The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1870-12-17
TWENTY-eNE YEARS A CONVICT.
The Romantic History Of ''old 0ile
Doty."
His Release From tho Miohigsn Peni-
Tertiary.

His Release From tho Miohigsn Peni-
Tertiary.
The attention of many passers-by upon
Main street in this city, on Tuesday after
noon, says the Jackson Citizen of Dec 9Th,
was attracted By the somewhat striking ap-
pearsnce of an old man of slight, wiry
frame, but bent by age and toll dressed
neatly, but in plain, coarse garments that
had evidently been selected at random from
miscellaneous collection, and whose
actions were rendered noticeable by that
vague uncertainty and indecision so charac.
teristic of those who have for many long
years been isolated from the world within
the walls Of a pententiary. As the old man
wandered along, keenly observant of every
passing object, scanning the features OF
gaze, as If in search of one familiar face
and on lifting his head to look npon the
bright blue sky above him, and then turn
ing, with an interes. almost childish in its
esgerness, to the contemplation of some
trivial scene or object upon which the busy,
busting throng would scarce bestow q pass,
ing glance, "a he moved slowly along with
his withered hand drawing the scanty coat
more closely about his shoulders, and yet
with an expression of happiness lighting up
his countenance which told that he was
oblivious to age and poverty and cold, there
were many who turned to look after him as
he passed, and wonder who he was and
what his history. Few they were, however
who knew that the old man was none less
than Silas Doty-"Old Sile Dosy," as he is
best known to the publc-whose startling
exploits as e daring, adroit, and skillful
horse thief, burglar, and jailbreaker were
once celebrated throughout the entire
country.
Twenty years, nine months, and twenty
six days of this singular mans life have
been passed in hard labor within the mass.
i've walls OF the state prison 10 this city, and
Tuesday his third term of Imprisonment
expired and he came forth into the world
once more q free man Silss Doty WAS born
at St. Adams, VI, on the 30th day of May,
1900, and is therefore at this time over 20
years of age, although his appearance would
not indicate him to be g person of over 55.
He is q small, wiry bull. man, about five
feet and seven inches in height, and prob
ably weighing abou. $50 pounds, but still
evidently possessed of unusual muscular
power-quick and active as a cat, and with
u mind evidently vigorous and unimpaired
by his long retirement from the world. "Old
SIle's" personal appearance is rather pre-
possessing than otherwise, and when we
look upon his pleasant, good natured face,
we observe the merry twinkle in his eye, we
find 1t rather difficult to reconcile him with
the reckless, daredevil horse thief of our
imagination, conjured up by the thrilling
tales related to us in our Juvenile days. "Old
SIle' has a very keen appreciation OF humor,
he dearly loves a joke, and never better
than when the laugh is at his own expense.
He Is quite free to relate the experiences and
vicissitudes which be has passed through,
and the history of them would fill volume
surprising in thrilling interests, romantic
situations, and strikisg events, many q work
Of fiction.
The earlier years of Dotys life were
passed in the state OF New York, and were
not marked BY anything of unusual inter
est or more than ordinary occurrence. He
was brought up upon farm, and followed
agricultural pursuits for long time after
his removal to Lenawee coanty in this
state. He was known among his neighbo-s
as quiet. inotfens!ve, good natured man,
possessed Of great activity and strength,
which rendered him quite local celebrity
as 6 chopper, mower, etc. 1t was said at
one'time that he was the champion
GRADER OF the state-certainly of that sec
ton in which he resided. He was man
who was not nor ever has been) addicted
TO the use of intoxicating liquors
or tobacco; but while he was
possessed OF very many excellent
traits, it was pretty generally understood
that he didn't have fine appreciation of
the rightful title of personal property, and
was prone 10 convert to his own use any
srtIcle which he might stand in need Of
even though the ownership vested in some
other party. Yet it must be acknowledged
that there was some good points about " Old
Sile's' stealing. He was philanthropic
thief he would steal from his richer neigh.
bors to aid those who might be in destitute
circumstances. In fact, there WAS some.
thing about his thief,s akin to those of
Claude Duva!, Dick Turpin and those other
English knights of the road, whose exploits
are handed down to postsrity through the
medium of yellow covered historical works
of doubtful! moral tendency.
If one of Mr.. Doty's poor neIghbors came
over to his house and wanted to borrow q
log chain, Sile would inform him that he
would have one for him the next day, and he
would, while some other one of his neigh
bors would be one log chain short. The
frs. charge upon which he was arrested was
that of horse stealing in Lenswee county, In
the latter part of l84l. He broke jail soon
after his arrest, but was recsptured and
sentenced to the state prison for term of
two years, entering that institution for the
frat time April 5, 1912. Here he served
his full term, and soon after his discharge
went TO New Orleans, where he engaged as
body servant to Gen. Scott, at a salary OF
S45 per month in gold. He went with that
officer to Mexico, and stole Santa Annals
army into state OF restitution where
ever he went. a great variety of adventures,
some of them of decided interest, were sus
tanned by Dosy while in Mexico, where he
continued filling various positions as cook,
wagon driver, body servant, ETC., until the
end of the war, when he returned to this
state. For little over seven years it is q
statistical fact that ne kept out of prison, but
he good humoredly excuses this off by the
plea OF absence from the state during the
most of that time
Several times Doty was arrested, broke
jail end escaped conviction in various ways
One Of these cases was one Of pet:cuar in
terest. Being arrested in the winter of
1850 upon charge ofhorse-stealing, he was
confined in several jail5, but persisted In
breaking right out again with such unceas-
ing regularity that he was finally locked up |
in the Angola, Ind, Jail for safe keeping. |
These quarters, however, did not quite suit
him, and although he was heavily ironed |
and carefully watched, he soon succeeded |
in effecting his escape by cutting the bars
of his cell window with small saw which |
he had manufactured from the blade of an
old case knife. AT the time of his escape |
his ankles were fettered with irons weighing
50 pounds. but he succeeded III hobbling to
the barn of the prosecuting attorney of the
county, who lived near the jail, and appro-
priated that functionary's horse. a short
distance from Angola he broke open q
blacksmith shop, and procured therefrom
cold chisel and hammer, which he took
with him to the woods and tried Intellectual
ly to free himself from his letters. Failing
IN this he remounted and rode sidewise for
q Distance of ovar 2u m ;laa ,uhop ba Loft III.