
have reached this man? He was uncom
fortably aware of that presence in the
back room, but he had to know the
truth.
"Who is the man?”
"He’s your friend. He's —" Stark paus
ed, gloating over his enemy’s suspense.
“Go on.”
“He’s everybody’s friend. He's the
shining mark of this whole country. He's
the benevolent renegade, Squaw-man
Gale.”
“John Gale?”
"Gaylord is his name, and I was a fool
not to know it sooner.”
‘•»How did you discover this?” inquired
Burrell, lamely. "What proof have
you?”
The disclosure had not affected the sol
dier as Stark expected, and his anger
began to lift itself.
“That’s neither here nor there; tne
man's a murder; he’s wanted in Cali
fornia, where I came from; he’s been
indicted, and there's a price on his head.
He’s hidden for fitteen years, but he 11
hang as sure as I stand here.
Disclosures of a complex nature had so
crowded on Burrell in the last few hours
that he saw himself the center of a most
unfortunate and amazing tangle. Things
were difficult enough as it was, but to
have this man appear and cry for justice
-this man above all others!—it was a
complication quite unlooked for a hid
eous mockery. He must gain time for
thought. One false step might ruin all.
He could not face this on the spur of
the moment; so, shrugging his shoulders
with an air of polite skepticism, he as
sumed a tone of good-natured raillery.
“Fifteen years? Murder? John Gale a
murderer? Why, that's almost—pardon
me if I smile—l’m getting sleepy. What
proof have you?”
“Proof!” blazed the gambler. "Proof!
Ask Gaylord! Proof! Why, the woman he
murdered was my wife!”
It was Burrell’s turn now to fall inco
herent, and not only did his speech for
sake him, but his thoughts went madly
veering off into a wilderness where there
was no trail, no light, no hope. W hat
kind of a coil was this? What frightful
bones were these he bared? This man
was Bennett! This was Necia’s father!
This man he hated, this man who was
bad, whose name was a curse throughout
the length and breadth of the west, was
the father of the girl he loved! His head
began to whirl, then the story of the
trader came back to him, and he re
membered who and what the bearer of
these later tidings was. He raised a pair
of eyes that had become furious and
bloodshot, and suddenly realized that the
man before him, who persisted in sad
dling upon Gale this heinous crime, was
the slayer of Necia's mother; for he did
not doubt Gale’s story for an instant. He
found his fingers writhing to feel the
creature s throat.
"Proof!” Stark was growling. “How
much .proof do you need? I’ve followed
him for fifteen years. I’ve tracked him
with men and dogs through woods and
deserts and mining camps. I’ve slept on
his trail for five thousand miles, and now
do you think I'm mistaken? He killed
my wife, I say, and robbed me of my
little girl! That’s her in his house. That’s
her he calls Necia. She’s my girl—my
girl, do you understand?—and I’ll have
his life!”
It was hate that animated him, and
nothing more. He had no joy in the find
ing of his offspring, no uplifted thought
of justice. The thirst for revenge, per
sonal, violent, utter, was all that prompt
ed this man; but Burrell had no inkling
yet of the father's well-shaped plans, nor
how far-reaching they were, and could
barely stammer:
“So! You—you know?” ,
"Yes! She wears the evidence around
her neck, and if that isn’t enough I can
furnish more—evidence enough to smoth
er you. My name isn’t Stark at all; I
changed it years ago for certain reasons.
I’ve changed it more than once, but that’s
my privilege and my own affair. Her
name is Merridy Bennett.”
“I don’t suppose you know I’m going
to marry her,” said the Kentuckian, ir
relevantly."
"No,” replied the other; “I wasn’t
aware of the fact.”
“Well, I am. I’ll be your son-in-law.”
He said this as if it were the statement
of an astonishing truth, whereat Stark
grinned, a mirthless, disquieting sort of
grimace, and said:
“There's a lot of things for you and
me to settle up first. For one thing. I
want those mines of hers.”
"Why?”
"Well, I’m her father, and she's not of
age.”
"I’ll think it over.”
“I’ll take them, anyway, as her next of
kin.” '
Burrell did not follow up this statement,
for its truth was incontrovertible, and
showed that the father’s ill-will was too
tangible a thing to be concealed so he
continued:
"We’ll adjust that after Gale is at
tended to; but, meanwhile, what do you
want me to do?”
"I want you to arrest the man who
killed my wife. If you don’t take him
the miners will. I’ve got a following in
this camp, and I’ll raise a crowd in 15
minutes—enough to hang this squaw-man,
or bater down your barracks to get him.
But I don't want to do that; I want to
go by the law you've talked so much
about; I want you to do the trick.”
At last Burrell saw the gambler’s dev
iltry. He knew Stark’s reputation too well
to think that he feared a meeting with
Gale, for the man had lived In hope of
that these fifteen years, and had shaped
his life around such a meeting; but this
indirect method—the Kentuckian felt a
flash of reluctant admiration for a man
who could mould a vengeance with such
cruel hands, and even though he came
from the land of feuds, where hate is a
precious thing, the cunning strength of
this man's enmity dwarfted any he had
ever known. Stark had planned his settle
ment coldly and with deliberate malice;
moreover, he was strong enough to stand
aside and let another take his place, and
thus deny to Gale the final recourse of a
hunted beast, the desperate satisfaction
that the trader craved. He tied his ene
my’s hands and delivered him up with
his thirst unsatisfied—to whom? He thrust
a weapon into* the hand of his other ene
my. and bade this other enemy use it;
worse than that, forced him to strike the
man he honored—the man he loved. Bur
rell never doubted that Stark had care
fully weighed the effect of this upon Ne
cla, and had reasoned that a girl like her
could not understand a soldier’s duty if
It meant the blood of a parent. If he
refused to act, the gambler could break
him. while every effort he made to pro
tect Gale would but Increase the other’s
satisfaction. There was no chance of
the trader's escape. Stark held him in
his hand. His followers would do his
bidding. It was a desperate affair. Was
it impossible, the lieutenant wondered, to
move this man from his purpose?
"Have you thought of Necia? She loves
Gale. What effect will this have on
her?”
“Dam her! She’s more his brat than
mine. I want John Gaylord!”
At this a vicious frenzy overtook Bur
rell. and he thought of the man behind
yonder floor, whom he had forgotten un
til these words woke something savage
in him. Well! Why not These two men
had stalked each other clear into the
farthest places, driven by forces that
were older than the hills. Who was he to
stand between such passions? This was
ordained, and was the course of nature,
the clash of elements, and this was a fair
battle-ground, to why should he under
take to stop a* thing decreed
The gamier’s words rang in his ears—
"l want John Gaylord”—and before he
knew what he was doing he had answer
ed: “Very well. I'll give him to you,"
and crossed quickly to the door of his
bedroom and flung it open. On the
threshold he paused stock-still. * The
place was empty; a draught sucked
through the open window, flirting with
the curtain and telling the story of the
trader’s exit.
“If you’re looking for your coat, it’s
here,” he heard Stark say. “Get into it,
and we’ll go for him.”
The lieutenant’s mind was working fast
enough now. In all conscience, and he
saw with clear and fateful eyes whither
he was being led, at which a sudden reck
less disregard for consequences seized
him. He felt a blind fury at being pulled
and hauled and driven by this creature,
and also an unreasoning anggr at Gale’s
defection. But it was the thought of Ne
cia and the horrible net of evil in which
this man had ensnared them both that
galled him most. It was all a terrible
tangle, in which’the truth was hopelessly
hidden, and nothing but harm could come
from attempting to unravel it. There
was but one solution, and that, though
fundamental and effective, was not to be
expected from an officer or the law. Nev
ertheless, he chose it, for Ben Stark was
too potent a force for evil to be at large,
and needed extermination as truly as if
he were some dangerous beast. He deter
mined to finish this thing here and now.
Meade went to his bureau, took his re
volver from the belt where he had hung
it, and came out into the other room.
Sark, seeing the weapon, exclaimed:
"You don’t need that; he won’t resist
you.”
“I’ve decided not to take him,’ ’said
Burrell.
“Decided not to take him?” shouted the
other. “Have you weakened? Don’t in
tend to arrest that man?”
“No!” cried the soldier. "I’ve listened
to your lies long enough; now I’m going
to stop (them, once for all. Your’e too
dangerous to have around.”
They faced each other silently a mo
ment; then Stark spoke in a very quiet
voice, though his eyes were glittering:
"What's the meaning of this? Are you
crazy?”
“Gale was here just before you came,
and told me who killed your wife. I
know.”
“You do?”
“I do.”
"Well?”
“It’s pretty late. This place is lonely.
This is the simplest way.”
The gambler fell to studying his antag
onist, and when he did not speak Burrell
Continued:
"Come, brace up! I’m giving you a
chance.”
But Stark shook his head.
“Don’t be afraid,” insisted the lieuten
ant. "There are no witnesses. If you get
me, nobody will know, and your word is
good. If not—it’s much simpler than the
other.” Then, when the gambler still
made no move, he Insisted. t'You wouldn t
have me kill you like a rattlesnake?”
“You couldn't,” aaiu the older man.
"You're not that kind—and I’m not tho
kind to tie cheated, either. Listen! I’ve
lived over forty years, and I never took
less than was coming to me. 31 won t be
gin tonight.” m
"You’ll get your share—
“ Bah! You don’t know what I mean,
don’t want you; it’s him I’m after, and
when I’m done with him I’ll take care of
you; but I won’t run any risk right now.
I won’t take a chance on losing what I ve
risked so much to gain, what I’ve lived
tbore fifteen years to get. You might put
m« away—there’s the possibllity-and I
wo«’t let you or any other man—or
woman either, not even my girl-cheat
me out of Gale. Put up your gun.
The soldier hesitated, then did as he
was bidden, for this man knew him bet
ter than he knew himself.
“I ought to treat you like a mad dog,
but I can’t do it while your hands arc
up. I’m going to fight for John. Gale,
however, and you can’t take him.”
“I'll have his carcass hung to my ridge
pole before daylight.”
“No.” < , .
"I say yes!” Stark turned to go, but
paused at the door. “And you think you 11
marry Necia. do you?”
"I know it.”
“Like hell you will. Suppose you find
her first.”
“What do you mean? Wait—”
But his visitor was gone, leaving behind
him a lover already sorely vexed, and
now harassed by a new and sudden ap
prehension. What venom the man distill
ed! Could it be that he had sent Necla
away? Burrell scouted the idea. She
wasn't the kind to go at Stark’s mere
behest; and as for his forcing her, why.
this was not an age of abductions! He
might aim to take her, but it would re
quire some time to establish his rights,
and even then there were Gale and him
self to be reckoned with. Still, this was
no time for Idling, and he might as well
make certain, so the young man put on
his coat hurriedly, knowing there was
work to do. There was no telling what
this night would bring forth, but first
he must warn his friend, after which
they would fight this thing together, not
as soldier and civilian, but as man and
man, not for the law, but against it. He
smiled as he realized the situation. Well,
he was through with the army, anyhow;
his path was -strange and new from this
time henceforth, and led him away from
all he had known, taking him among
other peoples; but he did not flinch, for it
led to her. Behind him was that for
mer life; tonight he began anew.
Stark traced his way back to his cabin
in a ten times fiercer mood than he had
come, reviling, cursing, hating; back back
past the dark trading-post he went, paus
ing to shake his clenched fist and grind
out an oath between his teeth; past the
dooro of his own saloon, which was
a-light, and whence came the sound of
revelry, through the scattered houses,
where he went more by feel than by sight,
up to the door of his own shack. He fit
ted his key in the lock, but the door
swung open without his aid, at which he
remembered that he had only pulled it
after him when he came away with Ne
cla. He closed it behind him now, and
locked it, for he had some thinking to
do; theqj felt through his pockets for a
match, and, striking it, bent over his
lamp to adjust the wick. It flared up
steady and strong at last, flooding the.
narrow place with Its illumination; then
he straightened up and turned towards
the bed to throw off his coat, when sud
denly every muscle of his body leaped
with an uncontrollable spasm, as if he
had uncovered a deadly serpent coiled and
ready to spring. In spite of himself his
lungs contracted as if with the grip of
giant hands, and his breath came forth
in a startled cry.
John Gale was sitting at his table, bare
ly an arm's-length away, his gray-blue
eyes fixed upon him, and the deep seams
of his heavy face set as if graven in
stone. His huge, knotted hands were up
on the table, and between them lay a
naked knife.
Continued in Next Issue
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the Texas Wonder for years, and recom
mend it to any one suffering with any
kidney trouble as being the best remedy
we ever sold. J. B. YOUNG. Sold by all
druggists. Price $1 by mail from St
Louis.
BALKS ON PASSAGE
OF PROHIBITION BILL
COLUMBIA, S. C., Feb. 26.—The senate re
fused by a vote of 28 to 9 to pass either a
straight statewide prohibition bill, such as the
house passed, or a statewide referendum meas
ure. It finally passed to the third reading a
bill providing for statewide prohibition on
the first Tueseday in August with the proviso
allowing the present “wet’’ counties to vote
dispensaries liack on the third Tuesday in
August and allowing the present “dry” eotin
tles to go back to liquor by petition for election
under the present, law.
The probibtlonlsts have gained practically
nothing and this little bit will be rejected by
the honae.
The whole matter will go to a free confer
ence, where it will likely die.
;I® fl Conforming to every requirement of the Pure Food Laws, insuring B \xT
11l 11 "f >urest " Whiskies for medicinal or personal uses.
'' iLk It Shipments made in plain packages same day orders received. &
\\ I! Money refunded upon return of goods if not entirely satisfactory, ®
ALL EXPRESS CHARGES PREPAID.
7 *■ A In ’J 0 ®*’ In Bottles. Z
• A- fj Per GaL 3 Gal. 4 Qta. 8 Qta. ’
COCKADE RYE .... 3.15 6.00 . .. ~~
B AMULET CORN 2.65 5.00
FTtS. Eureka Rye 32.00 35.75 324:0 34.20
I \ i. TTP T Dan River Rye 2.25 6.45 2.45 4.75 1 ’
I ■ Grey Goose Rye 2.50 7.20 2.70 5.25
I w lSatisfaction Rye 3.00 8.70 3.20 6.25
: \ ~ Old Henry Rye 3.50 10.00 4.00 7.75 \\ fl
Greenwood Rye 4.00 11.40 4.50 8.75
f TivWWPMMgffiI iIM Jefferson Club Rye 4.00 11.40 5.00 0.75
Highspire Rye 5.00 14.00 6.00 11.50
N - c - Tuckahoe Corn 2.00 5.75 2.20 4.20 '/{///
N. C. Swallow Corn 2.50 7.20 2.70 5.25
Virginia Corn Whiskey 3.00 8.70 3.20 0.15 » >r IOOTH AND rltLl-U’’
, ■HK///II Very Old N. C. Corn Whiskey. 3:50 10.00 t— rr —
IZ 1 / ///// I\X •*■ Old Burro Corn Whiskey 4.00 7.75 For mit
FAGHtONF.O COPPER PIST.M-« P Swan Gin 2.25 6.45 2.60 5.00 ANO OTHER*"
Ut COIKDJC SUrrh Apple Brandy 2.50 7.20 2.70 5.25
WV Very Old Apple Brandy 3.50 10.00 4.00 7.75 IHF ffiUCINS CfTPr
SOLE PROPRIETORS Peach Brandy 3.50 10.00 4.00 7.75 ** WV
COUSINS SUPPLY CO. ‘
The Old Reliable Mail Order House,
GEORGE BELL GETS
OUT Os ASYLUM
MACON, Ga., Feb. 26.—At a hearing
held before Judge Hal Lewis at Greens
boro yesterday afternon the stigma of a
charge of lunacy was removed from the
head of George H. Bell, the former rep
resentative from Swainsboro, Emanuel
county. Today Bell is with his father,
mother, wife and sisters at his old home.
There is general rejoicing at his home,
today.
In thirty days Bell will receive from
the officials of the state asylum at Mil
ledgeville papers to show an honorable
discharge from that institution, unless
lunacy proceedings are taken out against
him in the meantime. It is not believed
that such a step will be taken, however,
as the officials while returning on a train
to Milledgeville yesterday, stated that
they had no desire to press the case.
Contentions of Attorney
In the court room at Greensboro yes
terday it was pointed out by Colonel Mc-
Neil how illegal proceedings had been
employed at the outset to keep Bell in the
asylum. Through the endeavors of Dr.
Green Bell, the father of the former rep
resentative, George Bell was sent to the
state private sanitarium of Dr. Allen at
Milledgeville three years ago. It was
while he was incarcerated there that the
lunacy hearing was held in Swainsboro,
and the young man adjudged a fit subject
for the state asylum. Such a proceeding
was illegal and furnished a foundation
for the fight to secure his release.
When George Bell went back to his
home yesterday after an absence of
three years, he was accompanied by his
father, his mother and his two sisters.
The release of Bell was in a large meas
ure due to the efforts of Mrs. Blanch
Burton, a former actress, whom Bell be
friended while connected with the same
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theatrical company out west. Mrs. Bur
ton was ill and the manager of her com
pany sought to leave her behind, when
Bell forced him to care for the sick wo
man.
Mrs. Burton is the wife of a wealthy
Indianapolis manufacturer, who is spend
ing the winter in Macon. She arrived at
Greensboro yesterday in the same coach
with Mr. Bell, sat with his family
throughout the trial and was the first
to congratulate him when the judge gave
the order.
W. D. McNeil, a prominent young law
yer in Macon, was Interested in the case
and made a strong fight which won Bell’s
freedom. ♦
Bell was termed a “paranoic” and de
clared to be suffering from delusional in
sanity by Superintendent Jones, of the
state sanitarium, and Drs. Green and
Little, attending physicians.
In a statement made on the witness
stand yesterday. Bell declared he prayed
to die while confined in the asylum. He
says he was associated with gibbering
idiots. He says such association makes
one doubt if the things he says can really
be and are not the imaginings of an in
sane mind and if he has been sane for the
last three years how he has managed to
remain so.
He said his wife, who is now living
at Waycross, had not been loyal to him
in that he had been allowed to be im
prisoned and she did not try to get him
out.
"I will never live with her again,
which I think is satisfactory, but I deny
I have ever criticised her and defy the
universe to prove it.”
He took up the subject of telepathy,
thought transmission and the like, and
told of some of his experiences, adding
"I used to travel as d hypnotjfet, though
I wasn’t much of a one.”
He concluded his statement by declar
ing that he had never threatened his
father, brother, wife or sister. That he
could never feel the same toward “Dr.
Green Bell,” and would never go back
there to live. “I want to add,” he said,
“that the only prayer I have prayed in
a jury In Baldwin county passed on his
sanity without hearing evidence and
15 years has been in the asylum, when I
psayed to die.”
Injections of Poisons
He began his statement with April,
prior to his commitment in May, 1906,
and declared that he drank no whisky
in that month except that given by his
wife through the doctor's orders, and
that he saw no necessity for tha forci
ble injection of the poisons which Dr.
Green Bell gave him and which he pro
tested so givorously. He fben told of
his first trip to Dr. Allen and his re
turn to Swainsboro, where he said his
business had been confiscated, and de
spite the fact that he belonged to four
secret orders, he was bereft of friends.
The petition was read at the habeas
corpus hearing in Greensboro Thursday
afternoon by Attorney McNeal, of Ma
con, alleging that George H.
Bell was committed to the asy
lum without due process of law, that
without any sort of trial. He alleged that
his commitment was the result of a con
spiracy, that he had been greatly abused
while In the asylum and that repeated ef
forts had been made by himself to have
an opportunity to be heard and a fair
trial before the courts; that his father
had injected morphine and other poisons
into his body and he believed that if con
tinued It would result in his death;
therefore he resisted further treatment
along this line from his father; that his
father then swore out a writ of lunacy
and a jury was summoned to pass on the
question of his sanity but that the jury
said that they had seen him and were
satisfied that he was insane without
hearing evidence. This was not denied b>
respondents in their answer read by At
torney J. E. Pottle.
His father, Dr. Greene Bell, testified
that he did inject morphine and other
medicine into his body, thinking that it
was for his physical benefit to do so
and not with any desire to harm him in
any way. That he swore out a writ of
lunacy thinking at the time he wa si
crazy. ’
One of the physicians of the asylum
sworp that he thought petitioner's trouble
was caused from chronic alcoholism.
