The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1878-01-08
TIE TIMES, NEW BLOOMFIELD PA, JANUARY $, 1878.


prison. He had been often apprehended
and had been frequently fined but never
had been restrained of his liberty for
any great length of time His Indian
instincts were strong; and he felt, he
told me, he would rather die than to be
shut up in q close prison where there
could be no more roamlngin forests and
green wales.
Cropt had secured one of the most
able lawyers in the State, and the gov
ernment witnesses were cross questioned
and brow-beaten numerically; and in
addition to this, the prisoner brought
forward witnesses who had been paid
and prompted for the occasion. But the
mans guilt was too evident. In my
plea presented the case as it appeared
to me, and, as L believed, it must appear
to every reasoning man. And L pre-
sented to the jury the man they were
to pass judgment upon, asking them to
look at him as he sat before them.
The charge of the Judge was very
brief, and entirely against the prisoner,
| anu OhC july NCiS OuO .DuSb bnNlNO Aulh-
utes, when they returned with ver-
dict of Guilty"
Mario Cropt trembled not an atom at
this, for he had been prepared for it, but
when the judge, in solemn accents, pro-
nounced his penalty-five years at hard
labor in the State Prison-he shook like
an aspen and for few seconds thought
he would break down. But presently he
revived, and looked around until his
eyes rested upon me, and when he saw
me he beckoned me to come to him. I
looked at his hands, they were ironed
and empty, and went to the dock.
Thomas Jefferson Leverett," said
he, speaking my whole name as though
he would fix the identity beyond dis
pute, :" am going to prison to stay five
years and l shall see you again. When
come out shall look for you. Ifyou
are in China, I'll go to China. will
find you," and his voice sank to low
whisper, and without the least tone of
profanity, but with reverence for his
oath, he swore solemnly he would pay
me for this.
Mario Cropt went his way, and went
mine. Some one told my wife that the
prisoner had called me to him after the
trial, and that he had spoken to me in a
very solemn and strange manner, and
she asked me what he said to me. Her
question confused me, and / was not
prepared with an answer, and told her
that could hardly remember what he
did say.
"Thomas," said she, "you are afraid
to tell me-"
And then she questioned, until was
forced to admit that Cropt had threaten
ed me, and then told her the rest of
the story-how he had sought to buy
me over before the trial And to close
the scene, laughed as though the whole
thing were rich farce.
One evening, about two weeks after
the trial, my wife came in, quite fatigued
having been absent all day.
Bertha, where have you been ?"
''To the State Prison. was her an
swer.
The State Prison ~ l reiterated.
"What have you been doing there ?"
Looking at certain prisoner they
have there" she replied. "One whom
l might wish to recognize should ever
meet him outside of those walls"
You allude to Mario Cropt,' said
She nodded assent.
And then told her she was foolish,
and begged of her to forget the man en-
tirely.
g. Thomas" she said, with degree of
feeling that startled me, 81 have seen
that man, and tell you we both have
occasion to dread and fear him. I shall
not forget him, though will try hence
forth not to worry myself as 1 have
during the two weeks that have passed
since he was tried and condemned.
The attractions of my New Hamp-
shire home were not strong enough to
hold me after had found an opening in
the West, where the promise of success
was equal to bond issued by good for
tune. 1t was about two years after the
trial of Mario Cropt, that packed up
my books and family treasures, and
took up my march for new and thriv-
ing town in Minnesota; and within a
year after my settlement in the new
home, / was richer by hundreds of dol
lars than had ever been before. In
fact, 1 literally tumbled into a nest of
| good luck.