The Snow-Shoe Itinerant; An Autobiography of the REV. John L. Dyer, Familiarly Known as "Father Dyer," of the Colorado Conference, Methodist Episcopal

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1890. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... Chapter XIX. LAKE COUNTY OUTRAGES--CONTINUED. 7V STRANGE fascination holds me to this dreadful scene. No wonder. My son, educated, bright, wayward it may be, but honest and fearless--to have been so wickedly torn away from me! O, the weary, weary months of anguish; the alternate flashes of revenge and forgiveness; the bitter struggles between wrath and mercy! God have pity!--even now, when I retrace the efforts to traduce his character, made by his cowardly murderers, my old blood boils! My son was not perfect; but his sins were against himself, and his last letters show how his better nature was dominating. We give first the newspaper report of the foiling of the lynchers, as printed in the Rocky Mountain News: Elijah Gibbs, who was, last October [1874], tried for and acquitted of the murder of George Harrington on Coon Creek, in June, arrived in town yesterday afternoon, by the Denver and Rio Grande Railway. He had telegraphed to Sheriff Willoughby to meet him at the depot; but, the latter not doing so, he went to the store of W. T. Lambert, who is a connection, to whose house he proceeded shortly after. About seven he went over to the jail, where he intended to pass the night as a matter of precaution, lest some of his friends, the vigilantes, might be lurking about Denver. He was met at the jail by a News reporter, to whom he gave, substantially, the following narrative: Last Friday, about midnight, I was aroused by a party of men coming to my house, and knocking and kicking violently at the door. I asked who was there, and was answered by the question: Is Gibbs at home? I answered I was, and then some one said: Get up, and come out; we want to see you. Would not morning do as well?' I asked. No, we want you now. We will give you ten minutes to get out...