The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1870-12-17

| to Canada from that point. Upon arriving at
Port Huron, the attention of the officers there
was attracted by the jaded travel wore ap-
pearance of both horse and rider, and Doty
| was arrested upon suspicion of having
stolen the animal. This arrest after all his
struggles and escapes, and when his desti-
nation was to close at hand, was extremely
disencouraging, but Sile Doty was man OF
iron will and indomitable purpose and
proved himself equal to the emergency. He
was taken for bookkeeping to one of the up
per rooms of q hotel, and his hands secured
with handcufs separated from each other by
heavy iron bar about twelve inches in
length, which consequently kept his hands
that distance apart. OF course Doty's first
move when left alone was to seek for some
means to escape. He found that with Q
proper tool he could I'M screw his lock upon
the door. He had nothing in his possession
but an old spear, but he broke ali the points
from that in unavailing efforts to unfasten
the lock, Soon after this, the sheriff came
to his room. and consented to take Doty
down 20 the liable to look at "hisn horse.
While in the stable, Doty espied . mason's
trowa lying upon box near him, aud suo
ceeded in slipping it unob,erved into his
side coat-pocket, and upon returning to his
room, secreted it in the straw mattress OF his
bed. FeiRning illness, Doty disrobbed,
with the exception of his shirt, drawers and
socks, which he retained, and prepared for
bed, after being again handcuffed as before.
The officers again left the room, but to
Doty's dismay they took his clothing with
them, and gave him the comforting assur-
that at 9 O'Clock it was then Just dark-an
Al,
night with him. No sooner had the officer
reached the floor below, than DotY was at
work at the look with his trowel. Screw
after screw fell upon the floor, and the door
soon stood open. Stealthily making his way
through the halls, and past the open doors
OF rooms where persons where sitting, he
finally reached the lower floor, and following
rear passage-way, threw open an outer
door, and started back almost in utter des.
pair at the prospect before him-the pros
poet was certainly not An encouraging one.
About three inches of snow had fallen, and
the flakes we're still rapidly descending.
The situation was not q pleasant one for q
man in pursuit of libertv-clad only in q
thin shirt and drawers, with light socks-no
coat, hat, pants, or boots-heavy irons upon
his wrists, and blank .spaoe of unbeaten
snow before him to receive his tracks, and to
enable the officers to follow him with uner-
ring accuracy, but as "Old Sile" expressed
it to our reporter, "a man can never tell
what he can do until he makes trial. and
sc he bravely accepted the chances, AL
though they we're so fearfully against him.
Plunging out into the snow and darkness,
be ran as rapidly as possible in the direction
of q small blacksmith shop, which he re-
membered to have seen that morning a short
distance from the village. Here he effected
an entrance without much trouble. aud
fumbling around among the tools, he found
a large file. which he sore wed into a vice by
the aid of his knees, and alone in the dark,
after repeated failures he succeeded in Olsen
gsging his bruised and bleeding wrists from
the irons. and once more started out into
the stormy night. He thought that if he
could conceal himself until after the stage
passed By. he could then follow the tracks
of that vehicle with less fear of detection.
Near the roadside was q small, marshy spot
covered with high reeds, and here the fugit-
i've seoreted himself until the stage passed
by, when he again took to the road. AT the
first opportunity, he broke into
a barn and secured horse, with which
he proceeded to Mount Clemens, in Ma
comb county, Here he effected an entrance
to hotel, with the premises of which he
was familiar, and helped himself to . com
plete and comfortable suit of clothing which
he carefully selected from the wardrobes of
the various guests with the utmost impair
TALLY, and also procured some slight re
freshments from the pantry. he then
and pursued his journey to with
in four miles of Detroit without interruption,
when he stopped at the house of q friend and
left the horse he had "borrowed" near Port
Huron with instructions to return to the
owner, which Instructions we're sfterward
fully carried out The indsfstigable Do.y
then proceeded to Detroit, and while there
he slipped into the old United States Hotel
long since destroyed by fre-and made
some necessary additions to his somewhat
limited wardrobe. From thence il was an
easy matter to get into Canada. where for
some time he worked at shoemsking, which
trade he had learned at prison, but he soon
became involved in QUARREL with his
emp oyer, and after Thoroughly clicking that
person, he came back to this State SIEVE
raltimes after mis- return he narrowly escaped
arrest and became the recognized leader Of
a gang CT thieves who infested the southern
several of his party were arrested for robbing
the wagon of Jew peddier from Detroit ),
who was travelling through Hillsdale county.
Doty was convicted on this charge and
brought up before the venerable dge Pratt,
then of Marshall, Tor sentence. Nearly
every one has heard or read the story of how
Judge Pratt, who was man of very brHsque
IN amer commanded the prisoner to stand up.
isle Doty," said the Judge, show old are
your"
"Fifty-three,n responded Doty.
The allotted age Of man. said the Judge
sis three score years and ten, beyond that
this court has no jurisdiction, and therefore
sentences you to confinement at hard labor,
in the state prison at jackson for term of
II years."
So on the 18th day of April 1851, "Old
Sile' donned the striped suit Of q convict
for the second time. and served for Is years
5 months and 26 days, when, having gain
ed several months ''good time he was dis
charged.
"Old Sile" then went to Coldwster, in
Branch county, but in a few months was
again arrested upon q charge of horse
stealing, and upon the 9th of July, 1867,
commenced third term at the prison, hav
ing been sentenced for tour years. Having,
By meritorious conduct, gained about eight
months .'good time" he was discharged on
morning for the third, and it is
to be hoped for the last time.
There are scores of incidents in rotation
to sold Sile" that might be related, and
would be of public interest, but space for
bids their enumeration.
Mr.. Doty, left for Coldwater, Branch
Yesterday morning, and intends to
reside with his children in that place, and
follow his trade of shoemaking. May sue
cess attend him sad may the world deal
gently with one who has suffered this severe
of his misdeeds.
Almost q years of this mans life has
been spent within those PRISON walls, and
now an old, gray headed man, whose days
are almost numbered, he goes forth to start
anew 10 the world. and to endeavor to lead
IN honest lie. This case is q mostpeculisr
me .sOld Sie" does not seem TO be bad