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ones exceedingly thirsty。 I never saw men drink such inordinate
quantities of water。 They called for it continually； gulped down a quart
or more at a time； and kept two men going nearly all the time carrying it
to them。
When Curtis finally arrived； he sat on the ground for a minute or so； to
rest； and then； reeking with filth； slowly and painfully climbed the
steps。 Delaney seemed to think he was suffering as much from fright as
anything else； and said to him：
〃Come on up； now； show yourself a man； and die game。〃
Again the priest resumed his reading； but it had no interest to Delaney；
who kept calling out directions to Pete Donelly； who was standing in the
crowd； as to dispositions to be made of certain bits of stolen property：
to give a watch to this one； a ring to another； and so on。 Once the
priest stopped and said：
〃My son； let the things of this earth go； and turn your attention toward
those of heaven。〃
Delaney paid no attention to this admonition。 The whole six then began
delivering farewell messages to those in the crowd。 Key pulled a watch
from his pocket and said：
〃Two minutes more to talk。〃
Delaney said cheerfully：
〃Well； good by； b'ys； if I've hurted any of y ez； I hope ye'll forgive
me。 Shpake up； now； any of yez that I've hurted； and say yell forgive
me。〃
We called upon Marion Friend； whose throat Delaney had tried to cut three
weeks before while robbing him of forty dollars； to come forward； but
Friend was not in a forgiving mood； and refused with an oath。
Key said：
〃Time's up！〃 put the watch back in his pocket and raised his hand like an
officer commanding a gun。 Harris and Payne laid hold of the ropes to the
supports of the planks。 Each of the six hangmen tied a condemned man's
hands； pulled a meal sack down over his head； placed the noose around his
neck； drew it up tolerably close； and sprang to the ground。 The priest
began praying aloud。
Key dropped his hand。 Payne and Harris snatched the supports out with a
single jerk。 The planks fell with a clatter。 Five of the bodies swung
around dizzily in the air。 The sixth that of 〃Mosby；〃 a large； powerful；
raw…boned man； one of the worst in the lot； and who； among other crimes；
had killed Limber Jim's brother…broke the rope； and fell with a thud to
the ground。 Some of the men ran forward； examined the body； and decided
that he still lived。 The rope was cut off his neck； the meal sack
removed； and water thrown in his face until consciousness returned。
At the first instant he thought he was in eternity。 He gasped out：
〃Where am I？ Am I in the other world？〃
Limber Jim muttered that they would soon show him where he was； and went
on grimly fixing up the scaffold anew。 〃Mosby〃 soon realized what had
happened； and the unrelenting purpose of the Regulator Chiefs。 Then he
began to beg piteously for his life； saying：
〃O for God's sake； do not put me up there again！ God has spared my life
once。 He meant that you should be merciful to me。〃
Limber Jim deigned him no reply。 When the scaffold was rearranged； and a
stout rope had replaced the broken one； he pulled the meal sack once more
over 〃Mosby's〃 head； who never ceased his pleadings。 Then picking up the
large man as if he were a baby； he carried him to the scaffold and handed
him up to Tom Larkin； who fitted the noose around his neck and sprang
down。 The supports had not been set with the same delicacy as at first；
and Limber Jim had to set his heel and wrench desperately at them before
he could force them out。 Then 〃Mosby〃 passed away without a struggle。
After hanging till life was extinct； the bodies were cut down； the meal…
sacks pulled off their faces； and the Regulators formal two parallel
lines； through which all the prisoners passed and took a look at the
bodies。 Pete Donnelly and Dick Allen knelt down and wiped the froth off
Delaney's lips； and swore vengeance against those who had done him to
death。
CHAPTER XXXVIII。
AFTER THE EXECUTIONFORMATION OF A POLICE FORCEITS FIRST CHIEF
〃SPANKING〃 AN OFFENDER。
After the executions Key； knowing that he； and all those prominently
connected with the hanging； would be in hourly danger of assassination if
they remained inside； secured details as nurses and ward…masters in the
hospital； and went outside。 In this crowd were Key； Ned Carrigan； Limber
Jim； Dick McCullough； the six hangmen； the two Corporals who pulled the
props from under the scaffold； and perhaps some others whom I do not now
remember。
In the meanwhile provision had been made for the future maintenance of
order in the prison by the organization of a regular police force； which
in time came to number twelve hundred men。 These were divided into
companies； under appropriate officers。 Guards were detailed for certain
locations； patrols passed through the camp in all directions continually；
and signals with whistles could summon sufficient assistance to suppress
any disturbance； or carry out any orders from the chief。
The chieftainship was first held by Key； but when he went outside he
appointed Sergeant A。 R。 Hill； of the One Hundredth O。 V。 I。 now a
resident of Wauseon； Ohio；his successor。 Hill was one of the
notabilities of that immense throng。 A great； broad…shouldered； giant；
in the prime of his manhoodthe beginning of his thirtieth yearhe was
as good…natured as big； and as mild…mannered as brave。 He spoke slowly；
softly； and with a slightly rustic twang； that was very tempting to a
certain class of sharps to take him up for a 〃luberly greeny。〃 The man
who did so usually repented his error in sack…cloth and ashes。
Hill first came into prominence as the victor in the most stubbornly
contested fight in the prison history of Belle Isle。 When the squad of
the One Hundredth Ohiocaptured at Limestone Station； East Tennessee； in
September；1863arrived on Belle Isle； a certain Jack Oliver； of the
Nineteenth Indiana； was the undisputed fistic monarch of the Island。
He did not bear his blushing honors modestly； few of a right arm that
indefinite locality known as 〃 the middle of next week；〃 is something
that the possessor can as little resist showing as can a girl her first
solitaire ring。 To know that one can certainly strike a disagreeable
fellow out of time is pretty sure to breed a desire to do that thing
whenever occasion serves。 Jack Oliver was one who did not let his biceps
rust in inaction； but thrashed everybody on the Island whom he thought
needed it； and his ideas as to those who should be included in this class
widened daily； until it began to appear that he would soon feel it his
duty to let no unwhipped man escape； but pound everybody on the Island。
One day his evil genius led him to abuse a rather elderly man belonging
to Hill's mess。 As he fired off his tirade of contumely； Hill said with
more than his usual 〃soft〃 rusticity：
〃MisterIdon'tthinkitjustrightforayoungmantocall
anoldonesuchbad names。〃
Jack Oliver turned on him savagely。
〃Well！ may be you want to take it up？〃
The grin on Hill's face looked still more verdant； as he answered with
gentle deliberation：
〃WellmisterIdon'tgoaroundahuntingthingsbutI
ginerallytakecareofallthat'ssentme！〃
Jack foamed； but his fiercest bluster could not drive that infantile
smile from Hill's face； nor provoke a change in the calm slowness of his
speech。
It was evident that nothing would do but a battle…royal； and Jack had
sense enough to see that the imperturbable rustic was likely to give him
a job of some difficulty。 He went off and came back with his clan； while
Hill's comrades of the One Hundredth gathered around to insure him fair
play。 Jack pulled off his coat and vest； rolled up his sleeves； and made
other elaborate preparations for the affray。 Hill； without removing a
garment； said； as he surveyed him with a mocking smile：
〃Misteryouseemtobeoneofthempartick…e…lerfellers。〃
Jack roared out；
〃By …； I'll make you partickeler before I get through with you。 Now；
how shall we settle this？ Regular stand…up…and knock…down； or rough and
tumble？〃
If anything Hill's face was more vacantly serene； and his tones blander
than ever； as he answered：
〃Strikeanygaitthatsuitsyou；Mister；I guessIwillbe
abletokeepupwithyou。〃
They closed。 Hill feinted with his left； and as Jack uncovered to guard；
he caught him fairly on the lower left ribs； by a blow from his mighty
right fist； that soundedas one of the by…standers expressed it〃like
striking a hollow log with a maul。〃
The color in Jack's face paled。 He did not seem to understand how he had
laid himself open to such a pass； and made the same mistake； receiving
again a sounding blow in the short ribs。 This taught him nothing；
either； for again he opened his guard in response to a feint； and again
caught a blow on his luckless left； ribs； that drove the blood from his
face and the breath from his body。 He reeled back among his supporters
for an instant to breathe。 Recovering his wind； be dashed at Hill
feinted strongly with his right； but delivered a terrible kick against
the lower part of the latter's abdomen。 Both closed and fought savagely
at half…arm's length for an instant； duri