Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1868-08-24
ALMOST AN ESCAPE.
Adventures OF a Negro Horse
Thief.

Thief
Some eighteen months ago several
: valuable animals were stolen from the
stables of R. c. Erwin, Esq, of Her
nando, Miss. The fact was duly tele-
graphed and made known in this city at
the headquarters of the Metropolitan
Police, and Detective SeIkirk was set to
work the case up. In due course OF time
the thief made his appearance in the
city, as was supposed he would, and was
arrested by Selkirk. He proved to be
notorious charscter-a negro named
LyttletOn Johnson, who had already
earned a reputation for himself in police
circles.
He was conveyed to fernando and
lodged in jail, whence he was taken by
the military authorities and carried to
Vieksburg, to be tried by court martial.
Tires months passed on, however, and
hs was not brought to trial, but sent
back TO Fernando and again lodged in
Jail. There he remained for several
months, and about five months ago, in
company with two other negroes, broke
Jail and disappeared altogether.
In the course of two months or go, De-
tective Selkirk, whose sleepless eyes
have been and are. the terror of so many
evil doors, espied him in town again,
and dropped on him. BE very
/ loudly and vehemently declared that he
had been discharged from custody; but
| hia eaptor made inquiries at fernando, |
! by telegraph, and was answered that he |
was wanted.n He was again taken |
down to Mississippi and lodged in his old |
quarters. There he remained scarcely a
/ month before the desire to be Tout and |
doing" again impelled him to strike a
blow for freedom. During the night he
made a hole in the wall of his cell, I'M
der the window, and Selling hold of the |
easement, pulled himself outside, draw
ing with him blanket and a piece Of
rope, which he was making into 3 cattle
to let himself down to the ground, when
daylight came upon him and he was dis
covered. A ladder was placed against
the building, and he was again secured
and incareersted in an iron cage, the
floor of which was of solid sheet iron.
This cage was left inside the jail, and he
was kept close prisoner in it. About a
week ago-a day or two before his trial
his wife was allowed to visit him, and
the twain left alone for awhile by the
jsiler, who, after waiting a due time, re-
turned and found the couple just taking
a final embrace before parting.
Tears were being shed copiously by
both parties, and the jailer, who is \
kind hearted man, was melted by the
affecting scene. A finn gathered ever
his eyes, and kindly and tenderly ne
escorted the bereaved lady A" out to the
open air, leaving her husband blubbering
in the cage into which his deviitry had
gotten him.
After the "lsdy" left the jail door, it
suddenly struck the jsiler, whose eyes
had begun to be somewhat freed from
the briny mist which the sight of so much
"conjugal infelicity" had occasiened, |
that the figure rapidly bustling down the
street was rather taller and not quite
so plethoric around the waist as the
one that he had admitted as Mrs.
Lyttleton Johnson, and he Immediately
made tracks after the supposed "her.n
On overtaking "her," she proved to :
be none other than the redoubtable Lyt. =
Teton himself, who had changed buds Z
with his devoted spouse, and was about r
making off in guise OF woman. i
1t is needless to say, as the writers In I
BOnner's Ledger say, that he was i'm !
medisteiy reincarcerated in due course +
of time was tried and convicted, and SEN n
fenced to three years imprisonment. Z
SOMETHING For A FATHER Or HUs. :
BAND TO READ.-It is well known fact :
that not one man in hundred succeeds
during life in amassiDg enough to sup. :
port in comfort those who are dependent I
upon him, for one single year after he
shall have been called away from them, Z
ana vet there is no man in whose heart I
the wish is not uppermost to provide for ~
those nearest and dearest to him, after
has claimed him andhe can no long :
or work fer them. How strange II is, then, =
with opportunities on every side of them :,
20 make this provision, there are 30 y
many men that die and leave their fam %
lies destitute Each thinks that every Il
me else must die but himself, and never =,
effects for moment that Gin the midst ~
IF life we are in DEATH" and that the
rail fratted thread Of his own existence =,
nay be seversd in 9n instant. What is D,
hen obviously the duty Of every man ?
To insure, and that for the largest amount .,
hat he can carry, and in the safest and in
,est institution that is within his reach. a,
Which is the safest and best" we are >,
isked. The beau ideal Of a perfect in 4,
uranee corporation is that which COM =,
Zines perfect safety and progressive. =,
staunchness and stability of
he old school, with youthful vigor and
Enterprise. These qualities constitute, p
q their pOssessor, the medium that may be
Ne called golden, and by no company are oil
hey possessed to more remarkable de- OF
,ree than by THE ST. LOUIS MUTUAL, II
represented in our city by Messrs. McAIa- to
ION & Otis, No. 43, Madison Street. 1t co
Gems to be the institution SO long wanted u
" the public, and to be all that could be- in
Wished by the most careful or the most DC
nam. Its rapid growth in To
,ublic favor Is convincing proof that it ca
3 appreciated in this slight. ar
JAPANNED.-In addition to having
een turned and resoldered," the MORN
ng Radical sheet, to Judge from its So "