The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1888-02-24
cred, not Flam, but the residence q, 9

cred, not Flam, but the residence OF g
charmer to whom Jack was accus
toned to devote himself when he was
temporarily out ofprison. The charm
er's bower was in a back street in
the lower part OF Albany. The detect
i've managed to secure a room in a
house opposite Beauty's bower, bidine
his time and kept his eyes wide open
He watched and waited in vain three
or four days. And then one mornin.
early the front door of the bowel
opened, there was a tender leave.tak
ing on the threshold, and then man
stepped out upon the pavement and
sanntered away.
As soon rs the detective set his eyes
on the man he saw the escaped pris
oner whom he and the Governor and
the pardon clerk wantod so badly.
A minute later the detective and his
assistant, both dressed in citizens
clothes so as not to attract attention,
We're on Flam's track. The escaped
bird, unaware OF the net that was
closing about his feet, took his way
to the park that stretched in front o
the Capitol. Reaching that park, he
sat down on one OF the wooden
benches within q stones throw of the
Executive Chamber, whence the pardon
had been issued. The detective slow
ly approached from behind, and al
most before he knew it Flam found a
pair OF handouts on his wrists.
"What does this mean?" he asked
OF the detective with an air in which
amazement and Indignation were
mingled in equal proportions. "Why
am ! subjected to this indlgnity?"
ITS no use, Flam," quietly answer.
ed the detective. ri know you and
what you've been up to. My names
-. Now | take it you'll come
along quietly, like sensible man."
"rll 20 with you quietly Oh one con.
dition," said Flam. II claim that
you have no right to arrest me, and
if you will promise me that if called
upon by me you will testify
that l made such claim
and resisted arrest, that's all
ask, and I'll give you no trouble. In.
derstand me us resisting; Pm not such
n fool as really to resist, for | have
no desire to be roughly handled. But
regard me rs resisting you"
The detective promptly accedcd to
Jacks request, and the two peacefully
proceeded down the hill. a few hours
later they We're OH New York Cen
tral train bound tor Auburn Prison.
Asthey journeyed along, to relieve the
monotony OF the trip, the detective
suggested that his companion would
explain how he had so successfully
managed to put up SO neat q job as
his escape.
"Yes, I think it was pretty neat, I"
said Flam, land l don't mind telling
you, in confidence, how worked the
racket, for know you're square.
During my trial my attention wns
called one day to the signature of the
District Attorney who tried me. 1t
was attached to some unimportant
paper. ! made out to secure this pa
per without being observed. cut Off the
signature and destroyed the rest OF
the document. put the signature
carefully away in my vest pocket and
transferred it to my mouth on enter.
ing Auburn, so that 1t would
not be taken from me when my
clothes were exchanged for the pris-
on uniform. You see. taking time by
the forelock, had formed my plan OF
escape before my trial was finished.
| was sent up for forgery,and thought
it would he II good Joke all around ii |
could get out on what put me in."
"Sort OF homeopathic-liIe cures
like" suggested the detective.
"Yes, that was it, although never
expressed it that way. Well,to 20 on.
not long after entered the prison, |
was placed in the ofiice-as expected
to be sooner or later-and given some
routine writing to do. Then watch
ell my chances and went to work.
carefully thought out in my cell at
night the application for my pardon,
which subsequently reached the gov
ernor. Icopied it with infinite troub-
lie, q sentence one day, two sentences
tomorrow, and SO on until had it
done. The district attorneys letter
to the governor was in my own dis
gulsed handwriting, but | closely cop.
led the district attorneys Signature,
and wrote over tho top
OF the letter Dictated The
letter palmcd Off us COM
ing from the chaplain wrote in what
| regarded as II scholarly hand, n lit.
tie cramped kind OF u back hand, and
not too easily read in places. was
going to have his letters dictated like
the District Attorneys, but it occur
red to me on reflection that the chap
lain's salary probably was not large
enough to admit OF his keeping sec.
retary. In the Warden's letter, which
! wrote i'll plain round hand. put
one or two errors in spelling, for the
was not cultivated person.
| dictated the doctors letter on a
venture. OF course, l had no difficulty
in procuring the signature OF the War
den, for he had frequent occasion to
write his name in the Office. induced
the chaplain to give ME his autograph
one Sunday III my hymn-book-he ac-
ceded to my request willingly, being as
had to sham sickness for two or three
days in order to get the doctors au-
tograph. | was matter OF two
completing my task. I
l'reathed long sigh OF satisfaction as
] placed the application papers Ill an
took ME n week to get
hold OF that long white envelope-and
wrote the name of His Excellcncy
Governor, Albany, n. W on the
back"
"Where did you get your postage
'tamps" inquired the detective.
II didn't get them-that's what
bothered me. But concluded that
he chances were that a letter plainly
directed to the head OF the StateGov-
u letter which looked as il it
might be an important document,
would reach him, stamps or no stamps.
So one day l tossed my unstamped
etter into pile ready for the post
nan and awaited developments. Ten
lays later the warden came to my
,ell one evening, with eyes bulgng out
of his head with astonishment, and
informed me that he had good news
or me. Have ! been parloned%
Yes said the warden, you have been
pardoned. How in the world, Jack,
was it ever brought about|
81 bit my lip to keep from laughing,
md answered that ! was aware that
several prominent and influential
persons had addressed letters to the
Governor asking for my pardon.
cIt delicate about mentioning to the
Warden that he was one OF the per.
sons. Next morning shook the dust
Of the prison OIL my feet. The rest
you know. II I'd made u break for
The West I'd been all right. But Il la.
" friend attracted me to Albany"