The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1876-12-28
he embarked and landed at Fort Need

he embarked and landed at Fort Need
ham, as Prince Boltikoff.
And now he was once more in dur
ance. The chances all against him,
too, his character known as success
full prison-breaker, and he himself SUBJ
Ject to peculiar disabilities as the
penalty of his recent evasion. 1t was
not only that they shut him up for
days in a semi-dark cell, with bread |
only to eat and water for his drink
but when this was over, and he re-
joined his comrades on the works, ev-
cry one was warned to watch him
and, to make the process easier, he
was clothed in bright yellow suit
the peculiar brand of his recent
otfense; worse still, they loaded him
with chains, handicapping him, so to
speak, with extra weight for the race
he seemed to ready to run.
These chains, how irksome they
were! Basils were riveted on to his
ankles; and between them hung a
cumbrous load of rafting links, from
which, night OF day, sleeping or wax
ing, it was doomed that he should
never be free.
He was a cunning old convict was
Mr.. Thomas Twoshoes, having had
much experience in many prisons and
In many lands. This present punish
ment was not to be endured for long,
not if he could possibly help it. But
| how to rid himself of this intolerable
incubus of iron? Escape by actual
flight was now out of the question;
they would not give him another
chance. But could he not compass
| his release from letters, if not from
the prison? He was up to every move;
one or another might benefit him.
| Why not "try it on?
Next morning, when standing on
parade preparatory to marching out
to work, TwoshOes dropped suddenly
as if he had been shot. A few, short,
convulsive kicks, and then he lay, to
all appearance, liteless and stone cold.
They lifted him up carefully, and car
ried him to the hospital. The
"yOung" doctor, the assistant, came
post-haste. Twoshoes was stripped,
his irons removed; he was laid in
warm bed, restoratives were applied,
but all to no purpose. Rigid in every
limb, CHASTITY white, it seemed as if
life was, indeed, extinct. And yet his
heart beat, the temperature of his
body was normal, his tongue was
| clean.
The "young" doctor was fairly
puzzled. Next appeared the senior
surgeon, hard-headed old gentleman,
not easily imposed upon.
"A fit, Ell? Bring some hot water
-sealding hot-from the boiler,
sharp's the word; it's the only
chance" He spoke in loud, peremptory
tones. "Stay; I'll go with you;" and
presently he returned, followed by a
nurse carrying a huge can and a
sponge.
"Try it with the thermometer;
what does it register-one hundred
and ninety-two degrees? That will
do. Now, Hoskins, mind your fingers;
throw it over him. THERE
Splash went the contents of the can
over the PROSTATE TWOshOes. The
effect was instantaneous.
He jumped from the bed, yelling,
screaming, swearing, threatening, all
in breath. He was burnt, scalded to
death, the skin was peeling from his
body; he could not live in such tor
ments.
"Gold water, Ice." he cried with
stentorian voice.
you've had it," said the doctor,
coolly. "That water wasn't hot. 1t
came straight from the pump; and
you're a humbug, .Twoshoes; you're
only trying it on >"
| He lad been trying to chest the
'oaker''"se5 but the croaker," as the
'e a Is stypikal ssd, had got the chest"
lal. hWosA ses suffered long de-
'ntlon on shor IsuEn allowance for this I'M
lccessf ~ .t aIp,sh, and then they put him
{ Jm - chains again and sent him back
to les work.
RIO days later they found him
hanging by the neck in his cell. He
was cut down promptly. Life was
not yet extinct. A few simple rene
dies restored consciousness, and, after
he had been left for an hour to reflect
calmly upon tie crime he had nearly
committed, the Chaplain came to COM
fort him.
Twoshoes was penitent. He saw
his error, he said. 1t was remorse,
bitter remorse, for past sin. The
memory of great crime-an undis-
covered crime, which he had commit
ted few years before-pressed down
on him, with weight so awful that
he could no longer endure to live.
| His life was burden to him, 50 sore
ly did his conscience smite him.
When he lay alone in his narrow cell
in the silent night-watches, the terri
bic recollection of the deed he had
done goaded him nearly to madness.
Last nights torture was the keen
est, sir, of all | ever endured. Ny
dependency and self-reproach rose to
such an agOnizing height that deter
mined to make away with myself. You
know the rest. But it is better so; it
is better that | should live till l meet
the extreme penalty of the law, which
is no more than l deserve for my
crime" ~ r.F
Then he proceeded, with tears of
contrition, to confess it all.
That Tooley-street murder-did his
reverence remember it? The hideous
| details, the mutilation, the absence of
motive, and the terrible mystery which
hangs over it, battling every effort of
the police, even to this very day?
cit was my act, sir, went on Two
shoes, burying his face in his hands.
Il murdered her in cold blood; the
brand of Cain is upon me; l can never
have moments peace again, never
again, never, not on this side of the
grave.