River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1882-06-22
THE EXEMPLARY MIR. DUX
4 sKErcH pIcKEp up AnRoAD.

SKETCH PICKED UP ABROAD.
80 you quit us Tomorrow morn.
ing?'
ayes, Marin. / guess they're agoin'
to hang me at ten o'clock sharp"
/ opened wide eyes and ears as
heard this fragment of conversation.
At the moment | was standing at the
threshold of cell. But such cell!
It looked more like a boarding house
parlor; the windows were barred, it Is
true; the walls were whitewashed, and
the lock of the door was ponderous;
but on the floor was soft carpet, and
against the walls we're arranged chairs
and ottomans.
In the middle of the room, some OF
them seated, some standing, dozen
ladies, in visiting costume, formed a
circle round a gentleman. The latter
was in correct evening dress-white
cambria tie, swallowta tailed coat, white
kid gloves, and boots that reflected one
like polished shield.
"That's the assassin whispered the
detective, who was showing me around,
40 Gay, meals not included.)
/ could not restrain a movement OF
surprise, notice "he's under sentence
of death"
In the monotonous voice of a pro-
fessional quite he went on to tell me
the story of the man who was the focus
of so much attention.
"a criminal of the highest class, this
Dux. He began in an intelligent way
by only attacking respectable people
&10 0O0 or sn HnlIr tim hp
has cheated the gal!ows. The first
time he bought off the witnesses; the
second time he bought off the jury;
the third time ne did business direct
with the Judge. But fatal accident
was his ruin. The paper he found on
a banker he assassinated turned out to
be counterfeit. James had killed q
eonfrere by mistake. Not being able to
get together money enough to make
his innocence clear, he was found
guilty. He was going to be sent aloft,
when comrade starting in trade of
fered to buy the fraudulent bank notes
at a sacrifice. He said he calculate d
to pass them on his customers out
west. With the sum thus realized
James was able to persuade the COVER
nor of the state to take disinterested
view of this case, and he was let off.
''But Dux never got over the turn it
gave him. He became kinder stupid
lost his head He took to robbing the
first that came in his road. One even
ing, in an out.of-the-way suburb, he
knocked out the brains of an old man
with q sledge-hammer for the sake oil
miserable watch of no value"
Caught in the act by young police
man, who thought he had chance to
distinguish himself, James was brought
up at the assizes for the fifth time. The
evidence was overwhelming, the de
fence weak, the jury indifferent. While
the dozen in the box was trying whisky
cocktails, Judge Blackstone rose in the
middle of cloud of cigar-smoke anc
pronounced sentence of death, givins
the poor fellow only three months leis
ure to read the bible in. His time is III
this afternoon.
''And that Is the prisoner" l exclaim
ed; ''the man in the dress clothesW
ayes, that is Dux," he answered
'He's converted. you know. At presen
he's a great object of interest Gu
richest ladies pay all his expenses. The
best families come round regular K
comfort him. He is going to die beauti
fully, we expect. 1t is great victory fol
the Hardshell Baptist church. You'll
see that James will make truly sancti
fed end"
Meantime the assassin, reconductlns
one OF his lady visitors to the door
passed quite close to me, and | haC
the opportunity of taking his Likeness
~, NV "a, pptol aronra
He was a low sized, thick set,ill bull
man. with face blotched with whisk,
pimples, low forehead, a cold eye
and the limbs of long armed ape
What sinister and grotesque carlca
ture this bestial wretch was, trickef
out in the garb of good society, his big
bony toes making humps on the paten
leather Of his dandy pumps, and hi
close cropped hair glistening with som'
perfume, which could not kill the fetit
odor that exuded from his vulgar body
A lady advanced toward the ASSASSIN
and presented him with an immens
white bouquet-the symbol of purit,
of soul. But as she tried to murmur
few appropriate words, emotion over
came her and she swooned.
The condemned felon had taken tn
flowers with careless air, smiled then
and ierked them over to a corner o
the room where l perceived mass o
fragrance and bloom thrown IN huddle'
heaps like so much refuse.
"rhe poor creatures are nervous, d
you mind, said James compassionately
"They should take horn of gin befor
risking themselves here"
HAIIOuy mo IN sOtrnducn tn Won M
only daughter, Miss Blackstone" SAT-
gentleman of judicial bearing, burst
ing forward to make way for Lowell
young girl who leaned on his arm.
The murderer bowed.
The yong lady courtesied.
Tue Judge did his best to initiate ON
and the other; that is to say as far a
his corpulence would permit him.
papa has spoken often about you,
said the pretty girl with shipper.
am really sorry you cannot dine with Y
tomorrow. !,
ats out of the question, Miss and
deeply regret it." said Dux, with
coarse laugh.
The young lady blushed and lowere
her eyes.
"Unless, you know, your father woul
consent to revise his judgment, col
tinued the felon.
''Ah, James, said the judge, with
blending of formality and the col
amiability OF the bench, sit is, as 20
say, out of the question. Business
business, you know !" and bending Z
ward Dux he whispered it would /
as much as my appointment is wort
to do anything at present"
at must be terrible thing, MIR. Du
to be hanged" interrupted the your
girl.
"a moments pain, more or less, Mi
Blackstone, short moment-do yc
hear?' said thejudge. at is the deal
Iwould prefer for myself"