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Show 66 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS. and a large anvil, in lieu of a cannon, was loaded for a welcoming salute. In due time the Governor and his escort, in a spring wagon, which was newly painted and gaily decorated for the occasion, drew up in front of the orator. The Governor thrust his hand in the breast of his closely buttoned coat and assumed, from force of habit, a dignified and striking attitude. Bennett had prepared a real old-fashioned spread eagle speech, full of solid rhapsodies on our Italian1 climate and exhilerating atmosphere. But, just as he had launched out with " fellow citizens," the cannon went off, whether by accident or in a spirit of mischief, was never known; but it certainly did " spread itself" in the effort to make its presence known, and gave the speaker a mightier "send-off" than was expected or desired. The enthusiastic crowd scattered in every direction, and the orator was so stunned that he forgot what came next, or what he was there for. This, mind you, occurred about the beginning of the war. A majority of the people of Colorado were loyal to the Government. A better illustration cannot be cited than that related by Judge Wilbur F. Stonex" Soon after the Territorial organization, two young men, who had been working for a miner at Gold Run, in Summit county, stole a large quantity of gold dust from their employer. They were pursued, captured, brought back to the gulch, tried by a ' miners' court' and sentenced to be hanged. In the meantime A. C. Hunt, then United States Marshal for the district of Colorado, learned of the affair while passing through Park county in charge of some prisoners, and at once dispatched to me a warrant for the arrest of the culprits, sending me, at the same |
