The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1878-01-08
An Adventure with q Convict.

i ONCE nau tne fortune 10 ne electeu
| to fill the Office of District Attorney
AN Office of little honor, of little pay
but plenty of hard work. 1 had ac-
cepted the place at the earnest solicita-
tion of the Judges of our Supreme Court
because they feared If did not, man
would get it who was in no way quail
fled to perform the duties thereto apper-
tanning; and having allowed myself to
be placed in charge of the legal interests
of our section of New Hampshire, re-
solved to perform the duties without fear
or favor, trusting that right and justice
would bear me out.
] had been in office about six months,
and had succeeded in convincing
few, at least, of our good people that
they had prosecuting officer who could
not be easily corrupted, when a man
named Mario Cropt was arrested for
horse stealing, and one of whose first
moves, after being arrested, was to send
for me. l went and found him in Jail,
one of the most sinister-loolzing fellows
had ever seen. He was, as afterward
learned, half-breed, his mother having
been Mohawk Indian, and his father
Virginia slave driver. Mario was born
in wigwam somewhere among the
wilds of the Alleghenies, and had been
brought up to manhood by men and
women who lived by plunder and beg
ging.
At the age of one-and-twenty, or
then, now some ten years, he had lived
by his wits, in the exercise of which he
had stolen horses and sheep and other
four-legged things. In short, he was a
villain of the very deepest dye-so born,
so bred and matured. He was rather
short of stature, but compact, broad
shouldered, heavy-limbed and muscular,
presenting a figure of brute strength
such as is not often seen. His face bore
very strongly the Mohawk stamp, the
Indian standing out above all else; but
there was certain cast of broad, grasp
ing shrewdness which betrayed the ad-
mixture of white blood.
Mario Cropt, when he knew me for
the officer who was to present his case to
the grand jury, and who was also to ap-
pear against him in court, assumed a
very confidential manner, and COM
menced by intimating that he could give
me chance to "make pretty good
thing" If would use my influence in
his favor, he was sure he should get
clear. This was the first time he had
ever been arrested in that part of the
country, and he did not exactly under
stand our method of doing business.
But of one thing he could assure me, if
L would like q thousand dollars, he
could get it for me.
asked him what he meant.
'Bah!" said he, poking his fingers
into my breast-and the end of that sim
gle forefinger came with force equal to
blow of the fist from some men
"don't go for to be backish VII me. /
know, and we both know moneys
money; and you may as well have it as
anybody. Let it off easy, and I'll say a
thousand dollars. I've got it mister;
and can fetch it in no time, too. Now,
what dye say Is it a go?"
looked at the rascal, and he must
have discovered from that single glance
that he had approached the wrong man,
for his countenance fell and fierce
light flashed in his eye.
You'd better do it - he whispered
But only sought to make him under
stand that would sooner sell my life
than my honor; and without waiting
to listen to his entreaty left him.
Within week from that time Cropt
was brought before the Grand Jury, and
as he came into the jury room he found
an opportunity to speak privately with
me.
Look here, mister" he whispered !;
"I'll make it two thousand. You'd
better think on't!'
when he grasped my arm, and pressed
his lips close to my ear.
"Mister Leverett," he hissed--and 1
could feel his words burn-"with me it's
liberty or prison. With you it's my lib
erty or your death"
He looked at me with look that was
more potent than score of oaths, and
then turned away with the sheriff.
The business before the Grand Jury
was very quietly done. The prisoners
foul threat had excited me and brought
forward the witnesses against him, and
questioned them nrnmntlv and To the