The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1885-11-12
ANGEL WINGS.

Many years ago, the community OF
a certain hamlet in the south Of France
was startled by a crime rare indeed in
their quiet, agricultural district. A
wealthy farmer was found dead az
| early morning within a hundred yards
of his own house. He had been killed
by blows administered by a heavy
stake, which lay near the body covered
with the blood; and his pockets had
been rified of their contents, including
| a considerable sum of money which he
| was known to have received the pre-
vious evening for some sheep sold by
him in the neighboring market town.
When the awe and excitement crea-
ted by this event had subsidized a little,
every exertion was made by the author
| tiles to ferret out the perpetrator of
the crime. A reward was offered for
! the discovery of the murderer, procla-
nation of which bounty was made for
several successive Sundays at the
church door. At last some disclosures
were made. duplicating a young man
| AIMED Laroche-a STRIPPING eighteen
years OF age.
The person who brought the charge
against young Laroche was man of
| the name of Landry-a stranger in the
district. but who had lately been ap-
pointed by the lord of the manor as
one of the keepers of game preserves.
Landry testified that he had seen La.
| roche cutting a stake from the hedge
on the afternoon previous to the MUIR
| der, and that he had reproved him for
nd ta no cta 10, Il
stuck it on the bank of the hedge at a
particular spot. The stake was the
same one that was found lying near
the body of the farmer. Landry could
| swear to it, because after taking it
from Larooho, he had niokod 10 in q
peculiar way with his pen-knife.
Now, it SO happened that the MUIR
dered farmer had many and influential
| friends, while Laroche had but few.
| Therefore Laroche was convicted of
the murder, and sentenced to be hung
on a certain day, and at certain
place, until which time he was placed
| for safe keeping in the Jail of the dis
trict-the third floor of large stone
! building, the lower part of which was
mill.
The prison consisted of a single
apartment, lighted by a small window,
at the height OF about sixteen feet from
the floor The side of the building
from which the window looked, ran
sheer down to the water of dark, deep
river, which creeps lazily by the mill,
but quickened the pace a little lower
down, until it gradually became a
rushing torrent, leaping wildly on to
its fall over perpendicular ledge OF
rocks. Bodies carried over the fall
were said to never have been recoV-
cred; and it was a fixed notion among
the country people that there was a
suctional force below by which every
thing falling into it was carried down
into the uneXplored abysses OF the
earth.
1t was the day before that fixed for
the execution of young Laroche, and
| the priest of the parish, Father Allard
by name, had been left alone with the
prisoner, in order to prepare him, by
| the consolation of religion, fer his ap-
preaching doom. To his words OF com,
fort Laroche listened with humility
and silence, until tue good Father be,
| gan to dilate upon his chances of for
| giveness in the next world for the great
| crime committed by him. Then the
| prisoner electrified him by declaring
| his perfect innocence of that Crime-s
| position which he meant to MAINTAIN
| he said, with his latest breath.
To be brief, The youth OF the prison,
| er. his earnest aSseverations of limo
cence. and wavering doubt of hi!
Guilt. which had all along troubled
| Father A!tard's S mind SO wrought upor
| that worthy man that he at last con
sented to commit himself to plan tol
giving the prisoner cbance OF escape
if not from death, at least from the
ignoniny OF dying by the haud OF th'
| accursed hangman.
If die by the gallows. most reve
rend Father" said the young man, 9;
| great sorrow will some day fail rpor
all concerned in my death. The rea
murderer is sure to be discovered
sooner or later;and the just retributlor
of Heaven will pursue my murderers
Aid me to escape rather than risk ;
| great stain upon your conscience
Stand upon this chair. which l piac
upon the table, thus; and then, b,
mounting upon your shoulders, | cal
reach the window and drop from 1t.
But the river boiow!'
Il can swim like an otter, and, a
any rate, it is better to be drowned
than hanged.
Convinced of the young mans limo
cence, Father Allard consented to nj,
him in his escape. A moment suffice'
to carry the plan into execution. 1h
prisoner gained the window and disap
peared.
Parading iu struggling way outsid
the building went one of the minor OF
ficers of justice-a solid peasant wh
had been placed there by way of sen
try, and who at this moment happene,
to be looking towards the river wall c
the mill. His sight nearly left him, a
he afterwards stated, when he saw
man drop frow the Jail window, strik
on to platform that protruded frol
doorway in the second story, ane
rebounding from that, fall into the W;
ter with heavy plunge, reappearin
at intervals, until he was carried ava
! hal