Little Falls transcript., 1886-04-02

day Isaw that he had got possess
sion OF a watch, a far better-looking
thing than | had been accustomed to
see amongworkingmen. "Hello, Joe,"
said ], you're getting smart. Where
did ys got that ticker from?'' .a
"Oh, won it III a shilling rattle.
lisa beauty, isn't it,"
The following Saturday afternoon,
just as l was leaving the house for a
stroll, Joe met me rather hurriedly,
saying: 'Tom, I'm going to Manches-
ter till Tuesday. / haven t much time
to catch t train, and nst want one
or two things in t. house, and q few
shillings extra like. Just run and
pawn this watch for me, there's good
lad, and We'll both go to the station
together
"All right, joe" Isaid, ''give it to
me-"
"1'll follow thee in O. minute" he
shouted, as / hurried to the nearest
pawnshop.
When I handed the watch to the
shopman, he examined it closely, and
once Or twice looked rather queerly
at 1ne. "Where did you get this?'
he asked.
IA mate of mine just gave it to me to
pawn" answered. HE won it in a
rattle; expect him here directly"
"Boy!" he shouted to an assistant
in the shop, "Ishall want some change;
run and get, some as quick as you
can"
In few minutes the boy came back
with a policeman-the ''change" he
he was sent out for, as it proved.
"Officer," said the shopman, this
young man has just handed in watch
that's wanted. Here's the notice of
warming sent round from the police Of
fee"
"What have You got to say" said
the policeman.
II know nothing aboutit; will take
it directly to the man who gave it to
me-"
But on going into the street, nothing
was seen OF Joe. We went to the lods-
ings but no Joe was there. He must
have seen the officer, taken to the shop
and then thoug ghtit best to run away.
"Well, young man, you must come
with me to the station. The watch is
stolen and has been found upon you;"
SO said the officer as he laid hold of
my arm to take me to the lookup.
In due time was brought before the
magistrates, charged with having stol-
en- watch. I told my story, which,
from the smiles on the faces in court,
seemed to be very stale one.
els anything known OF this ,nan?"
sharply asked one OF the magistrates.
"les, Your Worship" answered an
official, as he read from a large book,
.Convicted for stealing a. pier-glass,
April 10, 1867. and sentenced to three
months hard labor"
1t was now October, 1868, only
about eighteen months after nv first
appearance in the same dock. I saw
that this fact told againt my tale.
'You stand committed to the ses-
sions," was the reply of the bench;
and went down below, nlenting my
hard luck.
A day or two after my committal
to the borough prison the chief super
intendent visited my cell, note book
in hand. "You have been previously
convicted" he said. "Once in this
prison last year. Haven't you been
in Winchester Jail since?"
| SAW it was useless to deny it; and
now began to realize the seriousness
OF my position. The superintendent
was getting up my criminal history for
the Recorder, and two convictions in
SO short time would certainly insure
for me q long sentence. The knowledge
OF my innocence IN the present case
made my position all the more griev-
Gus.
Each OF the cells in this prison was
provided with a small cistern for water,
let into the outside wall, but with one
OF its sides flush with the interior wall.
| found one of the screws, by which it
was fastened, loose. Curiosity led me
to try and loosen the others. This at
last accomplished. Then I took the
cistern out, and saw a space in depth
more than half the thickness of the
wall, and large enough to admit the
passage Of my body. The thought of
escape at once suggested itself, and I
resolved to make the attempt. Icare-
fully put back the cistern, replaced the
screws, and covered them with white
wash from the walls.
Having several weeks to wait for
trial, I was taken out of the cell q
good deal, and was employed in many
ways. One day, as Twas doing light
job in the basement, Isaw an iron bar
about three feet long lying about.
This l concealed in my clothes, and
safely carried to my cell. My first OBJ
ject was to break the bar in two; but
how was it to be done without q file?
My eyes lighted upon the scrubbing-
stone used for cleaning the floor. I
tried the hardest piece could find,
and rubbed away with all my might.
Imagine my delight when l found the
iron showing signs OF wear! Stone
was to be had in abundance, and
persevered until success crowned
my work, and the iron bar lay
in two pieces. then began my
attack upon the wall. The dim
ner-hour was usually a very
safe time for prisoners to play pranks.
Only one or two warders were left in
charge, though the prison was o very
large one and pretty full. Fortunate
ly for my schemes, my cell was stu
ated ON the fourth landing from the
basement, and in the reception ward,
which at that time contained very few
persons awaiting trial. Every dinner
hour, therefore, Ipulled out the cistern
and set to work chipping away the
brick wall behind it. The rubbish was
carefully kept in the space thus made,
and no suspicion seems to have been
aroused of my movements. By the
end OF the week or SO, I had broken
away all but the thin outer edge, so
that a vigorous shove would send the
remaining part out.
The question was now how to get
down to the ground outside. The dis