St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1888-07-12
MISCELLANY.
A CUNNING CONVICT.
How He Forged His Way Out of Auburn
Prison.
Ns.r VorL Trs1.,1.

1t was score or more years age
that an application was received at the
executive chamber at Albany for the
pardon of a convict, one of whose
many aliases was slack Flam" from
Auburn prison. Jack had spent 6
large portion of his life in enforced
confinement and had well earned the
reputation of being one of the most
desperate of unhung villains. His i'll.
fame was known to the governor, and
accordingly he opened the application
for clemency extremely disinclined to
interfere. He very properly felt that
it would be crime against the public,
blow at peace, and good order to turn
loose SO relentless a foe of society
However, he also felt that it was his
duty to see on what grounds the ap-
plication was based. The result was
that on finishing the papers he rang
for the pardon clerk and directed that
a document should be prepared for his
official signature releasing Jack Flam.
The pardon clerk had also heard of
Jacks bad eminence, so being on eX-
cellent terms with his chief, he turned
to him and remarked, with face the
picture of amaZement:-
"Is it possible, governor, that you
are going to pardon 50 notorious a
character as Flam 2"
eyes," answered the governor with
n smile. ffThat's what Pm going to
dO-unless you interDose your veto.
After you've made out the pardon
glance your eye over the application
and see if haven't done as you will do
in similar circumstances when you're
governor"
The pardon clerk promptly did as
he was commanded. Having made
out the pardon, he eagerly read the ap-
plication and when he got through he
went in to the governor, and said in
in an abashed way, rs he laid down
the pardon for signature "YOu could
not have done anything else that's
the most Irresistible application for
pardon that has ever met my gaze"
The governor smiled again, affixed his
signature, and the pardon was mailed
to Auburn. And yet nobody had ask
ed for the pardon of Jack Flam except
Jack himself!
But as the pardon clerk said, it was
an irresistible application. 1t bore the
signature of the warden, the doctor and
the chaplain of the prison. They unit
during his incarceration had been in
all respects satisfactory, quite without
reproach that he was u very sick
man, worn to a skeleton and sinking
fast that he was victim of an incur
able disease. 1t was ply steal impOs-
sibility that he would be we'll again
the chances were that he would die
within a month, and it was the agOn-
izing desire of his venerable and heart
broken mother that he might have his
last hours sOothed by her abiding af-
lection, outside the prison walls. The
warden dwelt on Flam's fidelity and
efficiency in the discharge of his pris-
on duties. The doctor demonstrated
that he could not possibly recover his
health. The chaplain expressed his
onvictiOn that Flam was thoroughly
ashamed of his past and would die in
the faith. Nor were these the only ap-
plicants for Flam's pardon. The dis
trict attorney who had convicted him
was another. He wrote that he was
heartily in favor of his release, holding
that justice did not require that dy-
ing man should be pursued with the
rigors of the law. The foreman of the
jury that found Flam guilty also made
an eloquent appeal in behalf of the
truly g>pod dying felon, quoting the
governor respectfully, but still with
the words UNDERSIGNED, ale shall have
justice without mercy that showed no
mercy"
AS soon as the mail train could car
ry it the pardon reached Auburn. The
warden was paralyzed. Jack Flam
pardOned! Great Scott What was
the governor thinking Off However,
there the pardon was, duly signed and
sealed, and Flam stepped out of prison
a free man. Wasted to skeleton
Hardly. He weighed two hundred
pounds if he weighed five. The vic
tim of an incurable disease Incura-
BILE bosh-he was as sound and as
tough as hickory sapling. A reform
ed man Not to any extent that the
chaplain could appreciate.
A few weeks after Flam regained
his liberty it Glanced that the district
attorney referred to came to Albany in
the course of business. His business
transacted, he found he had an hour at
his disposal before it would be time for
him to take the train home. Accord
ingly he made up his mind to pay his
respects to the governor. They were
warm friends and had a pleasant chat
AS the district attorney rose to go he
remarked =
"Governor, l am surprised that SO
upright a chief magistrate should have
pardoned so consummate a rascal as
Jack Flam."
"Well, for cool impudence that beats
anything | ever heard" laughingly re-
nj A ftnr fy,of hn
seeching me to pardon Flam, you turn
your request !"
This led to an explanation. The
district attorney assured the governor
he had signed no application for the
pardon of Flam. The dumb-founded
governor rung for the pardon clerk,
and when he appeared asked in an ex-
cited tone that the application for Jack
Flam's pardon should be brought to
him. Taking the papers, the COVER
nor hurriedly turned to one of the let
ters, and placing a finger on the sigma
ture attached to it, he handed it to the
district attorney with the remark,
"Isn't that your autograph 7"
CHANGING at the writing, the district
attorney replied: 'No, that is not my
autograph, but am bound to say it's
an excellent imitation of it,"
Fableau
A madden man than that governor
never existed. Five minutes later the
pardon clerk hurried to the telegraph
Office with despatch, asking the au-
thOrities of Auburn prison if they or
any of them had ever signed an appli-
cation for the pardon of Jack Flam.
The pardon clerk informed the opera
tor that the governor would take it as
personal favor if he would crush"
and request the Auburn operator to
Crush" the answer. The two despatch