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


your misery, and see how the pros
pect of leaving your wife and babies
affected you. Oh, you tremble! ]
have found the tender chord. My
husbands wife and children wert
nothing-oh, no! Wretch, villain
may the law be fully justified"
The woman, to all appearance, ex
asperated beyond the power of fur
ther utterance, stepped nearer, and
with sly movement, hid one of hel
gloves under the pillow of the Devil
dered man.
"Have you finished, ma'am," in
quired the turnkey, with his hand OF
the door i-
"Now, really, Fletcher, don't you
rather prefer an interview of thu
kind to one of those lallygagginy sor
you have had so many of lately? /
will do you more good, ten to one
What are you doing now 2"
+" Giving him one more look, that Il
all. Murderer! robberl wretch ]
want to engrave his picture on my
brain so indelibly that never car
forget a single feature.
"Dy the crown, your old man mus
have had Tartar! Oh, no, no, no 7
and the fat turnkey shook his fat side'
with laughter. 1 don't believe he's
got it much better where he is stayins
now than he had with you. 1t takes
q woman to use up the Kings English
/ always said so, now know it. !"
Mrs. Lancaster drew her veil oveI
her face, and quietly left the prison
AS soon as he dared, with trembling
fingers, Lloyd drew forth the glove
In it was vial containing q mixture
of chloroform or ether, small SHARP
instrumental file his shaekles, and 6
note. 1t read thus:
You are not the man, and canno
allow you to be hung. Overpowel
the keeper, take,his clothes, and leave
Go to the old rookery, No. - frs
floor where disguise awaits you, and
then God help you, for you must con
ceaI yourself.
Lloyd, with wildly beating heart
concealed the articles and tried te
think. The keeper did not enter the
cell till he brought his tea, and how
could he accomplish his purpose then
There would be too many astir in the
prison then, and he might be detected
Defeated now. with the weapons
of deliverance in my hands. No, in
deed, Lloyd F1etcherw
. Fletcher, suppose you know that
according to the prison rules you are
not allowed to stay alone tonight. Ii
would be barbarous to leave felleT
without good company his last night
on earth," said the turnkey, an hour
or two after Mrs. Lancaster's visit.
= ts You'll have to take your pick be.
tween old Father Walsh and myself
but suppose you will take me, bad
as you hate me, afore that hypocrite.'
Why can't have my wife ?" asked
Lloyd, with voice full of bitterness.
" "Oh, wives amt allowable on such
occasions. She'll be around in the
morning an hour or two, but talk
quick, which will you have?"
"What difference do you think if
makes to me, you heartless wretch,
on earth, when my only friend is de-
MED me ?"
So it was arranged. Tie turnkey
was to occupy his cell, and Lloyd
went to work with his .littlel instru-
ment to file the handouts and chain
which bound him. 1t was slow and
tedious, but in an hours time he had
the satisfaction of one free hand, and
had the power TO remove his limbs
from the CALLING rattling torments
which had so firmly held him.
1 must be able to throw these fet-
tiers off or / am lost" So he worked
away industriously until the obstinate
link was displaced, and he could wear
or leave them off at pleasure. Ten
o'clock arrived, and the turnkey had
his cot brought in the cell. -.
when are you going to turn iii
Fletcher? I'm as tired as an East In
dia nigger. Plaguey afraid shan't
be much company tonight; better
had the priest. You wrote all your
letters yesterday, Fletcher, didn't
you?" and the keeper yawned deeply
turned once or twice, and in five min
utes was snoring soundly.
"Now is my time," thought Fletch-
er. 1t will not do to wait. Heaven
help me-"
Noiselessly he stepped from the
chains and drew off the torturing
handouts. It was but the work of a
moment to saturate the handkerchief
with the mixture, and in less time
than it takes to tell it, Lloyd had strip
ped the hardened wretch. There was
q trifing difference in height, but
Lloyd lacked the aldermanic proper
tions of the jailor, However, he
managed that quickly and easily, un-
locked the door of the cell, stepped
into the eorridor,l locked it again, care
fully withdrew the key, and initiated
as nearly as possible the dull heavy
rE iof nh
clan was just leaving the building,
and Lloyd walked along after him, as
if to see him safely out. Only one
subordinate guarded the entrance,
and SO Lloyd and the doctor walked
out together, without exciting the
slightest suspicion.
He reached the old rookery, donned
his attire, which proved to be SOL
dler's Uniform, removed the black wig
of the keeper, and substituted light
curley one, and before twelve O'Clock
had reached the house of friend two
or three miles from the city, told his
story, and was warmly received and
promised protection. Lloyd felt sure
he had left no clue by which he could
be traced to this spot, and almost
overcome by his great happiness, he
fell on his knees and thanked the God
be had previously foresworn, for his
miraculous escape.
The next morning all was astir in
the prison, but our turnkey did not
make his appearance what could it
mean? A key was produced to open
the cell door, and the nude. inanimate
figure of the fat keeper was presented
to their astonished view. In the mid
die of the cell was the prisoners
wardrobe all he could spare from the
makeup of the keepers lusty proper
tions. A little cold water and fresh
air revived him, but he could throw
no light on the mysterious disappear
ance of Fletcher. He had seen moth
ing, knew nothing, and remembered
nothing. Mrs. Fletcher was arrested
on suspicion of assisting her husband
to escape, but nothing could be proven
and few days saw her at liberty. She
was confident that her darling was
safe, but could form no idea of the
mode, or where he was concealed
However, now that so much was
Oainad sha falt that cha co,,l6 aHord