Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-10-14
% OrtOn Escapes.

At about half past FIVE o'clock yes
terday evening Mrs. Laura Ellis, at
whose house T. B. Morton, the ex-
Sunday school TEACHER aud check
raiser, boarded, called at the jail and
asked to see that festive individual
The Jail gate was opened by Tom
Madden, the turnkey, who acted in
place Of the j%ailer, and Mrs. Ellis was
admitted. Morton's cell was unlocked
and as he stepped out Mrs. Ellis
stepped between him and the %jailer.
Morton bolted through the still I'M
fastened gate, shielded from pistol
shots by the form Of his visitor and
from pursuit in the cover of the fast
gathering darkness. He did not leave
word where he would go and conse.
quently thejailer don't know where to
write him.
The storyrelated to a representative
of this paper this morning, by Mrs,
Ellis, the lady in the case, throws an
entirely different light on the affair.
The lady states that she once ordered
Morton to leave her house, together
with several other young men because
they persisted in playing cards in their
rooms; but that she a~fterward took him
back as a day boardcr at the earnest
solicitation of Mr.. George Mackey,
by whom he was employed. She felt a
great deal Of interest in the young man,
which was heightened after his arrest
by several letters she received from
his mother and brother, the latter Of
whom sent her ten dollars to buy any
little things he might desire, She
visited Morton once at the Jail about
two weeks ago, upon which occasion
he met her at the gate which was
unlocked, opened it for her and closed
it after her when she left. Yesterday
she sent him his dinner as usual and
the girl brought her a note requesting
her to call on him. She could not
do so at once but went
to the Jail about FIVE o'clock,
opened the gate, which was unlocked
and found him sitting OF the front
steps. No one else was to be seen,
but in a few minutes after she took
her seat by him the turnkey, Madden
came out and said: please notice
that darby, Tom" She did not see
any darby. Then Madden went up
stairs into the Office, and left her
alone with Morton, who remarked
that she had left the Jail gate open,
which she ought not to have
done. After a few words further
Morton said the new jailer was very
strict and ordered everything locked
40, and he had better shut the gate at
once. He at once got up, went to the
gate as if to close it, but instead Of
doing so calmly walked out and closed
it behind him, going north at an easy
gait. Mrs. Ellis went into the Office
to give the alarm, but found no one,
and then hunted about tho corridor
for about ten minutes in a
vain search. When she returned to
the vestibule Madden was there and
in response to her exclamation that
Morton had left the Jail asked very
composedly what direction he took,
but went the opposite way to that
indicated. He did not 90 further
than the corner Of the Jail yard and
when he returned be remarked, You
have lost me my job"
Late last night Madden went to
Mrs. Ellis's boarding house, l45 Mad
ison street, and calling for the keys
searched every nook aud Granny in the
house and finally wound up by accps-
ing Mrs. Ellis Of aiding Morton to e.
0 pc. A young gentleman in tie
house took her part and the turnkey
was obliged to apologize.
Sheriff Athy, who took Madden into
his employ on account Of sympathy
for his widowed mother, promptly
discharged him "a soon 40 the matter
vas brought to his knowledge as un
worthy Of trust.