Longarm and the Yuma Prison by Tabor Evans

and the others. Those other two card players are willing to testify that not only were the cardsharps working together in their crooked poker game, but that when my father challenged them, the pair of cheaters drew first.”
    â€œI see.” Longarm frowned. “But unless we have a new judge, this fresh testimony won’t matter.”
    â€œThat’s right,” Hamilton quickly agreed. “We have to have a new judge. A federal judge coming in from the outside.”
    That made sense to Longarm. “But how can you possibly convince a federal judge to come to Yuma to rehear the case?”
    â€œI can because he is my brother.”
    Longarm drew in a deep breath. “Wouldn’t that sort of put you in a conflict of interest situation?”
    â€œNormally, yes. But here are the facts. The two dead gamblers that Tom Ray gunned down had been in gunfights over cards before. They had killed a man in Taos, New Mexico, but got off clean. Also, I can prove that by putting Tom Ray forever behind bars, they were able to forge papers and take over his and Jessica’s mining claim. I think we can get my brother over here and have the sentence reversed and all of this behind us in less than two weeks.”
    Longarm came to his feet. “So my job would be to protect you and Jessica until that happens?”
    â€œThat’s right. And the pair that are willing to testify that Tom Ray acted entirely in self-defense.”
    â€œWho are these two guys?”
    â€œThey both work for Mitch Lang, who is tied in with the current judge as well as Marshal Beeson.”
    â€œWhat does Mitch Lang do here?”
    â€œAbout everything,” Hamilton said. “He owns the bank and the largest mercantile store. He has connections with the railroad and the paddle wheel steamboats so he actually controls most of the commerce that moves in and out of Yuma.”
    â€œAnd I expect that Judge Thompson, Marshal Beeson, his deputies, and most of the city officials jump when he snaps his fingers.”
    â€œThat’s right. Mitch Lang has a financial and commercial stranglehold on Yuma, but if we can prove that he was part of forging papers to take over Tom and Jessica’s mining claim, I think we can break his power and maybe . . . maybe even see him and his cronies sent up to that prison on the hill where Jessica’s innocent father now swelters and suffers.”
    â€œI’d like to see that,” Longarm admitted.
    â€œSo would we.”
    â€œI’d like to get back to the two men who were at the card table when Jessica’s father shot them. Who are these men and are they working here in Yuma?”
    â€œNo,” Hamilton said, “they are working at the mining claim that you just visited.”
    â€œHow interesting. Please describe them.”
    â€œBoth are thin and missing several of their front teeth. Both are miners in their mid-twenties and sporting goatees and mustaches. They’re nice fellas and . . .”
    â€œI know exactly who they are,” Longarm said. “I got them drunk and they stripped down and soaked themselves in the river.”
    â€œTheir names are Albert Dodd and Carl Wittman.”
    â€œDo they know what we intend to do?”
    The attorney shook his head. “They don’t know anything other than what they told me they saw that night of the shooting. And I’ll be honest with you, Marshal Long, if they think that they are going to be killed over this . . . they’ll bolt and run like jackrabbits. The only reason they are willing to testify is because I can help them in a courtroom and will do it for free.”
    â€œAnd,” Jessica added, “I’ve agreed to sell them a share of our claim for a reasonable price.”
    â€œWhy would you do that?” Longarm asked.
    Jessica looked to Hamilton, who cleared his throat and explained, “If we bring Mitch Lang, the judge, and the marshal