title: The Wayward Sheriffs of Witch County: True Misadventures of Operating America's Oldest Jail and Courthouse
author: Robert Ellis Cahill
description: Robert E. Cahill has published over 100 feature articles in Yankee, National Geographic and other national magazines. In addition, he has published over thirty non-fiction books about New England life, lore, and history. Prior to his work as an author, he served as a lieutenant in the Army Intelligence in East Africa, dove professionally as a scuba diver, served as a Massachusetts state representative, served as the Sheriff of Essex County and worked in advertising and public relations.
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  ![cover](resources/_cover_.jpg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  # The Sheriffs Bluff
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ### Thomas Nelson Page
  
  
  This page formatted 2007 Blackmask Online.
  
  
  http://www.blackmask.com
  
  * [I](sherb_split_2.html#1_0_2)
  
  
  * [II](sherb_split_3.html#1_0_3)
  
  
  * [III](sherb_split_4.html#1_0_4)
  
  
  * [IV](sherb_split_5.html#1_0_5)
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
      
  
  Produced by David Widger
  
  
  
  
  
  THE SHERIFFS BLUFF
  
  
  By Thomas Nelson Page
  
  
  Charles Scribner's Sons New York, 1908
  
  
  Copyright, 1891, 1904, 1906
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ### I
  
  
  
  
  
    
  The county of H———was an old Colonial county, and even as late as
  
  
  the time of my story contained many Colonial relics. Among them were
  
  
  the court-house and the jail, and, at that time, the Judge and the
  
  
  Sheriff.
  
  
    
  The court-house was an old brick edifice of solemn and grayish
  
  
  brown, with a portico whose mighty columns might have stood before a
  
  
  temple of Minerva overlooking the Ægean Sea. With its thick walls and
  
  
  massive barred windows, it might have been thought the jail, 