Daily Republican., 1883-06-28
A MODERN ROMANCE
The Remarkable Career Of George
Avery, Murderer, Burglar, Law.
yer and SpecuIatOr.

Pennsylvania, Wayne County, has
9 character who casts Victor Hugo's Jea,
Vatican into the shade, for, while on,
reformed in good earnest, the Wayn,
O County man tiuctuates between deeds O
. chivalry and acts of business. His
name is George Avery, and at presen
he is living in one ofthe Western States
In 1870, when Avery was only twenty
one years old, he was charged with the
murder OF John Haynes, of Rowlands
, Pike county. He was arrested and an
officer detailed to bring him to Milford.
Evidence of the murder was said to be
so conclusive that he could not possibly
escape hanging.
On their way 10 Milford, where the
County prison was located, the officer
imbibed too freely of liquor and became
helplessly drunk Avery secured the
keys which unlocked the hapdcuffs 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 off,
GERS hands, and drove to the nearest
hotel, where he arrived with the officer
in charge at late hour He put the
drunken man to bed, reused him the
next morning, got him in the wagon,
drove on to Milford, when, after he had
put the officer in bed at the hote,, he
walked up to the Jail and delivered
himself up to the keeper, telling him
about his experience with the consta-
bic.
He was confined till Septem mber--this
was in Jnne-whan he was tried for
murder, and, in spite of overwhelming
proof, was acquitted, to the surprise Of
everybody, the court most of all The
day after he was discharged from Gus
tody he was arrested, charged with
burglary, convicted and sent to State
prison for year and half. He served
the full term, reading law during his
confinement. When he left the Eastern
penitentiary at Philadelphia he re-
turned home, openeda law office, ar
rested several citizens who had tes ified
against him when he was on trial for
burglary, charging them with perjury.
Failing to make out his case, he was
sentenced to pay the costs. He had no
money, SO he went to Jail agaiu, where
he remained until his friends could |
scrape up enough money to get him out |
When, finally, he became free
man again, he returned to his old |
home at Rowlands. From that time
forward burglaries we're numerous
about there, but never could evidence
sufficient to convict Avery be obtained.
A year or so later he went to Oil City,
Pa, where he hung out his sign as a
lawyer Clients were plenty and fees
large. Avery was reaping a golden
harvest, when he was convicted of
forgery and sent to the Western peni-
tentiary for four years and eleven
months. While there he fell in love
with one of the keepers daughters, and
she offered to assist him to escape, but
he refused to leave until his time was
out AT the end of the term he went
back to Rowlands, soon afterward pro-
fessed religion, began preaching little,
swindled a neighbor out of 800, and 8
was induced by the neighbor, who en- :
forced argument with a big shot gun,
to refund the money.
Avery then left for Luzerne County,
where he got into difficulty and was
sent to the eastern penitentiary for a
short term. Upon his release he stole +
enough money to take to the mining re-
sions of the West, where under an as @
'umed name he opened law office and 8
'peculated in stocks. In 1882 he a
struck it rich," cleared $750,0OO, gave +
Up his stock at once, invested his mon
" in government bonds, sent for his .
iancee, the prison keepers daughter, r
Who joined him in Chicago, where they n
we're married. a
A very is only thirty-four years old q
lie never touched liquor, never gam a
lied nor used tobacco, and claims to =
ave been the victim of circum- a
tances.' He writes to friends near here ~ :,
hat when he is leading an honest, up a
light life, and that when he comes
last it will be as United States :,
enator from one of the Western :,
tates. =