THE RESULT 261 
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 com- 
fortably 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 ver- 
_ dict 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 
