Mexico weekly ledger., 1878-07-25
INTERESTING OPEN LETTERS
WRITTEN BY HORSE THIEVES.
OUT OF JAIL.

III hIo holoC ohb hoiAA SAiS wy
alias most anything, who in is Jail for
horse stealing, struggled some letters
out of the Jail in the clothes of some
discharged pick-pockets. The letters
were captured on the boys clothes,
we stated some time since, and
being of some interest, we produce
them. The letters contain some ter
rible lies, and clearly show that the
writer's are Williams Of the deepest die.
The first is from John Duke, and
seems to be to his wife or girl"
MEXICO, Mo-, July 3, 1873.
My DEAR EMMA: L know you will
be shocked when L tell you what |
want. 1t looks like l can't get bail.
Ny dear, | am innocent Of the charges
against me, but | can't get witnesses;
those that know are afraid to testify
for me-they are afraid of being
mobbed those that are prosecuting
me have threatened them, and threat
ened if | prove myself clear they will
hang me, so you can have some idea
of my situation. L can'tdO anything
in here; | am going to try to escape
from Jail if you a help me; please
do it, and if you can't, do not tell
anyone that you got this letter; if
the Sheriff knew it he would lock me
in the cell and give me bread and
water. Don't answer this letter nor
say anything about it to anyone; it
will be handed to you by a young
man who is going to try to get me
out. If you can help them to get
what things they want, they will
bring them to me. They will tell
you what they want, and you can get
your pa to assis, them. Hunnie, |
know l amt right, but | have not got
any show for getting a fair trial. and
if | cannot get out fair, / will try
other Try and get these
boys to come back pay their way up
here to bring those things to me get
your pa tC get them. # you get the
things, get your pa to hire some of
those roughs to come up here and
libcratc me | will pay them for
their trouble, and give n hundred dol
lars to the one that will bring me
what | want. YOU may look for
Hargress out l wrote To him
to IN if he comes he will do this
for me, but for Gods sake don't say
anything of getting this letter, nor
say anything ABOUT it i'll your letters
to me; don't write to any Of these
fellows up here; please don't say
anything to anyone, for they will
hang me sure. Hunnie, he in good
cheer; bail me if you cam; please
say nothing and help me all you can.
| have to slip these letters out UNI
known to the Sheriff. My dear, as
soon as l get out, l will write and
tell YOU all about it, if this don't give
Inc away. Emma, | am innocent ot
the charge, and | don't intend to sut-
fer for it. If | can't get out no other
way, l intend to take my lite-pum-
lsh me when | am not guilty, You
know how | feel about the affair. /
[ do have to commit suicide, | wan
YOU to send my body to my mother
if YOU please; but he careful amt
don't write anything of this to me O
} it will give me away. If they knew
this letter went out of here, thel
would take me out and hang me to
night. Don't ONE up here; you
can't get in where | am, and it woul(
not be any satisfaction. You are al
NY thoughts and studies; | dream o
you every night; | dreamed las
night that you were to bail me out
my dear, if there is any chance It
, bail me, do it-rather than this other
JOIN.
The second seems to be from Duk
: also, and directed to his brother:
MEXICO, Mo-, July ID, 1878.
: DEAR ERorHEK: Perhaps you wi
be surprised when you get this lctte.
but nevertheless say nothing; tax
, hold and help me out Of this horrihI
n place, and remember l would hcl
f YOU, always have and alv avs will :,
. long as | live. | will tell YOU III
; circumstances and how | got here.
> was travelling with Il man and he sto1
e a horse and went on and left me, an
V | was arrested and put in Jail /; five
# six men swear they SAW Inc with tt
! horse; have been to the jail to mo
me, and have threatened if | prov
/ myself clear that they will mob IT,
so | want to escape before court th
> fall. / want you to take the rieI
&c step to do it, and don't get your 70,
III it. i want you to go TO son
I good gunsmith, and get him to mai
l. YOU a saw that will saw steel or iroi
Y have it made very thin and light
d clock spring will make q good one
! have it made eight or ten inches lon,
: test it well before you take it, al
u get q vial of aquatortis and brir
e them to Inc. Come to Mexico al
l. get off the train, and don't tell AZ
one-who you are; don't make you
self known here; walk around ov,
y town but say nothing; don't ask f
o me, nor say anything, but find o.
II where the Jail is, go in the dead ho'
of night and lay them on the wlndo
h of the jail-the window next to u
house on the north side and lay the
inside of the bars in the grove of ii
q sash don't let them fall inside; don
Ie let anyone see you around here; pie
~ q dark night after midnight. The
o go to st. Louis to /, 100 North Ma
ket Street, and you will fird Emn
+ there; you can stop there a few da.
L. but say nothing of your bushes:
is don't tell anyone what you know.
|. can't say any more now; be caref
= and don't get caught. Bail me
y you can, and | will pay you as SOC
81 as / can sell in Kentucky. Der
a answer this, Tor l have to slip I'll
n out; they would hang me if tin
knew it. JOHN.
Read this: You stop in st. Lou
as you come out here and sec Emml;
III if happen to get out she will kr1
d it, and you must be careful how W
D talk and don't get caught. Der
opawar THE lattap If will uiya . n