The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1868-12-11
A TALE WESTERN LIFE.

OObtClbucu 10 GCdtn SOuuCibHCu- W
p IRISH ANONYMOUSLY on the scaffoll Con
uemned to bid a disgraceful adieu to wife,
mo her. children, and fiends. pa : ~
The poor man went aloud in the extrem~
ity of his anguish HIS trembling lips could
frame no prayer, and thus the last av nue.
of comfort was closed against him. The
most direct and unequivocal circumstantial
evidence surrounded this doomed man.
Floyd Fletcher by name,-and the jury, in
bringing in their verdict of Guilty in the
first degree, had only acted upon their So
Der CONVICTION of the mans guilt, drawn
from overwhelming evidence. rx 3e
Charles Lancaster, an Englishman and a
neighbor Of Fetcher's, had been found
bruta ly murdered, in lone spot in the SUI
burbs of LoLdJB, ,Fletcl er's pistol vas
picked up near him thrown aside as he
found himself pursued.
Footprints in the mud correspon led ex>
actly to the boots the prisoner wore, and TO
crown all, they had been the Ii ter and in
veterate enemies for months previous
Fletcher had letn heard to say, on several
occasions, that nothing but the man s
death could have satisfied his own impaca>
bic vengeance ); and then, again, he could
produce no one to assist in establishing an
allbl lloyd was a man very domestic in
bis habits, and very devoiedly attached to
his family. He was never known to b.
absent from home in the evening, and yet,
On this particular night, Mrs Fletcher
waiting up until daylight for his return, ex
pectIng every moment, on accouLt OF the
circumstance being so UMPIRE cadented, to
have him brought home to her corpse.
he. seemed to be, recovering from the
deep stupor of intoxication as he entered
his wife resence on the morning descr,b
ed, and only knew just enough to find the
bed, and slept profoundly. -t. E..... =.
AT the time of his arrest, his hands were
found lame and bruised; so this With the
rest, made sum total too crushing for the
skilliiul counsel he had employed, and the
result YVES, Hanged by the neck, Fletcher,
till you are dead and God have mercy on
your soul.
1t lacked now only three days to the
time of execution, and there he sat, III his
lynely, comfortless white washed cell, with
his head bowed in his hands. -
Can nothing be done? Must | die
TINS poor, miserable dog that am? Oh
God where art Thou2 Will Omnipo-
tcnce allow an innocent man to perish :?
Out upon such God as that ~ and the
poor fellow struck wildly at his prison
house grooming SO deeply that he aroused
the at entiOn of the turnkey, who was ass
ing the &c ].
The iron door swung back upon its creak-
ing hinges, and the stalwart form of the
keeper appeared before him.
Come, Fletcher, less noise here Be a
man! You amt the first teller that's had
to swing,-not by long shot. You won t
get much sympathy here if you act like a
nursing infant, can tell you. Die game,
Gletcher, die game
But I'm innocent | tell you, you obi
wretch l am as innocent of the crime as my
little, girl-baby at home. Oh, my wife |!
my children - a
''Oh, shut up! here's your old womaa
now. 81
The hardened turnkey waited moment
to witness the meeting of this suffering
couple, and then muttering curses, with
drew. q
But the condemned man and his loving,
faithful wife took no notice Of his depart
ure, lut clasped in each Others arms,
waited tor camness to spc ak.
oh Floyd God have mercy on us
all, my husband! And now, listen Lie
down here; place your head on my lap. /
SOtiethib0 " soy ~ yOo'
Tel me, Sarah, did they search you
this time p he asked, grasping her hands
eagerly.
Yes, Floyd, and they found nothing.
repented my rash promise to you lefore
reached home Come what may, suicide
must Lot not be your fase But lis en-:
You sec that [ am calm and comparatively
happy. And let me tell you what has pro-
duced the change. A sweet little dream,
N which | saw you, Floyd, darlings, alto,
gcther, comfortable and happy"
i. Oh, Sarah talk not of dreams to
doomed man like me! Perhaps. We may
be happy in another existence but no,
that cannot be. for surely, if there is God
he viii not allow an Innocent man to die
the death of the guilty, Oh, no, Sarah, -
no no - R~ sg4
Keep up your courage, my dear hus-
band; certain strange mysterious some
thing assures me that all will yet be we'll
how, or in what manner, heaven only
knows" 1ftsa HT
Il wish l could see it; wish / could
feel 1t, Sarah. Do not misezd me with
false konaS (lL M, God IF tI,o.a rx>,,iI