Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1884-01-12
miscellaneous.
4 Horse YhIers Romance.
How FELox BECAME CONVERTED AM
WoS WIFE N THE ADIRoSDACKs.

WIN = IL <1DikJNDAt<hc-
Recently q romance was consumated
away up in the Adirondack which, in
tangled plot and novel details, claims
equality with the strangest of the many
fabulous Christmas tales that are just now
being printed, writes q Gloversdale cor
respondent of the New York Times. The
story Is told By man who came to this
town from Sageville. Hamilton county
Fred Roderick, yonng man of p or 20
years, of burly frame, but with certain
manly charm in his rough ways. the son
OF popular old guide up at Indian Lake,
has been confined in the Hamilton county
Jail. at Sageville, for the past four or five
months, awaiting trial on the charge OF
stealing pair OF horses from farmer OF
that county. Every Sunday afternoon the
Rev. Arthur Chambers, the pastor Of the
Methodist church in the village. in COM
pany with dozen or fifteen members of
his congregation. holds prayer meeting
and song meeting in the jail. For two
wears IT has been the habit OF Miss Agnes
Austin, the young and BY no means IN
comedy daughter Of the village apothecary.
TO join the missionary band. and her sweet
voice is credited with having influenced
many tough hearted prisoner TO expe-
Renee conversion. The first Sunday after
Roderick's arrest she became acquainted
with him during the meeting and on several
succeeding Sundays il was noticed without
exciting remark that she was oftener in
side corridor doing individual work with
prisoner Roderick. as the Chaplain and his
band thought. than at her customary post
in the choir laboring fer the general sal
walton. Aftef a month or so. by permis-
sion OF the Sheriff, she made special and ir-
regular weekday visits with the prisoner.
assuring the Jail attendants that her heath
en- was fast falling under the influence.
Finally. she began to neglect her Sunday
work, but her week-da visits became more
frequent. This led to some little whisper
ing among her deserted co-workers, but
no general suspicion was aroused.
Some five or six weeks ago Roderick
confessed conviction at Sunday meeting.
giving at the same time hearty praise and
credit to the evangelizing efforts of Miss
Austin. But this only bred envy in the
several breasts of her deserted o-work-
ers, and tongue after tongue began tn wag
until at every fireside in the community it
was the chief topic discussed. With the
Post office loafers Angie Austin's name
was in an opprobrious sense connected
with that of Ford Roderick. and all sorts
of reckless talk was INDUCED in. Mr..
Austin vainly forbade bis daughter from
continuing her visits to the Jail. The faith
er then called on the Sheriff. and in this
way was more. successful, for the visits
were mt once interdicted
Two weeks ago last Thursday Agnes
disappeared from her home and nothing
was heard of her whereabouts until last
Frdav. when a constable came riding into
Sageville with Agnes behind him. She
was taken before the magistrate and sent
TO Jail on the charge OF stealing one of the
very horses for the theft of which her lover
was suffering confinement. The consta-
BILE said that she stole the horse in broad
daylight. and when pursued made but a
very feeble attempt to escape. Her story
is that Fcrd told her to go to her fathers
camp and await his arrival, which would
be as soon as an opportunity for escape
presented itself. After waiting for him ut
the camp for more than week she says
she became desperate. and resolving to
join him in the Jail. she ran away from the
camp with the deliberate intention of COM
hitting some crime that would place her
by her lovers side. Her stealing the same
horse that Ferd had once stolen, she as
serts. was simple accident. Miss Aus
tins bail was fixed at 5000. but she re-
fused TO accept bondsmen and resume her
liberty. On Friday morning Roder.ck sent
for the Sheriff and informed him that he
wished to wed Agnes Austin. who. when
brought before the Sheriff. declared a
similar desire. The girl being 10 years
old. and therefore of the legal age
the Sheriff deemed it his duty 10
comply with their wishes. and the
committing magistrate. Jarvis. was sum
moned. At 3 O'Clock in the afternoon, in
the corridor of the Jail. with the sheriff
and two deputies as witnesses. the felon
lovers were made ore. The district attor-
ney unpoeticallv declares that this most
remarkable of Hymen's consultations will
not hinder him from prosecuting the bride
and groom on the separate indictments
He promises. however. to try and bring
both cases up at the same term of court,
and thus allow the pair to make their
bridal journey together to their future
mountain home at Clinton Prison
The father of Miss Austin makes some
dire threats against the Sheriff for his
course. but it is evident enough that the
romantic horse-thieves have many svmpa-
thizers among the excited village people,
who were late to bed Friday night and
neglectful OF their business Yesterday be =
cause of being so absorbed in hearing and
so eager to tell the story of the wedding
of the Jail birds. 1t has been said by
some that no Hamilton county jury will
ever convict the pair. and that as no one
is loser by their crimes they should be
permitted to try liberty again. There be-
ing but one corridor in the jail, man and
wife are not separated during the day.
and they occupy different cells.