The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-06-27
WHEN
A REMARKABLE CAREER.
A Convict Who Expects to Ultimately Be-
come United States Senator.

HoNEsDALE, Pa, June 26.-Wayne county
has a character who casts Victor Hugo's
"Jean Vatican" into the shade, for, while one
reformed in good earnest, the Wayne county
man fiuctuates 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 murder of John Haynes of Rolands,
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 to Milford, where the county
prison was located the officer imbibed freely
of liquor and became helplessly drunk.
Avery secured the keys which unlocked the
handouts 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 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
hotel, he walked up to the Jail and delivered
himself up to the keeper, telling him about
his experience with the constable.
He was confined till September-this was
in June-when he was tried for murder, and
in spite OF overwhelming proof was acquit-
ted to the surprise of everybody, the court
most of all. The day after he was discharged
from custody 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 Peniten tiary, at
Philadelphia, he returned home, opened a
law Office, arrested several citizens who had
testified against him when he was on trial for
burglary, charging them with perjury Fail
ing to make out his case, he was sentenced to
pay the costs. He had no money, so he went
to Jail again, where he remained until his
friends could scrape up enough money to get
him out.
When. finally, ne became free man again,
he returned to his old home at Rowlands
From that time forward burglaries were nu-
merous about there, but never could evil
dence sufficient to convict Avery be obtained.
A year or so later he went to Oil City, Pa,
where he hung out his sign as lawyer.
Clients were plenty and fees large Avery
was reaping golden harvest when he was
convicted of forgery and sent to the Western
Penitentiary for four years and eleven
months. While there he fell in love with
one of the keepers daughters, and she Of
fered 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 Rowands, soon
afterward professed religion, began preach
ing a little, swindled neighbor out of 500,
and was induced by the neighbor, who en-
forced argument with big shotgun, to re-
fund the money
Avery then left for Luzerne county, where
he got into difficulty and was sent to the
Eastern Penitentary for a short term. Upon
his release he stole enough money to take
him to the mining regions of the West,
where under an assumed name, he opened a
law office and speculated in stocks. In 1882
he "struck 1t rich, !" cleared $3.50, 900, gave up
stocks at once, invested his money in govern
ment bonds, sent for his fiancee, the prison
keepers daughter who Joined him in Chi
cago, where they were married.
Avery is only thirty-four years old. He
never touched liquor, never gambled nor
used tobacco, and claims to have been the
victim of circumstances. He writes to
friends near here that he is leading an honest,
upright life, and that when he comes East
it will be as a United States senator from one
of the Western States.