River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1883-03-22

ever saw, land have seen good many,
so far as ingenuity is concerned. He is
sharper than any steel trap, and while
he is talking to you with an apparently
innocent smile on his face, he is taking
your measure bv the inch"
Here Warden Green approached the
first cell and said: Here, Becker,
here's a gentleman who wants to speak
with you if you will speak with him.
The reporter heard climbing of irons
as he neared the cell door The pris-
Oner had Just finished his midday meal
and was taking a siesta after dinner. He
rose apparently with some little diff.
Nity from his bed and came to the cell
door with that same innocent smile
which the Warden described. If ever
there was a counterfeit Iresentment of
the smile of innocence, SO perfect as 10
deceive the most expert judge of human
character this was it, indeed, and Becker
must be admitted to be an artist of the
best school that teaches how to hide
ones thoughts. Ills blue eyes fairly
beamed with good nature, his rather
thick lips puekered with humor, and his
heavy, dull, Teutonic features lighted
up with an expression which seemed TO
say: What an outrageous absurdity it
q
like me. It's a little joke of the war
den's, you know; but he will have his
Joke" This look of mild depreciation,
as he put his plump hands between the
bars of his cell to welcome his visitor,
was simply Undesirable. Looking at
Becker closely, the writer saw, in rap
id glance, that around his waist was an
iron belt, in the front of which there
was a ring To this ring two chains
were fastened. Reaching down to each
ankle, and around each ankle was an
other iron ring. Quick as the writer's
glance, Becker caught it and followed it,
and if possible his smile became still
more beaming as he looked down at the
insignia which marked him as the most
distinguished inmate of the prison.
Atthe trial.Becker weighed 220 pounds.
To-day he looks as if he weighed 40.
He is squat III figure, and decidedly
Teutonic in appearance. The keen blue
eve is the feature that would attract the
attention of an observer in the rather
coarse and sensual-looking face. No one
would recognize in this cleanly-shorn
convict of no particular age, with close
ly cropped hair and coarse raiment, the
gentlemanly-looking man, about forty
years old, with well-Kept beard and
in the court of general sessions last
spring.
The writer remarked, by way of
opening conversation, that Becker
looked pretty well, all things consid-
cred.
ooh, no, don't say that said the
convict, in deprecatory tone. 81 have
lost all this" and he spread his hands
out on his paunch. Il was out that
way at my trial, F." and he described the
segment of circle in front of his stom-
ach with his outstretched hands. 81
have LOST fifty pounds" he added, with
the same imperturbable smile that would
have delighted the heart of Mark Twain.
you are having rather rough time
of it," said the writer.
Yes said Becker. smilIngly, with a
glance swift as lightning at Warden
Green, who stood little distance off in
the corridor, so as not to embarass the
prisoner Yes, it is about time that
was through, isn't it? / have had it in
the four quarters of the globe--in Eu-
rope. ASIA, Africa and America Well,
| am through" he added, with a tinge
of WEAKNESS in his voice. when | get
ont Of here, / mean TO work for an hon
est living"
How did you manage to strike Asia?"
asked the writer.
81 was arrested for counterfeiting in
Alexandria, Egypt, with two others.
We were taken to Smyrna in Asia for
trial In Smyrna we were sentenced to
do time in Constantinople in Europe,
and.now," said Becker, smilingly, Il
am doing time i'll America. That covers
the four quarters of the globe. | have
heard THAT Alexandria has been de-
stroyed by the British guns. 1t is great
pity. 1t was beautiful city. / lived
little way off the Grand Square, which
hear has been completely ruined"
Becker" said the writer, will yon
honestly tell me how you ever got away
FROM the Cons.antinople Jail? There are
various stories about, and | would like to
get the trne version from your own lips"
"Well, - said Becker, 1.-THE story was
to the effect that we bribed the kitchen
steward to let us go, but there is not
word of truth in that. | don't mind
telling you how we got away: 1t can't
do any harm now, and | am done with
the business for good. There were four
from Smyrna 10 ConstantinoDle to do
time. The fourth man had no more to
do with it than you had. We three new.
er saw him until we saw him at the trial
in Smyrna. was employed painting
the inside of the prison, which is right
in the heart of the city ofConstantinople.
Ny two comrades were employed around
the store house. One day / saw the
pass key which the keeper laid down
Just by the door of my cell. | took an
impression of it quick as flash"
with what?" asked the writer, in
tlank amaZement.
"With piece of soap, of course" said
Becker, W tn Il perfectly angelic smile.
! had the soap nearly all the time, and |
was only waiting for the opportunity.
When | got the impression, there was
no trouble in getting out into the yard
| made the key myself, with
a piece of strong iron wire. My two
were notified, and they man
aged to secure some pieces ofrope, about
sixty or seventy feet in all. At night we
got out into the yard with the pass-key.
We broke into the clothes-house, and got
three suits of clothing andt hree Turkish
caps.
with the end ofthe rope wegot over
the wall"
"How high was it?" inquired the writer,
"Well that WALL" said Becker, glanc-
ing at tine stone wall which su rounds
the Kings county penitentiary, one
which cost the Brooklyn taxpayers so
much. sis thirty feet high" This was
SAID IN tone that made it evident to
the writer that Mr. Becker had been
''sizing up the wall in his minds eye, so
to speak, with a possible view of future
contingencies, "The wall ofthe Constan-
tinople prison." he continued, "is ten
feet higher than that 1t is forty feet
high"
Dwell, but how did you get over?"
asked tho writer.
The most harmless of smiles played
around the corners of Mr.. Becker's
mouth as he hesitated TO give the secret
aw v.
''Wen," he said, afte apparently max
ing up his mind that the recital could do
him no injury, ''it was this way: There
were embrasures or evelets in the wall,
about equal distance apart and about ten
feet from the ground. One stood on a
STOPPING position, while another got on
his back to reach the emhTasure. The
third man threw the rope over the wall
exactly in front of the embrasure. The
man standing on the others back reached
through the hole for the rope and
brought it inside
"To the end brought in we fastened
L.,