The national leader., 1889-04-06

Of the case showed, stabbed her hcs-
band with a butcher knife at noOntime
and before her four children. 1t was
the clearest case in the world, but she
cOntended that great wrong had been
done her, and that the real murderer
had escaped.
The new evidence had come to her in
a dream. She had dreamed that a
clerk in certain grocery near her
home had stabbed NOonan before he
entered the house, and that the guilty
man was now anxious to confess the
fact and obtain her release. The Idea
was so absurd and silly that | could
not promise her anything, and from
that hour she determined to make me
all the trouble possible. She first re-
fused to work. [ gave her day in
which to think it over. and as she re-
mained obdurate she was locked up in
a dark cell with only bread and water.
On the fourth day word was brought
me that Mrs. Noonan was dead.
went with the prison doctor to her cell
and we found the body growing rigid
and cold.
Both OF US had seen many cases Of
shamming, and, while convinced that
this was another, the counterfeit was
startling. The jaw dropped, the half
the flesh assumed that pallor which
only death can bring. And yet we
both felt that the woman was alive.
Indeed, there was a flutter Of the pull SO
and the heart to prove 1t. 1t was
case of animation suspended by will
power. Perhaps not one person in ten
thousand is able to control mind and
muscle in this manner. 1t is, for
time, next door to actual death. 1t
does not require nerve, as we under
stand it, but simply the power to col
lapse, as it were. Prisoners who have
thus slammed on me have explained
afterward that they heard every word
spoken around them, though no voice
sounded natural. They did not realize
any feeling except that of extreme
lightness, as if all solidity had gone out
Of the body. 1t required no particular
effort to hold the breath or keep the
limbs rigid.
L ordered the body to be prepared
and placed in a coffin, and the coffin
placed in shed next to the laundry.
l supposed this was what Mary wanted
and had planned for. All the other
prisoners believed her dead, and she
had two or three particular friends who
wept over her loss. The coffin was
placed in the shed about sundown, and
two men set to watch it. AT midnight
Mary rose up, climbed out. and was
working to loosen a board when accOSt-
ed by the watches. She returned to-
her work next morning as usual, and
refused to answer any questions or
make any explanations. About once
week for the next five years she had
some new scheme to annoy me, and
was ever wondering what she would do
next. 1t is seldom that one hears Of
woman escaping from a prison. This
is not for the reason that they do not
long for liberty, nor that some of them
are not desperate enough at times to-
take any risk.
One Of the most deceptive of the in
mates Of the prison was little woman
Of 30, all smiles and sunshines, who
had been sent up for number of years
for committing a robbery. She was
good-looking, well educated and evil
IDENTIFY Of good birth. Every word and
movement was lady-like, and during
the six months she had served before ]
took charge she had quite won the ma
tron's heart. She was placed in charge
of twelve sewing women in room on
the second floor, fronting side street.
These women made the clothing of the
inmates. The sewing-room was light
ed by two windows, defended by bars,
Of course. Off this room was stock
or storeroom, and Mrs. Newman, as
the little woman was called, had the
key to this, and was in charge. There
was but one window in this room.
Mrs. Newman was the last person i
should have picked out as a plotter.
Indeed, should not have expected her
to go out had the doors been left open,
but she did.