Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1885-03-27
A PERFORMERS APPEAL.
A Letter from Railroad Man In the
Fort Worth Jail
FoRT 'oRTH, TEX, March 10 ]


FORT SoRrH, TEX. March %, 1885.
To the Editor OF the Gazette;
DEAR SIR-Please publish the fol-
lowing article for me, as this seems to
be the only possible chance of my
clearing myself in the eyes OF the pub
lie. / am a poor, but, thank God,
an honorable, hard-workiUg man.
] have been a railroad man, q
brakeman, for years. A case OF mis-
taken identity has thrown me into an
unfortunate position when / am least
able TO stand it, being without money
to employ counsel.
anl charged with assisting in the
escape Of prisoner from an officer
at the Union depot on the night of the
18th of November, at which time |
was In the Indian territory, and in
Denison the following day; but on &C
count of not having the necessary
money to employ counsel, fear that
/ cannot prove this, aud Will be con-
victed. / want to show to the world
that | am innocent.
[ left ST. Louis on the 1st of the
month of November, coming south to
seek employment on some of the many
roads in Texas. stopped at several
towns in Kansas, bu' was not success
full; so | started for Dpnison, arriving
at McA lister on the morning of the
10th of November. [ rode on freight
train, and little circumstance hap
pened there which / will relate:
There were two German tramps on
the train, and when we arrived
at McAIlister the conductor put
them off and hit them with pieces of
coal Gu ting them or the head. We had
break fast at the little clearinghouse
close by the track, kept by little old
man. He was also a witness to this
affair The conductor is good wit
ness for me, but | have no way to get
| him or to find out his whereabouts
now. The ctbOOse was numbered SO.
| The conductor was a medium.siZed
man, with iron-gray hair and mus
taohe. This same night we left for
Denison On passing Savannah, l. T.,
we noticed Hunters circus tent
| pitched close TO the track,
! On arriving at COLDER we side-tracked
| to let the north-bound passenger
pass. We then ran into Denis1n on
the morning of the 90, h of November.
/ called on the chief train dispatcher,
but could not strike Job just at that
time, so remained in town that day
and night. stopped at o resident
clearinghouse on the right hand side
of Main street, which / will describe:
There was large sign across the side
walk "Lodgings'O. | registered my
name, John Hayes, Cincinnati, Ohio
The following night l stopped at an.
other house, not being able to get the
same room. This house was, thing
back of a undergrad on the left OF
the track coming from the round.
house. | went the next day to Den.
ton, and stopped ut the Union house
| left Denton that night aud arrived
in the Fort early the next morning
and to my surprise was arrested abou,
S o'clock and thrown into prison,
where ! have been ever since.
could give more minute details in
the matter If | were not afraid my let.
ter would find its way to the waste
basket do not expect that this abb
from myself alone will clear IAe, but
l know it will reach some parties who
can prove that am innocent / beg
of you to be kind enough to give these
few lines space in your columns
Very respectfully, JOHN HAYES
7. S.-You might insert my de.
scription. / am about five feet nine
inches in height, weigh about 1885,
pounds, dark complexion, mustachC
and hair dark. / had on at this time
a blue shirt and stiff hat and a darl
suit of clothes