The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1872-01-25
A NARROW ESCAPE.

Condemned to diei Condemned to
perish ignominiously on the scaffoldi
Condemned to bid adiew to wife,
mother, children and friendsi
The poor man wept aloud in the ex-
| tremity of his anguish. His trem-
bling lips could frame no prayer, and
| thus the last avenue of escape was
closed against him. The most direct
and unequivocal evidences surrounded
this man-Lloyd Fletcher by name
and the jury, in bringing in their ver-
dict of /" guilty in the first degree" :"
had only acted on their sober convic-
ton of the mans guilt, drawn from
the overwhelming evidence.
Charles Lancaster, an Engiishman,
and neighbor of F1etcher's, had been
found brutally murdered. in a lone
spot in the suburbs of London
Fletcher's pistol was picked up near
him, thrown aside as he found him.
self pursued.
Footprints in the mud correspondent
exactly with the boots the prisoner
had on, and to crown all they had
been bitter and inveterate enemies for
months previous. Fletcher had been
heard to say on several occasions, that
nothing but the mans death could
satisfy his implacable vengeance and
then again, he could produce no one
to assist him in proving an alibi.-
Lloyd was man very domestic in his
habits, and very devotedly attached to
his family. He was known to be alb
hsent from home on that evening, yet,
on this particular night, Mrs. Fletcher
waited up till daylight for his return,
expecting every moment (on account
of the circumstance being so unprece-
dented) to have him brought home
corpse. He seemed to be recovering
from deep stupor OF intoxication as
he entered his wifc's presence on the
morning described, and only knew
enough to find the bed and sleep pro-
foundly.
AT the time of his arrest, his hands
were found lame and bruised so this
with the rest, made the sum too crush
ing for the skillful counsel he had en-
ployed. and the result was, Changed
by the neck, Flechter, till you are dead,
and God heve mercy on your SOUL"
1t lacked now only three days to
the execution, and here he sat in his
lone, comfortless, WhiteWashed cell,
:" Can nothing be done? Must L die
thus, poor miserable dog that am?
Will Omnipotence allow an innocent
man to perish? Out upon such a
God as thatl" And the poor fellow
struck wildly at his prison cell, groan-
ing so deeply that he aroused the at
tention of the turnkey who was pass
ing the cell. The iron door swung
back on its creaking hinges and the
stalwart form of the keeper appeared
before him.
"Come, come, Fletcher, less noise
here; be mani You amt the first
man that's had to swing-not by
long shoti You won't get much sym
pathy here if you are like q nursing
infant, can tell you. Die game,
Fletcher, die game"
"But am innocent, / tell you, you
old wretch, as innocent of the crime
as my little girl baby at home. Oh,
my God! my wife-my children"
''Oh, shut up, here's your old wo-
man, now"
The hardened turnkey waited a
minute to witness the meeting of this
suffering couple, and then, with mad
dened curses withdrew. But the con-
demned man and his loving, faithful
wife took no notice of his departure,
but clasped in each others arms,
awaited for calmness to speak.
"Oh, SARAH!
"Oh, Lloydi God have mercy on
us all, my dear husband and now
listen. Lie down here place your
head on my lap; / have something to
tell yeu."
Tell me, Sarah, did they search
you this time 2" he asked grasping her
hands.
Yes, Lloyd, and they found moth
ing. repented my rash promises to
you before l reached home. Come
what may suicide must not be your
fate. But listen. You see am COM
paratively happy and let me tell you
what has produced this change
sweet little dream in which Isaw you
and our darlings all together, COM
Portable and happy"
"Oh, Sarah, talk not of dreams to
a 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
to die the death of the guilty. Oh, no,
Sarah, oh, no
Keep up your courage, my dear
husband, a certain strange, mysterious
something assures me that all will
yet be well, how or in what manner
heaven only knows"
81 wish could see it--I wish /
could feel it, Sarah, do not mislead
me with false hopes. Oh, my God, if
there could only be found a way to
escape from this ignominious death !"
"Come, madam, times up" and the
turnkey made his appearance. "Hate
to disturb such pair of cooling doves
but orders are orders, ma'am, and
must be obeyed. Always obey Or
ders If you break crowns. You ought
to persuade your husband to stop his
sniveling. Mark what / tell you,
ma'am, you'll be looking for another
husband in three months continued
the wretch, as he walked out by her
side.
Sarah hurried through the corridor,
endeavoring to hear as little as possi
BILE of the brute's conversation, and
reached her home and children, there
to hope and pray. The hours sped on
ecution. Fletcher had given up all
hope of reprieve, and listened to the
building of the scaffold with a solemn
feeling born of despair.
GIVE brought another gal to sec
you this time, Fletcher. It's very
probable'she won't be so agreeable like
as t'other-one, but will do rs much
good, / reckon"
A woman in black stood before the
bed on which Fletcher reclined. He
recognized Mrs. Lancaster, the wife
of the murdered man.
Ah, this does me good," said she,