The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1878-05-13
A GUILTY CONSCIENCE.
A Jail Breaker Returns and Asks to be
Locked Up After an Absence of Nearly
Six Years.

Yesterday morning as Marshal Bridges sat in
his Office an ordinary looking man entered and
remarked that he wanted to give himself up to
the authorities. The Marshal was rather
taken back at such an announcement and ask
ed the man who he was and what he had done.
The man replied that he was Obadiah Loratte,
aud that he was one of four who broke Jail in
September, 1872. True enough there was such
a man broke Jail, but the Marshal could hardly
believe that after so long time he had return
ed, and he questioned him more closely. He
said that the men who broke out were Bck-
ford, Martin, Judge and boy named Haines.
They got out by crawling through an unused
cstern into the attic and then on to the roof
through the s,uttle. From the roof they low
cred themselves to the ground by means of
ropes which they had cut from windows. On
reaching the outside Judge and Loratte took
the Grand Trunk track and walked to Oxford.
This journey occupied several nights. At this
point the men separated, Judge going to ST.
john and Loratte taking freight train for
Canada. He did not stop in Canada but
short time, but returned to the states. At
CharlestowD, N. H., he broke into depot in
lOt u duu Suuo uOucy. elO W 40 SduShi3
tried and sentenced to the State Prison at Con-
cord for term of three years. He served his
time and was discharged December Goth, 1876.
He says that when he left this prison he deter
mined to lead better life, and up to the pres
ent time he has kept perfectly straight. Since
that time he has got his living by peddling, but
he says that he had feeling all the time that
he was not free man, and it troubled him.
Time and again he returned to give himself up
but his heart failed him. On Wednesday, the
first day of the month, he came to the city for
that purpose, but through fear was led to give
it up and returned to Boston. Last Thursday,
however, he took the steamer John Brooks and
came here, arriving Friday morning, and yes
terday surrendered himself as already related
Loratte says that he was born 10 Portland
and is now 80 years of age He has mother
and sister residing here. He enlisted and
went out in the Ninth Maine Regiment under
Gen. Francis Fessenden aud after serving
nine months re-enlisted in New York regi-
ment and was finally honorably discharged.
AT the close of the war hs travelled South and
West, but returned here in 1872. He broke
into Charles Melaugh's store in South Berwick
and stole some shoes. At his trial before
Judge Barrows in York County he plead guilty
and was sentenced to two years in Jail. As the
Alfred Jail was being rep aired at the time he
was brought to Portland Jail from which The
broke few days after his arrival. Sheriff
Dresser is undecided to know what to do with
the man. He belongs to York and not to Cum
berland county, and the Sheriff is to write and
ask Judge Barrows what disposition to make
with such an unu sual case.
The fellow appears honest and there is not a
trace of insanity about him. Hs desires above
all things to be a free man, and says unless he
can be pardoned he wants TO serve out his
Just such a case has not a parallel
in the hi ,foru of crime