Litchfield enquirer., 1875-06-24

fore magistrate would be dangerous; that my only safety lay in being lodged without delay in jail. It was about quar- ter of mile from my office to the jail. The crowd around us became more nu merous and demonstrative, every step. But the sheriff and his posse were resolute men, besides being leading citizens, and ostentatiously we'll armed. No actual vi- olence was offered, though many threats were made by the bowling crowd.
 The sheriff did not content himself with locking me in the jail. He put me in the single felon's cell, which was fortunately vacant at that time. was not ironed. A chair, a mattress and blankets, a small stand, and writing materials were furnish ed me, and was made as comfortable as circumstances would permit.
 Fortunately for me, none of the sheriff s officers believed in my guilt. There was therefore no danger of collision with the mob. The sheriff and his men believed in my innocence, probably, as much be- cause of their unwillingness to admit to themselves that they had been on the wrong track thus far, and had missed the true theory of the case altogether, as for any other reason. When mans good opinion of his own sagacity is enlisted in your favor, you can depend upon him.
 The sheriff himself had been a soldier in the earlier part of his career. He was big, burly, good-natured, bald-headed fellow. and immensely popular. I could not have named another man under whose protection I should have felt as safe as l did under his.
 From the time that was locked up un- til late that night, numerous and noisy crowd hung around, keeping one another up to the highest pitch of excitement and continually threatening to tear down the old jail to get at me. They were led by one Stanley, bully and a rufian of the lowest type. There was little grated window in the felon's cell, about five feet from the floor, but fully nine feet from the ground outside. About midnight. Stanley and several others approached this window. Stanley placed light lad der against the wall and was proceeding to mount it, with pistol in his hand, when Charlie (that was what everybody called the sherifD suddenly appeared to him, knocked his ladder down, and seiz- ing him roughly by the collar whispered something Tn his ear. The rufiian slunk back, cursing terribly but still retreating. Ills curses were all directed at me, not one of them at Charlie.
 ''Boys," said the sheriff in his deep, good-humored tones, Ego home, every man and mothers son of you, or I'll put you all in the bull pen, if have to build a new one to hold you. Stanley, if you meddle with this building again, I'll send you of, quarter of pound at a time. Come, boys, you know I'm boss here Clear out 1 ant a-going to set up all night to watch your damn nonsense. Clear out Clear out p
 Nobody planes you, Charlie. You're doing your duty" said 8 voice in the crowd, and the mob gradually drew off When they were gone, the sheriff came to the cell and brought me what he called Q ''hoss pistol and good supply of am- munition.
 'I'm going to bed," said he. live ben up most of three nights runnin'. If noth- ing happens, shant get up till towards fall. If any son of a gun shows his nose at that gratin' you just pop him. and I'll up and bury him. Good night g
 Good night Charles. God bless you!'
 was young then, and strong of nerve but did not sleep until after nine clock next morning.
 VI.
 The Locofocoville jail was primitive structure. built of hewn logs. With the exception of the felon's cell it was not es- teemed specially strong place of durance. Charlie used to say that it was easier to get out of the old trap than to get into it. But the felon's cell was there regarded as a masterpiece of dungeon architecture. The floor of this apartment was about two feet higher than the main floor of the building, and the space below it clear down to the ground, was filled with solid masonry. The door was made of two thicknesses of boiler iron, strongly rivited together. The walls were lined with a single thickness of the some material, and further fortified by perpendicular bars of wrought iron placed about a foot apart and kept in place by strong staples.
 About noon, the second day of my in generation, Charlie brought in a justice of the peace, saying that he felt a little streaked about keeping me there without a regular commitment, and had brought the squire to fix up the papers. The jus tice advised me that all had to do was to waive an examination.
 'You see," said Charlie, i've got the minister to make the complaint. Preach CTS and women always think everybody guilty. But the parson is down on mob law; so he made the complaint to have you tried and hung regular and legal. I'll bet two dollars and half he's got his prayer for the hangin' all writ out and larnt by heart Oh, say! We've got Mick Mullen, the Irish horse theft, and believe he'll let some light into this case of ours. You know there's regular nest of hoss- thieves and cut-throats just over the county line. He don't belong to them; he plays lone hand mostly; but he'll be likely to know where they are;and wherever they are, they're the men we want, or I'm teapot. t
 waived examination, and the justice committed me in due form. I suspected from his manner that he was of the same opinion as the minister. What little he said to me was in tho severes and most trigid tone, and he looked dissatisfied and sour, I thought, at the favor which Char lie showed me.
 When he was gone, Charlie told me that tine popular excitement had somewhat abated, but that it would still be unsafe for me to appear in the streetst and that the belief in my guilt was gaining ground because of his continued ill success in finding any trace of the true criminals.
 You can stay here in this 'ere hole." continued he, ''or you can take your chance with the jail-birds in the big room. just as you like. ain't a-goin' to treat you like murderer for the parson, nor the squire. nor ten-acre lot full of old grannies."
 told him preferred to stay where I was
 ''The devil of it is, ? said he, .I'm afraid I shall have to put that derned hoss-thief in here. You see, he's regular jail. smasher, and might as we'll turn him in- to Deacon Smalley's lot with wire fence around it, as to try to keep hlm in this old crib anywhere but right here"
 ''Well, said I, ''put him in here, if you must. If can't stand him, I'll let you know"
 Soon afterwards the cell was opened, and another matrass was brought in and placed as far from mine as the space would permit. Then came Mike Mullen, heavily handcuffed and shackled, and then the double iron door was closed, locked, and barred.