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volume v.
ALI.YY. OREGON. XcVKMBKR 32, 1X72
NO. 12.
mii BEECHEY'S DREAM
And its Terrible Reality.
A Til- o? saec tfS 2CHim.
In the ngfl383, Hill Bcechey,
n ve known Oovcrnmeiit contractor
rt ixl a California pioneer, resided at a
place r:ilcrl Lewlston. in Idaho Terri
tory, when; he kept a tavern and
owned a stage line. Lewlstou was
then ill'' Crtlw-nl of Haho. and was
lieautlfoily situated upon the junction
of Clearwater and Snake rivers, and
upon the reservation of tin1 Jfenperee
liidl-m. flvebmidreo odd mile from
Portland. Oregon. This reservation
is surrounded by lofty mountain, and
- one ortho nio-t ctWmtuz countries
to be met with in the far-off West.
Ivirly in the mouth of August, 1803,
one moron
Hill Beechc
f, wiiiie ill ni" nreaiuasi.
said tn Id- wife :
t leav us today, and I
have U-eu
dreaming about him all
niirht. Hi'
lias srnt some ffood men
wit!) him. however, and if they keep
together Ik- may get tnrougn an ngm.
What with tite Italians ami highway
men, a mm carries his life in his
hand in these bnrts. BeMy Califor
nia was never h ill so had as Idaho is
to-day. By the war. the vlgilanfees
Iniug up eleven desperadoes at Ban
nack city last month, but there are
lots f them left."
" are say." replied Sftl. Pieeehey:
"am here lire several candidates tor
the gallows about here, if I'm not
much mistaken, ran see three men
now." she added, "who are destined
for no good end."
Mrs. Beechc y glanced towards a pile
of lumber, just across the street from
ih" tavern.' upon Which were sitting
three Indolent and desperate roughs,
named Howard, Romaine and Lowry. i
Mini Humane, I nr.i-t SMy. was ill
very likely appear'mgyonng man until
he not in with Howard and l.owry.
I'hey do say that Chris. Lowry and
line, Howard have both served terms!
in Ivistern penitentiaries. You've !
heard that havn't you t Why. what's
till matter. Hill?'' said his wife ; ;
"yon don't appear well."
'Oh. nothing particular." replied;
the landlord, "except I wa s thinking:
about Magrnder. He figured in all j
my dreams last night, my dear, and it ;
troubles me mors than a little. I'll
Cell you: I dreamed tha!, Magrnder j
was killed and robbed, and that How-
.inland Lowry were the men who did j
it. 1 -aw them kill him with an ax.
A snow storm was prevailing at the
time, and Magrnder was sitting sniok
lug at a Hre. I never In my life saw j
anything real that seemed so life-like. )
1 saw Chris. l.owry creep up behind ,
Magrnder and dispatch him with an j
tix."
You ought to tell Magrnder," re
marked Mr. Bcechey : "I would."
"Lord, no ! that would make me
the laughing stock of the reservation.
I (reams are hut the pastimes of sleep,
nt anv rate, and with me they always
amounted to nothing. But at Hie
same time. 1 "
Halloo, in them Heeehev .'" eiacu-
lated Magrnder. who had just rode up j
to the door of the tavern.
"Hallow, voni-self!" shouted Mr. i
Bcechey, appearing at the door, and
signaling tiie trader to enter.
Mr. Magruder dismounted and went
into the tavern, after having directed
his pack train forward.
Lloyd Magrnder was a successful
trader of Klk City. Idaho, and was at
this time on his way to the new min
ing region in the ucighlxirhood of Vir
ginia City, wltliflbout $25,000 worth of
goods. He was born and raised and
grew up to manhood In Montgomery
county, Maryland, in which section
many of bis old friends now reside.
After a halt hour's talk with Bcechey
nt the expiration of which the Litter
presented hi in with a splendid Henry
rifle. Mr. Magrnder examined lift pis
tols, mounted hi animal, and started
for Beaverhead, lour hundred miles
.away, taking what is known as the
N'c.pere lull', which lief over the
mountains and nits OlTsome seventeen
miles in the first hundred.
The next day Howard. Romaine.
and l.owry were joined by an old
trapper named Bill I'age, a miner
named Bob Zaehary, and three others.
Doc. Howard, who was one of the
most intelligent as well as one of the
liest educated men in the Territory,
and who vas generally looked upon
as a leader In all matter by his asso
ciates and oihers in that neighborhood
proposed that the whole parte should
start for the Virginia City mines. "I
think." said Howard, "that we had
better make tlie Lewlstoii people he
lieve we are going West, and them if
we do make anything we won't 1
robbed of It by our creditors."
This of course was agreed to, and
be eight men started little before
j dark tha' day. taking the
Ui't'gou road, sind (lisnp
j pen rtng from Lewbtou :u
I an opposite direction fr'm
1 the N'ezperec trail.
That night they eamp
: ed upon the Oregon roait,
I and Doc Howard stand
his plan of movement, a-
j agreed upon by him !:'
! and Lowry. as foltoo s :
"Now, hoys, j'il n.'
i yon what we'll do. Re
inember. we arc all lend
I up. We are good me ,
! hut we are broke.
! are willing to work. ' nt
1 we can't get it. IVecan't
! starve. God never
, t, aided that any of h!s
' creatures should stufe.
I 0-mOrrOW we M ill pro-"
over to the Beaverhi
road, and the next day
we will overtake 1.1 yd
Magrnder and join Ifitn.
We are all well mom W
and well armnl, and M i
grnder n il! do (lie Wl i
thing if we get tin- m '
ail right) Jle'Il give ii ;
all we am eat. ami If. he
does as well aMie in'i n
late to. iie'll give i: . a
t'njfli start. Be4de. rin
mines in Virginia City
arl the richest in the
lerritory. and this . .
Ix-st ehaiiee we shall ever
have to go there. v
are sure tn get there, vo 1
know : and if we ii"ii'i
like the prospects, con
found it. why we know the road back,
don't we? Magrnder is Well fixed, my
good fellows. Iietween you and I. anil
T think he will do the right thing by
us when we get to Virginia. At any
rate We get our grub free for a mouth
or two. just to accompany him ; that's
better than starving at Lewlston, and
having every body watch yon a
though you were a thief or an escaped
conv ct. Conic wiiat may. I'll never
return to Lewlstoii ; 111 Ik- bunged if
1 do."
"I'll lx hanged if I do," shouted
Kouialiie.
"And I'll be hanged if I do." shout
ed Chris. Lowry. "I'm with you.
Doe, ti:i death. How's that Mm :;"
"I'll never leave you, Chris." re
plied Romahie, "and you know what
kind of stu't' Howard's made of; why
I'd almost go to the devil with him. 1
swear I would."
"Well. Bill, what do you say?"
asked Howard, addressing I'age, "you
will go anywhure that you win get
your grub regular, won't you T
"That's what's the matter with
I'age." said the trapper.
"And van Bob?" he remarked to
Zachary: "you and your friends arc
all agreed of course?
"Why, ves." said Zaeharv : we
started with the crowd, and we're go-
mg io suck w n so ioiii; us rveryuniiK
is all right. I've known Llyod Ma-:
gruder ever since lie has been in Idaho.
Iie'll treat me Well, you bet your life: j
and all ofu as far as that is concerned; I
why certainly we're agreed, of course. !
The third day out they overtook I
Magrnder. and accompanied him as
far as Raiinnek City, where Bob
Zaehary and his three friends got n
job of work. They at once withdraw j
from the party, bade Magruder and ,
III Companion good bye. and the lat- i
ter proeeeled to irginlu City togeth
er, arriving in a few day alter.
As soon as Magrnder pitched his
tent a large crowd assembled from the
mines and n trade commenced which
(inly ceased upon the sale of tla last
article of goods. This occurred in
September. 113. During his stay in
Virginia. Howard and Lowry had
assisted Magruder in the store: Page
attended to the stock, and Bomahie
run the culinary department.
Karly In k!tober, "to'r having real
ized about thirty thousand dollars In
return tor hl goods, and sixty odd
Hrst class mules. Magruder signified
Id Intentk n of departing for Lewis,
ton. and so informed Howard, Ro
manic. Page and Lo'vry.
Now, li'iys, what are you going to
do ? Are yon going Into the mines at
once, or do you want to return to'
l.ew'hton?" said Magruder one even
ing at the fable. "If you say so," he
resumed, "I'll -w you all back, witha
clean bundled hi your pockets. I'm
going to take a drove of mules along,
and want some help, at any rate. Itc
sides the mountains-are full of Indians
and robbers, and a gang of good, brave
fellows, well mounted ami well armed,
is the most desired kind of companion
ship. Sav the word, anil we re on in
fortv-eiiilit hour, to a minute. How !
latitat. Doc?" j
"I'm agreed. I never yet left a
friend wlien I could be of any service
to him ; and I gnis wo'II all go, jfyr's
' " - i iiiawmnn " ......s l 1 "'"IwMil Mi
laHHlHl jjErUlb
th t's concerned. We cjih think tin
thing over to-night, and let you know
in the morning." said Howard.
"All right." rejoined Magrnder.
! "by the way. I forgot to mention that
we'll make a pretty strong crowd.
Charlie Allen, who you all know, and
who lias been up here trading since
spring, and Bill Philips an old friend
of in inc. are going to join us: and
then there are two good boys broth
ers from Boonevftle. Missouri I can't
think of their names who have got a
little dust and'.Wan't tngo along : I,
rather invited them. In fart ; for the
more the merrier, you know, especial- j
ly when the country is ovemn with
redskins and road agents."
After supper that night, and while
Page was corralling his stock. How
aril. Lowry andlSomalne loitered out
of camp, and canvassed tlie feasibility :
of future operation'. They sat down
together near the spring, and Howard
opened the conversation :
I tell you what it is." said he. de
termhiedly. "this is to Is- more than a !
preliminary affair. Sow tin' first thing
to be considered is Magrnder's money. J
lie's got at least $2.1.000, and that ,
must be taken from him at any cost.
I'd rather not kill him : hut that may i
be incidental to tlie object to be attain- j
j ed. The next thing is concert of ac
action. Now. I plcdjrc vou mv word.
I'll undertake tlh! management of the
entire alt'air if you'll stand by and
asist me in every way you can."
"I'm with you. Doe." replied Low
ry. "right from tlie wonl go. I'll
rather rob than kill, to he sure : but
at the same time. I'll do a much
bloody work as anybody, if it is nec
essary, and so will Romanic I've
proved him on such occasions; while
hi! is it little light waisted on blowing
a fellows brains out. he mm help bury
him, and take his regular 'divey' like
a mail. Why, I educated Jim lh-!
limine he wouldn't have made a first
class horse thief if he hadn't met Chris. !
l.owry. You sec. Doc., he Served a
regulay apprenticeship under liieamll
Charlie Aines-.lim did. but let him
speak for himself."
"Weil, Jim ?" asked Howard.
"I'm In." replied ihn.
"I told you so." said Chris.
"But yon nil st do the actual niur-j
tiering, if there's any to be done, for j
I can t knock a man in the head, like '
j Chris., j it as though he wis a steer." :
aimed Jtomaiue ; "but Cm with you ;
w hatever you do. and I'll perform my i
part so long a It is not striking the
fatal blow. Don't think I'm hacking j
a hit. Doc., for Chri-.. will tell yon j
for we've been tlmr that I will do my j
paw. I'll draw any man on if some-1
body will dtstmtch him. Remember j
that I don't want to shirk Ilic respon- j
sibllity. that k if Magruder must lie !
killed, I'm In favor of it, and I'll do!
my part and stick to you like a man." j
"That's the way to talk, Jim," said
Chris. "You merely want a second !
fiddle -don't you ?"'
"That's right, then, so fur." le- j
marked Howard. "We three under- j
fund each other perfectly well, and
will stick by each other till death."
M'm ned to that." said Lown.
"iait I very much prefer ymi wouldn't
touch upon that topic. It would shake
my 4tlH!Iveiies a little, if I aw a
.... I .1 i . . ..!.!..
f ang of vidian after us with a rope,
think under such rfrcttmstaimi. I
might bid you a respectful ndieo. That
reminds me of Tom Walker. They
had him up hi Denver for .stealing a
a mule, but couldn't (put prove it on
him. But the vigilance thought molt
of his room than they did of its coin
ptmy. so they put him on the hurri
cane deck of nil old windless horsoand
told hint he might have fifteen minutes
to leave town. Tom (gifted around
and saw ten or twelve law and order
men with ropes hi their hands and
taking a farewell chew of nigger-toe
he said: Weiillemeii. I'm much oblig
ed to yon. but if this little nulmfle
don't buck, I onlv want the.' and
awayheweutasifati-i-haiii;iierhad
Awn him a start. J.ut what were
you going to remark. Doc?"
"I was going to say that Page had
better In kept in the dark. While he
is too big a coward to blow on ik he
might let it out in some way, and
then the jig would be up."
"That 'a precisely what I wsis going
to suggest," slid Romanic.
"For that's concerned. " added
Lowry. "it may be necessary to Mai
him along with Magrialer. hi under
take to drown him in the spring to
night if we didn't need him. Yon -co
J)oe, hi' knows evcrv tmil in the eoiin-
try, and it a storm of snow shomd ( cruder never will get to I.cwision with
; come on we'd never get out in the i J, t anv rale. The world must sup
world. The best w ay is to let him port IK 'is mv text, mid I'm going to
know nothing of tlie affair whatever mVe a few pounds of that dust if I
until the nigfii of the action, unci then I stretch for it."
w e can deal with him as if he were a -That's the way to talk." said How
child. I don't kdleve liiil Page ever j ami. -And what do vou sav, Jim?'
killed a man in his lie : bill I'll bet ; be added, addressing "liiinscif to lto
you lie dies with III boots on, never- i nmii.c.
theless." "MvCod!" replhsl i he latter, "it
It was tiirtheragret.il thai they sliouhl .r( ins to me lobe too hhxKly : but PI!
till aconuiauy Magruder, Allen, and I he u-overned bv vou and Chris."
Philips. and the two Botaievllle boys
;h fir us Bamiack City, at which place
they would have another cousultatln :.
It was aiinnged that l.owry and lio
malne slionltTexhibita lawlianey about
returning to Lewlstoii. w inch opposi
tion they knew would 1 c overeonie by
Miigrudcr. Awl o it was ; for. on
being informed by Howard that iln-y
had inside up their minds to go into
the diggings. Magruder went to them,
promised m give then; two hundred
dollars apiece, ami finally, as he
thought, pur-uadetl fhcni io accom
pany him to Lewlstoii. which caused a
good deal of rejoicing hi lliu camp.
In due time tlie party reached Ban
naek City and wont Into camp with
the agreement that tin y should remain
there three davs. Ju-i as thev arrived
a large party was iK-partlng for Lew- i
i . ton. to one of whom Magruder Iih j
tru-ted a letter It) his wlfi in vvhldl he j
wrote that ho had sold out Ids stock
with liertect snctvs.. and wonTI have j
ilanuack City with a strong crowd hi :
tirtiw day, "lk-re, hooliiojjndl. I
"my wile will tell that all over town ;
and it tnere ix; any man agents wiitcti- ,
lug my movements I'll throw -them off
their truard and arrive at Lewisfon
before they get out."
A lew "hours after his arrival at
Baiuiidk City Howaol mKBobZach
arjJfflTliis throe friends, who had re
mained at that place since their arn-
teir arrl-1
val. As soon a tliey met Zaclry,
wlio knew rtiat there must be some- j
thing In tlie wind, accosted Howard, 1
vltli (
"Well, Doc., what's up, eh? Ma
grnder w ell fixed ? all hands loaded
with dust, or would like to be? or
mean to he say ? Can't fool one of the
boys, you know. Doc How many of
yon are there?"
"Nine in all." replied Howard.
"N'ine in all. who are thev?"
There's Magrnder. old Bill Phil
lins. Charlie Allen, Chris, and Jim.
and myself, and there's a couple of
Missouri Boy along I don't know
much about them they've got two or
three thousand dollars in dust apiece,
I believe."
"How much did Magrnder make up
there."
"Oh he done mighty well. He'sgot
about 25. (Kit) in dust, and as fine a
band of mules as yon ever put eye
on."
"How's old man Phillips fixed."
"Well, 1 guess he's got three or four
thousand dollars."'
"And CharHe Allen!"
"Charlie's busted. 1 guess he haint
got an ounce in the world. Some of
the boys overhauled him at bis camp,
you know, a tew months ago, and
cleaned him dead didu't leave him
enough for a ooektaU."
"Pshaw!"
"Sure."
v. ho were the party"
"I don't know. l' think it wa
i harlie. Ames and his gang. They've
been doing a ripping business all
through here, and are now at Washoe.1'
Well, to court down to dots. What
do yop propose to do with the rty
yon ve got In tow?
To lie brief. Hob. we propose to
relieve Magrnder of all he's got, get
off to the river, make for Portland,
ai d take the first steamer for San
Francisco. We are going to meet to
morrow iiirit for final arrangements,
and you're invited. I'll tell Homaiue
and Lowry that I've met you, and
that you are In."
I'll Is: there."
All the necessary arrangement liad
been made on tin- night of the 13th of
October, for an early start to Lewis
ton on the following morning. Ami
while Magruder, Allen. Phillips, ami
the two Missouri law were asleep,
and Page was oil' with his slock, and
Howard and llomanim' were mi guard,
th" latter was joined by Bob Zaehary
and Chris, Lowry.
I he lire was stirred up. a? it was a
h,ii(.r lHjt jjwhfc and the shiverlmr
desperadoes not near cadi other, and
prepared their plan of action.
"To commence with." said How
ard, "and to be brief and to the point
we've got to klii Magruder. Allen.
Phillips, ami the two Missouriiins. I
have been scheming in my own mind
unceasingly, and I can arrive at no
other plan."
"I have no objection to that, if It is
acceptable lo tlie others," said Lowry;
I have no morescropW a'tottt killing
a man than I have a calf, if it is abso
lutely necessary. We may as well
have his money as iiiivIhhIv else. Ma-
i And you, Bob?" interrogated
; Howard.
: "I can't join von." said Zaehary.
1 -lint yon
"Won't stand in the way," said
i Xiiehary. "1 tlmt whatymi were going
i to say, "Doc.?"
i "YiV h(. replied.
"Doc. Howard, tin re honor among
i thieves. I will not -iautl in your way,
j you know ; ami you know very weli
i I will not attempt to frustrate you,
i either ; and. however the thing may
i terminate, here's my linnd. I know
I no more about it than the lathe un
I bos'ii."
j "But why won't you join us ?" ak-
crt noma
sine, trcmbliiu; frem land lo
foot at the bare recital of Howard'
murderous Itblli.
.-Yos. whv won't vou join us?"
ndtenttwl Lowry, "maybe you tan
p,pose soaue other modi'."
...y,. m nwtl t(, propositions," re-
nmrun Howard; ofcmre 1 amhear-
lih favor tffc h,?st plan tluit can
-mted."
w' tkc Magnuler and tie
j,jm 0 tree?
asketl Zaehary.
"les, yes,' isaid Komalne.
"And wlnt would you do with the
other four?" Howard inquired.
"You've got to kill tlwra," aaid
Lowry, mvi Magimler. too. if we
i had only one man to deal with we
lnut t e him to a tree, but in this
.tiSir sd,IM,bodv has act to be hurt.
jv Hiwmsts Itself to iue a be-
ng the Mirestaiitl safeat."
(XlNTUtVKO W Mtt'BTU PAOK.