The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1871-11-25
Cales, Skettbs5, AnetOOtes, Et.
NARROW EsrkPE.

Condemned to death! Condemned tc
perish ignominiously On the scafIold
Condemned to bid adieu to wife, mother,
children and friends!
The poor man wept aloud in the ex-
tremity Of his anguish His trembling
lips could frame no prayer, and thus the
last avenue of escape was closed against
him. The most direct and equivocal ev~
idcnce surrounded this man-LlOyd
Fletcher by name-aud the jury in bring
ing in their verdict Of ''Guilty in the first
degree," had only acted on their sober
conviction of the mans guilt, drawn from
the overwhelming evidence.
Charles Lancaster, an Englishman,
and neighbor of Fletcher's, had been
found brutally murdered, in lone spot
in the suburbs of London. Fletcher s
pistol WAS picked up near him, thrown
aside as he found himself pursued.
Footprints in the mud corresponded ex-
actly with the boots The prisoner wore,
and, to crown all, they had been bitter
and inveterate enemies for months preyi-
Gus. Fletcher had been heard to say, on
several occasions, that nothing but the
mans death could satisfy his own inpla-
cable vengeance and then, again, be
could produce no one to assist him in
proving an alibi. Lloyd was a man very
domestic in his habits, and very devoted
ly attached TO his family. He was known
to be absent from home in the evening.
yet on this particular night, Mrs Fletcher
waited up until daylight for his return,
expecting, every moment ION account OF
the circumstance being so unprecedented
to have him brought home to her corpse.
He seemed to be recovering from the deer
stupOr of intOxication as he entered his
wife's presence on the morning described
and only knew just enough to find the bee
and sleep profoundly.
At the time of his arrest, his hand;
were found lame and bruised SO this,
with the rest, made the sum too crushing
for the skillful counsel he had employed
and the result was Changed by the neck
Fletcher, till you are dead and Coo
have mercy on your SOUL
1t lacked now only three days to thc
execution, and here he sat, in his lone
comfortless, white-washed cell, and hi
head bowed in his hands. Can nothin!
be done ? Must die thus, poor misera
BILE dog that am? Oh, God, where ar
Thou VIII Omnipotence allow an in
nocent man to perish Out upon such
God as that - And the poor fellow
struck wildly at his prison house, groan
ing SO deeply that he aroused the atten
ton Of the turnkey, who was passing tn
cell. The iron door swung back on it
creaking hinges and the stalwart form o
the keeper appeared before him.
"Come, come, Fletcher, less noise here
be mani You ain't the first man VIII
had to swing-not by a long shot ! You
won't get much sympathy here If yoa ar
like nursing infant, can tell you. Di
game, Fletcher, die game"
''But | am innocent, I tell you, oil
wretch as innocent of the crime as m
little girl baby at home. Oh, my God
my wife-my children
"Oh, shut upi here's your old woman
now.o
The hardened turnkey waited a momen
to witness the meeting of this sufferin
couple, and then, with muttering curses
withdrew. But the condemned man an
his loving, faithful wife, took no notice @
his departure, but clasped in each other
arms, waiting for calmness to speak.
"Oh, Sarah ~
ooh, Lloyd God have mercy on u
all, my husband And now listen. Iii
down here-place your head on my lap
have something to tell you" ''Tell me
Sarah, did they search you this time
he asked, grasping her hands.
eyes, Lloyd, and they found nothing
| repented my rash promise to you befor
| reached home. Come what may, sui