The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1888-06-02
A BREAK FOR LIBERTY.

In rs nearly MS own language hs Nau 'o
member it, this is the story, aud ! have no
doubt the true story, that Peter Lands, a
clerk at the East 81. Louis stock yards, told
% me.
People who picture n bloodhound ms a mas
tif magniied about two diameters, tawny
colored with n muzzle like keg, and paws
the size Of small hams, have derived their
idea from Uncle Toms Cabin trOupes, and
know nothing about the real article. Blood
hounds are used in the penal institutions OF
all the southern states, but nowhere as extern
sively as in Texas, where the raising OF them
and their sale to sherilfs and wardens forms
quite an industry. happen 10 know good
deal about the beasts, although was rever
dog fancier or an officer. The truth is /
was "A convict
look back on IL with sorrow, but without
shame, for was convicted Of something do
not considers crime. | had been employed as
a COW punChor on IA ranch south OF Fort
Worth. ON the Rio Grande, and We were TAX
ing bunch Of cattle north to the Panhandle
district AT little town called Eaynan
Junction a shcrlf's posse stopped Us to search
for some stolen horses and one Of the depu-
ties claimed my pony. had raised the an
imal from u colt, but the deputy was obsti-
nate, 50 we had words, and he finally
suatchcd up a Winchester | protest had
no wish 10 hurt the man, but believed
was In danger, and. TO make long story
Short ! shot him in the shoulder, was ar
rested, tried, and, in spite OF all my friends
could do, sentenced TO the Northern penlten-
tary for two years. The charge was assault
with intent TO do great bodily harm" ana
there was considerable prejudice against
cowboys In the place where | was tried.
had never been bad young fellow, and
this was heartbreaking TO me, but had stiil
my self respect and determined TO serve out
my sentence patiently. The penltentlary
was at Huntsville, 400 miles away by rail,
aud there were eighteen OF us To go. The
method used IN transporting us is the method
still in vogue III Texas and challenge penal
history, with the exception Of that OF tho
galleys of Ioulon, To furnish "A parallel To 1t
in brutality Iron collars, weighing at least
five pounds, were riycted around our necks,
We were stood IN double file and then yanked,
two and two, TO "A long chain that ran down
the center Imagine a vertebra with elgh'
teen ribs and one has "a fair idea OF the ar
rangemeut, but no words can convey the
sense of degradation, the brutaizng horror
and shame that even the most callous feel
upon becoming part Of this sad and sinister
procession Handouts were snapped on
each man and, bending and stumbling under
our chains We were driven through the jeer-
ing crowds up 10 smoking car side tracked
for us, and the journey began
It was IA terrible one The central chain
was long enough 10 stretch from seat TO seat
IS we sat- two abreast and nine rows deep,
Hpti hand Ina typiIlI
the necks of those before and behind him.
and culver would pass along the whole
line In fact, the last two men were chained
up so short that they could barely sit on tho
extreme clge Of their seat by craning their
necks as Gar front rs possible and in this
posture they rode the whole 400 miles To
sleep was out Of the question, and when one
moved the whole cankng. cursing, miserable
mass novel yth him We got some bread
aud meat once on the trip, which lasted ex-
actly twenty SIX hours
When W" finally reached Huntsville, was
trembling like a child. tears of sheer agony
were running down my face, aud tried rs
best | could with my manaced hands To hold ,
the cruel collar away from my neck, which |
it had chlied raw The rest OF the men were /
in scarcely better shape, and our joints were /
so stiff from sitting nearly motionless for
day and night, that we could with diff |
Guilty walk. As We were getting out Of tho |
car stumbled and pulled over ano her man, !
half strangng myself Mt the same time.
Instantly the nearest guard rained down u /
shower OF kicks upon me.
1--WE noticed you shamming," he shouted !
wait Til we get you in the walls
The walls was the slang name for the |
prison, and this little episode fixed my status |
] was reported rs IA sly, cunning rascal, fond !
OF suhteriuge, and in this light my conduct |
was viewed, aud all my little mistakes and |
failures were prejudged 1t was not long be-
fore the constant misery of my life blotted |
out every sentiment except duh determine
ton to escape at the first opportunity.
was put TO work for a while III the stove |
factory at Huntsville, but as tho summer
opened gang Of us were let out to a con-
tractor Ia work IN u wood camp about fifty |
miles away
"Be careful Of this man, said one OF the !
deputies, pointing me out TO the contractors
hes u slick cOnniver and apt 10 make you |
trouble
an bore a hole through him IL he does"
replied the other
So with this recommendation | was intro
duced TO the camp. II lay in the midst of a
thick belt Of woods, and was guarded by
Gordon Of sentries, exactly us n military post.
The men slept in log barracks, and the work
consisted altogether Of chopping and cording
The tasks were severe, the punishments ex-
cessive and the food and sanitary arrange
ments Of the place abominable. Although
chains and shackles were dispensed with,
there were no escapes, for not only were the
guards instructed TO fire unhesitatiugly in
such case. but in one corner OF the camp
was kennel containing twenty blood
hounds None Of the convicts were allowed
10 give these dogs food or become familiar
with them on pain of u lashing, but often
saw them, and they looked very much like
settlers, dead liver coiored, small in size and
sleek OF hide, with rather sharp pointed
noses Thier was nothing at all formidable
about their appearance, but dreadful stories
were circulated Of their ferocity.
Fall was coming on and 1t was getting |
cold, when one evening | escaped IL was |
unexpected. had gravitated into water |
carrier, and had gone, just about dusk, to |
spring near the outskirts Of the camp. As l |
Deared it tue guard at that point passed me |