The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1882-1884, 1883-08-09
SCOTLAND NECK N. C, THURSDAY AUGUST g. 1888
rAeoDI MQ9wM q
RLuCkY BLACkLEG.

THE CAREER OF A SHARP MAN WHO
WENT FROM A PRISON TO
PRlNCELY FORTUNE.
[Honesd%le, Pa, Correspondence New
York Telegram.l
Wayne county has character who
casts Victor Hugo's Jean Vatican in
to the shade for, while one reformed
in good earnes at, the Wayne county
man ductuates between deeds of
chivalry and acts of baseness. His
name is George Avery, and at present
he is living in one of the Western
States, In 1870, when Avery was
only twenty .one years old, he was
charged with the murde: of Johll
HAYNES, of Rolands. Pike county.
He was arrested and an officer de-
tailed to bring him to Milford. Evi.
dence of the murder was said to be
so conclusive that he could not pos
sibly escape hanging.
On their way to Milford, where the
county prison was located, the officer
imbibed freely OF liquor and became
helplcssly drunk. Avery secured the
keys which unlocked the hand cuffs
and shackles by which he was bound
and removed the manacles, placing
them in the bottom of the wagon. He
took the reins from the stupidity
drunken officers hands, and drove to
the nearest hotel. where he arrived
with the officer in charge ut a late
hour. He put the drunken man to
bed. reused him the next morning
got him in the wagon, Grove on tC
Milford, when, after he had put the
officer in bed at the hotel. he walked
up to- the Jail and delivered him.
self up to the keeper, telling hin
about his experience with the consta
Bile.
He was confined till September
this was in JLne-when he was trie(
for murder, and, in spite of over
whelming proof, was acquitted, to TIT
surprise of everybody the cour
most of all. The day after he wa
discharged from custody he was ar
rested. charged with burglary, convict
ed, and sent to state prison for a yea
and half. He served the full term
reading law during his confinement
When he left the Eastern penitentia
ry at Philadelphia, he returned home
opened a law Office. arrested severa
citizens who had testified agaihs
him when he was ON trial for burglary
charging them with perjury. Failin:
to make out his case, he was senten
ced to pay the cost. He had n
money, 80 he went to Jail a. ain, wher
he remained until his friends coult
scrape up enough money to get hin
out.
When, finally, he became a fre
man again, he returned to his oil
home at Rowlands. From that tim
forward buglaries were numerou
about there, It never could evidenc
sufficient be obtained to convic
Avery. A year or SO later he wen
to Oil City, Pa, where he hung ou
his sign as a lawyer. Clients wer
plentiful and fees large. Avery wa
reaping a golden harvest, when b
was convicted of forgery and sent t
the Western penitentiary for fou
years aud eleven months. While ther
he fell in love with one of the keeper
daughters, and she offered to assis
him to escape, but he refused to leav
until his time was out. At the en-
of the term he went back to Rowland
soon afterward professed religion. b.
gan preaching little, swindled
neighbor out of 500, and was lndu'
ed by the neighbor, who enforced a
gument with big shotgun, to refun
the money.
| Avery then left for Luzerne count.
where he got into difficulty and WI
sent to the eastern penitentiary for
short term. Upon his release he sto
enough money to take him to the mi
ing regions Of the west, where, und
an assumed name, he opened la
Office and speculated in stocks.
7 1882 he ''struck it rich," cleart
, $780, 900. gave up stocks at once, i
I vested his money in governme
f bonds, sent for his fiancee, the pri'
q on keepers daughter, who joine1 hi
:. in Chicago, where they were marie
i. Avery is only thirty-four years oil
9 He never touched liquor, meyer gal
}. bled, nor used tobacco. and claims
J. have been the "victim Of circumsta
q ces." He writes to friends near he
h that he is leading an honest, uprig
s life, and that when he comes east
! will be as a United States Senat
+ from one of the Western States.
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