The Fat of the Land: The Story of an American FarmStreeter, John Williams
Science
The Fat of the Land: The Story of an American Farm
Streeter, John Williams
Agriculture
"I'd give a ten-acre lot to have been with you, lads," said the big
farmer as he started off.
Word had been sent to Dr. High to be ready to care for some broken
heads. Two hours later I drove to the Inn at Exeter and found the doctor
just commencing the work of repair. Thirteen men had been brought in by
the wagon, twelve of them more or less cut and bruised about the head,
and all needing some surgical attention. The thirteenth man was stone
dead. A terrific blow on the back of the head had crushed his skull as
if it had been an egg-shell, and he must have died instantly. After
looking this poor fellow over to make sure that there was no hope for
him, we turned our attention to the wounded. The barn had been turned
into a hospital, and in two hours we had a dozen sore heads well cared
for, and their owners comfortably placed for the night on soft hay
covered by blankets from the Inn. Mrs. French brought tea and gruels for
the thirsty, feverish fellows, and we placed Otto and the big Irishman
on duty as nurses for the night. The coroner had been summoned, and
arrived as we finished our work. He was an energetic official, and lost
no time in getting a jury of six to listen to the statements which the
wounded men would give. To their credit be it said that every one who
gave testimony at all, gave it to the effect that the miners were
crazy-drunk, that they stopped the carriage, provoked the fight, and did
their utmost to disable or destroy the enemy. The coroner would listen
to no further testimony, but gave the case to the jury. In five minutes
their verdict was returned, "justifiable and commendable homicide by
person unknown to the jury."
The news of a fight and the death of a miner had reached Gordonville,
where it created intense excitement. By the time the inquest was over a
crowd of at least fifty miners had collected near the barn. Much
grumbling and some loud threats were heard. Jackson took it upon himself
to meet these angry men, and no one could have done better. Stepping
upon a box which raised him a foot or two above the crowd, he said:--
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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