American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1875-12-04
A Desperate Convict.

Sunday afternoon Mr.. George A. Mott
| visited William Delaney, under sentence
| of DEATH in the Jail at Mineola. Mr. Mott
defended MIR. Delaney on his trial, and
| called on him to see whether there was
anything he could do for him, as he was
represented as being in dying condition
| from hemorrhage of the lungs.
Mr. Mott was admitted to thecondemned
mans cell by Keeper Bushman, who
locked the door after him and retired. Mr..
Mott found Delaney lying on his bed with
the coverlet over him. As his visitor en-
tered Ire turned his head, but did not
otherwise move. As soon as the keeper
was out of sight Delaney threw off the
coverlet and sprang to his feet. He
stepped toward Mr.. Mott and seized him
| by both shoulders. Mr.. Mott is a man be-
low the medium height, whereas Delaney
is almost of gigantic proportions. He
held Mr. Mott in an iron grip, and, shak-
ing him almost savagely, he Kissed out in
a whisper:
e Have you got knife? Give it to me
if you have.''
| Mr.. Mott was greatly alarmed but re-
| tanned his presence of mind. He was
| alone with the murderer, and the keepers
were some yards distant in the corridor.
"What's the matter?'' Mr.. Mott asked.
| ''Give me your knife,'' Delaney said.
| shaking his ri ght hand over Mr.. Motifs
head, and quivering with excitement from
head to foot; g give me your knifen'
| Il have no knife" Mr.. Mott replied.
| Don't tell me that" Delaney SAID.
I'm a free man.
81 tell you haven't knife" Mr.. Mott
repeated.
60 Let me have it, and liberty is mine be-
fore tomorrow
What nonsenser' Mr.. Mott said. al
haven't got any knife
"Give me your knife, l say" Delaney
whispered, shaking all over with intense
excitement. There are only two ward
ems here, Bushman and Smith. Let me
have the knife, and I'll cash their Threats.
I'll cut out their hearts. They'll be dead
men the first time they enter my cell, and
then I'm free man."
"Be quiet, man. MIR. Mott said " they
are too much for you, and your irons
would prevent you from doing them any
HARM
:" My irons," Delaney said, in a Kissing
whisper, &c I tell you 1 have cut them
through. L can shake them off in min
ute. They think I'm sick, but I'm not
I'd Jump on them, shake off my shackles,
and cut their Threats in a moment All
want is a knife. I'm ready now" he
added, in tremor of wild excitement
| OulN give NE your hHJlc, anu WhCH tuO y
come in to let you out I'll pretend to knock
you down, and then I'll cash their Threats
and be free"
All this time the condemned man had
kept Mr.. Mott in his grasp. The lawyer
was not little alarmed, but he lacks
neither nerve nor ingenuity. Seeing thai
the man was desperately in earnest, and
fearing that in his fury he might inf1ic
injury on him. Mr. Mott smiled sweetly
on his assailant, and at length pretended
to approve of the scheme.
q see," Mr.. Mott said; you'd pre-
tend to knock me down, and then kill the
keepers and escape. But the mischief is
| haven't got a knife. But I'll tell you
what I'll do. I'll go out and get "a goot
big knife, and then I'll come back, pre-
tending I've forgotten to tell you some
thing. Then I'll give you the knife, anc
you can escape"
'That'll do" the murderer said, trem
ulous with Joy; make haste and get mt
the knife, and I'll never forget the act as
long as | live"
The man then lay down and covered
himself with the bed-clothes, and Mr.
Mott called the keepers to let him out
When he was safe outside, Mr.. Mott saio
to the keepers e For Gods sake, dom
go near that man. He has got his shackles
off, and wants to kill you. He wanted
me to give him a knife to cut your throat
with "
Next day five keepers entered Delaney's
cell, and after struggle overpowered
him. His irons were all filed through
the interstices being filled with bread
crumbs The floor OF his cell was torn
mp, and Il hole was dug through the foun-
dation into the next cell. in which two