The Placer herald., 1871-12-02
A NARROW ESCAPE.

The poor man wept aloud in the extremity
of his anguish. His trembling lips could
frame ne prayer, and thus the last avenue Of
escape was closed against him. The most
direct and equivocal evidence surrounded
this man-Lloyd Fletcher by name-and the
jury in bringing 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 Englshman and a
ncghbor of Fletchers, had been found bru-
tally murdered, in lone spot in the suburbs
of London. Fletcher's pistol was picked up
pursued.
Footprints in the mud corresponded exactly
with the boots the prisoner wore, and, to
crown all, they had been bitter and inveterate
enemies for months previous. Fletcher had
been heard to say, oil several occasions, that
nothing but the mans death could satisfy
his own implacabe vengeance; and then,
again, he could produce no one to assist him
in proving an alibi. Lloyd was a man very
domestic in his habits, and very devotedly
attached to his family. He was seldom
|
ing, yet on this particular night Mrs. Fletcher
waited up until daylight for lis return, ex-
pecting every moment ION account of the
circumstance being so unprecedented) to have
him brought home to her a corpse. He
seemed to be recovering from the deep stu
por of ntoxication as he entered his wiie's
presence on the morning described, and only
knew just enough to find the bed and sleep
profoundly.
AT the time Of his arrest his hands were
found lame and bruised; so this, with the
full counsel he had employed, and the result
was, " Hanged by the neck, Fletcher, till
you are dead; and God have mercy on your
sonlr'
1t lacked now only three days to the exc
cuton, and here he sat in his lone, comfort
less,a white washed cell, and his head bowed
in his hands. Can nothing be done Must
die thus, poor miserable dog that I am?
Oh, God, where art thou? VIII Omnipo-
tence allow an innocent man to perish out
upon such God as that!' And the poor
fellow struck wildly at his prison house,
groanng SO deeply that he aroused the at
tention of the turnkey, who was passing the
cell. The iron door swung back on its creak-
ing hinges and the stalwart form of the keeper
urrAAro1 Lef.-e l.,. --.----------------
Come, come, Fletcher, less noise here;
be man! you amt the first man that had
to swing-not by long shot! you won't get
much sympathy here if you act lik nursing
infant, can tell you. Die game, Fletcher,
die game"
"But I am innocent, I tell you, old wretch.
at home. Oh, my God! my wife-my chill
dren--"
"Oh, shut up! here's your old woman,
now!'
The hardened turnkey waited moment
to witness the meeting of this suffering couple
and then, with muttered curses, withdrew.
But the condemned man and his loving,
faithful wife, took no notice of his departure,
but clasped in each others arms, waiting for
calmness to speak.
"Oh, Sarah!'
"Oh, Lloyd! God have mercy on US all,
my husband! And now listen; lie down here
place your head on my lap; have some
thing to tell you"
''Tell me, Sasah, did they search you
this time ?" he asked, grasping her hands.
Yes, Lloyd, and they found nothing. !
repented my rash promise to you before ]
reached home. Come what may, suicide
must not be your fate. But listen; you see
that am comparatively happy; and let me
tell you what has produced this change. A
sweet little dream in which / saw you, and
our darlings, all together comfortable and
happy"
"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 God will not allow an innocent man
the death of the guilty. Oh, no, Sarah
oh, no!'.
Keep up your courage, my dear hus-
band; certain strange, mysterious some
thing assures me that all will yet be well,
how or in what manner Heaven only knows"
"I wish could see it wish l could
feel it Sarah; do not mislead me with false
hopes. Oh, my God if there could only be
found way to escape from this ignominious
death!'
"Come, madam, times up and the
turnkey made his appearance. "Hate to
disturb such pair of coong doves, but or
ders are orders, ma am, and must be obeyed.
Always obey orders if you break crowns.
You ought TO persuade your husband to stop
his snivelling."
Sarah, with gesture of scom and impa-
tience, prepared to leave. ,
"Mark what tell you, ma'am, you'll be
looking for another husband in three months
time" continued the wretch, as be walked
out by her side.
Sarah hurried through the corridor en-
deavoring to hear as little as possible OF the
brute's conversation, and reached her home
and children, there to hope and pray The
hours sped on, and it lacked one day more
for the execution. Fletcher had given up al