Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1889-06-26

verdict OF guilty was nnally reacneu,
and His Honor gave me year in pris-
on, though believe he was ready to
suspend sentence in case l broke down
and promised reform.
When arrived at the prison | gave
my occupation as chair fnisher, and,
to my great satisfaction, Twas assigned
to that work. and soon found myself
alongside the man / was after. He was
recorded on the prison books as Jor-
dan Hatch, No. 2,180. was down as
Charles Merritt, No. 2,lS5. We were
at least thirty feet apart for the first
three weeks, and l had been there a
full month before we passed a word.
Then, as we were carrying some work
to the stock-room, got chance TO
growl to him:
IL thought the horse-thieves were
put into the slop department
He gave me fierce look and gritted
his teeth, and next time we passed he
whispered:
"And / thought the cheap-watch
grabbers were used as kitchen mops!'
He knew, then, as | suspected, what
had been sent for. No convict is in
prison a week before his offense is
pretty generally known. AS we
passed again l whispered:
Its good thing sometimes to be
laid by" His reply to this was:
'Then don't size me up for horse
thief"
During the next two weeks, owing
TO the illness of one of the finishers,
and the fact that another was par
doned, i got nearer to Hatch, but
while seemed to be utterly indifferent
to him, several times caught him
looking me over as If interested. He
was very handy, very tasty with brush
and stencils, and as l was equally so
1t finally came, about, after had been
in prison about three months, that we
worked side by side at the same plat
form. There was one overseer for
fifteen Of us, and we had only to exer-
to communicate in whispers. ] carried
the idea that / grabbed the watch on
purpose to be laid by until the hue
and cry over big job had died out
and by abstaining from asking him
any question about his past gave him
no reason TO distrust me.
/ had beeu in prison for seven
months when | was called TO the Office
one day to see friend, one of the few
who were in the plot. He had called
to ask what progress l had made.
Upon my return to the shop Hatch was
curious to know what had passed, and
l informed him that had got word
that pard of mine who had been in
the big job with me, but who had es-
capped arrest, had converted the hidden
swag to his own use and gone to Eu-
rope.
"rd kill him!" he replied. my
pard hadn't better try that on mel"
But he may"
mot this pull. Isn't he here with
mep"
IL was Il month before | made an
other move. then feigned sickness
and got four days in the hospital, and
when i returned to work had some
news for Hatch. II was to the effect
that another horse thief, whose name
could not remember, but who was in
the shoe department, had been receiv-
ing the visits of lawyer, who was
doubtless seeking to get him pardon
or a new trial.
"The deuce he is!' Kissed Hatch.
jumping TO the conclusion l hoped he
would.
/ purposely prevented any other
conversation for several days, but it
was plain enough that my shot had
told and that my man was greatly wor-
ried. / pretended to have no interest
in the matter, and ono day when OPP
portunity offered he observed:
I'D give one thousand dollars to get
letter out here to a certain party"
Better not try it," briefly replied,
and let him worry again for week.
II so happened then that was de-
tailed to the yard for couple of days
to assist in repiling some lumber, and
when / returned had some gossip for
Hatch. 1t was TO the effect that the
Governor was being worked for par
don for one OF the shoe men, and it
was reported that the lawyer who had
the case in hand was to get ten thou
sand dollars il he was successful. l
could not give his name, not having
heard it, but ventured the opinion that
the man must have rich relatives at
work for him.
"Richr he replied. Hes selling
some one out on the quietr'
II was a week before any thing
further was said. had saved my good
time and was almost ready to go. Four
days before / was granted my liberty
Hatch handed me piece OF paper on
which he had written about a dozen
figures and as many letters of the alpha
bet, and said:
cit is to my mother. She will I'M
derstand it. II you can get this out
with you and mail it to the address on
the back. inclosing your own address,
you will receive at least one thousand
dollars within week. That shoe man
is my pard. II he is working the Gov
ernor 1t is to beat me. I'll take the
chances of trusting you. We were in
a big diamond robbery in London last
year. and the swag is secreted in New
York. II this gets to the old woman
she will put 1t in safe place"