The south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1879-1883, 1879-04-08
Within an Ace Of Death.
a CHAPTER OF nAIRBREADrH ESCAPE.

Within an ACE OF Death.
4 CHAPTER OF nAIRBREADTH ESCAPE
Colonel Gilmor, relating to the sto'
~ OF tight in which he figured
says, in ms -Four Years in the Sad
die, Turning half round in my sad
die 10 call Oh my men, L received
sudden shock and ielt deadly sick,
aud at the same instant saw man
trail his gun and run oil. killed
INN before lac had gone three steps
His bail had passed through Two
coats and struck III pack OF cards in
my leil side pocket. They were quite
new, the wrapper not even having
been broken open. The suits were
each distinct. The bullet passed
through all, stopping at the lastcard,
which was the ace OF spades"
Such another literal illustration oil
The phase Within an ace of death
is not OH record but hair breadth es
capes are common in war. AT the bat.
Tie OF Laon, Stephens saw shell strike
the horse ola PrHssian officer. En-.
tering near the shoulder it caused the
poor animal TO make a conyulsivC
spring aud throw itsirider; the irag.
lnents OF the shell being projected OH
all sides, while the rider jumped uI
from tue ground uuhurt. during Tho
Crinerian War Col. WYndham dis
patched TO iiud out how matters
were going in The first attack OH thu
Redan, saw soldier walking alon9
the trench two or three yards ahea,I
OF him, Presently round shot cam'
flying over the parapet and the MAJ
was hidden from sight by the dust
When it subsidized the colonel was as
tunishei 10 find himself beside iv
ing man, whose counlenance present
ed curious admixture of fright an,
joy, as, scratching his head, lie ex
claimed, why, dash my buttons, bu
that was amazing night
Amazingly nigh death, although il
blissful Ignorance OF the TACT, was
Confederate staff officer marke
down by a Norlherner's rifle, and on
" saved by the officer commandin
the platoon happening to recognize i
him client OF The insurance Office, G
which he was secretary aud strikin
up the leveIed weapon with, "Don
shooti we've got policy on him y
The sword Of justice is not Away
rightly directed ,snd sometimes come
near perpetrating murder. A youn
New Yc Acr named Wells went Oh
evening to Booths Theater. Take
with lit of coughing, lie lett the th'
alter, intending to go home; but ate
going some little distance, it came o
showing ~ fast that lie r. raced hi
steps As he strobe along two me
came rushing down the street, one c
them dropping gold watch an
chain, which Wells picked up, an
went after the loser, running into til
arms OF a policeman, who marche
him off TO the station 10 explain ma
tiers. Presently a messenger arrive
in hot haste, saying the thief wi
wanted at Fifth Avenue Hott
Wells was taken there, and brougl
face to face with a man lying OH
lounge, covered with blood. :"
this the man who 3 stabbed YOU
asked the officer. at is said Il
poor fellow falling back, never
speak agains Wells was tried Z
The murder, found guilty, and SC
fenced 10 be hanged, and hanged
would have been if q fortnight befo
the day fixed for his execution
prisoner in Sing Sing had not co
les'ed on his death bed that he h
robbed the man of his watch, tn
stabbed him aud run of, allerwa
dropping the watch rs he ran.
Among the Communists fried
Versailles,was Jean Baptistc Piger
charged with commanding the flrir
party who shot the hostages at
louquclte. lie protested he knt
othing OF the dreadful business, Il
was not aware that the hostages Il
been shot until after his arrest. |
denial went for naught. lie i
been denounced by membsrs of
own party; three of. them on Il
with him declared he was at
RUqueue. M. Chevrieu priso
n there at the time, said he saw Pige
ID from his cell dressed as n Nado
Guard, trailing q scabbard after hi
his face was fixed in his memo
and Scissor, apolice officer, asser
emphatically, "Thats tie man"
ly one voice was raised in Piger
behalf that of the Communist jut
Genlon. "You can shoot me IL
like" exclaimed he, but Pigerr,
sc, innocent; he had nothing to do v
len it." The prosecutor summed up,
sisting upon Pigerre's convic
with the rest the advocates for
accused said their Intellectual say,
Is then came an interruption.
~ A man named Jarraud, who ev
body agreed was implicated in
murder of the hostages, and who
supposed to have been killed by
NJ. soldiers, was brought into court.
gerre was ordered TO stand torv
"That's not the inanwho commi
ed," said Jarraud. sob, no;
ng. leader of the hand was Sicard."
af- proceedings were suspended, and
same evening Sicard was foun,
'cr- one of the prisons 1t was evi
i2m that he had not long to live but
carried him to Versailles to testi
- Pigcrre's innocence and convinc
the witnesses, save the three Com
NJ nists, that they had been misled
d the extraordinary resemblance
y tween the two men. The prosec
lAs at once demanded that the accuse
~ he had formulated against Pig
should be Withdrawn; and 80 tie
~ mated what might have proved q