Morning journal and courier., 1889-08-31
A Thief to Whom Levers and Cona- binations Arc No More Than Lateh- atrtn

l lCor. St. Louis Globe Democrat One night last October John P. Campbell,
 editor of The Clay Center CKan.) Dispatch,
 was awakened by hearing some one stumble
 in his room. He sprang to his feet, revolver | in hand, and confronted the intruder, in- ! quiring his business. The man very coolly | said:
 q was just passing the house, and, being
 out of money, thought would come in and
 see if could find some. As was going
 away with this little bundle which I had gathered tripped on this rug and awakened
 you. am very sorry indeed that disturbed your rest"
 "Well, you are cool ons!" calculated Campbell. 1T guess you had better stand
 where you are for a few minutes, until
 dress and will take you down to the sher
 if''
 "You are very kind, indeed, to go to so
 much trouble for stranger. I will be very glad to make the sherifs acquaintance" po-
 litely responded the burglar.
 Campbell escorted his prisoner to the jail, where he turned him over to Sheriff
 James Sterling, telling him that the man was probably insane. He was placed in
 a cell, and next morning he was taken be-
 fore Justice J. W. Miller, where he gave tho name of Henry Carton. He waived exaHi-
 nation and was returned to jail, in default
 of $1 ,000 bail, to await the action of the
 grand jury at the January term of thecirouit | court.
 The jail at Clay Center is Q two story | brick and stone building, with latest inn provements in steel cells and grating, and is considered the strongest in the State. About
 noon on the day of the commitment, Carton sent for Attorney F. P. Hardness to como to
 the jail to talk about the case and define tho line of defense. When Hardness went to the cell Carton had not word to say about the
 case, but confined his conversation to scien- . tific and literary subjects. He appeared to be an exceedingly well read man, and sur , prised Hardness by his erudition. After |. consuming an hour in this talk Mir. Harkaess became impatient and asked Carton to speak ] of his case.
 "You play billiards, don't youi" was the . surprising reply.
 "Yes; why"
 "Well, I will meet you at that billiard , hall across the way at o'clock this eve. ming, and while we play we can talk about 9 my case"
 7 play billiards. You must remember you are In jail"
 , Hardness was convinced that his client f was insane, but his manner was so earnest Q and cool that when evening came on he i. could not resist the temptation to go to the i billiard hall. Promptly at 8 o'clock the = door opened and in walked Carton, whose  d cept Hardness, for there were only few 1T l. town that were aware of a new prisoner be n ing in jail, and Hardness, and the two mel e began game of billiards. While the gam a was in progress Sheriff Sterling entered tn "a place. He did not recognize his prisoner, ,bu t Hardness, who was now completely nonplused "a called to him and said: "Look here, Sterling .- Is it your usual custom to allow your prison @ CTS to be out playing billiards at this hour o Q the nights"
 "What do you means' asked the sheriff. 1e "Why, mean that this man Carton wa e committed to jail this morning to await th ,s action of the grand jury, and now he is her ,- playing billiards in the evening"" 70 Sterling turned pale from the shock an z. fear that there had been jail break. t. "Don't g4 excited, old fellow" said Car in ton. ''I only wanted to get little fresh ail a. but if you object will go back now." i- The sheriff, the lawyer and the burgla F. crossed the street to the jail, where ever ii door was found closed and locked, even th m a cell door being fast. To all inquiries az t rs how he got out Carton made no reply. B Iv was replaced in the cell, and bidding hi Iii companions good night prepared for bed. ,e Three or four days afterward Carton aske of the sheriff if he could not take walk aroun a- the town to get little fresh air. Sterlin
 laughed and told him that 1t was againi l. tho rules. Carton did not appear to be dii 10 appointed, but next morning when SteElin 'h came from his apartments to the jail CT d trance he was astounded to see Carto t- quietly sitting on the steps smoking olga ,n On seeing the sheriff he arose and salute ,h him, telling him that he needed fresh afr E nt badly that he concluded to take @ walk b, e. fore breakfast. He was locked up again b ar the sheriff, who was thoroughly alarmed as tho fact that this man could at will pal ba through the walls, apparently, of the strong th est jail in the State. Carton told him to gi1 m himself no uneasiness, as he liked his qua ar ters too we'll to leave them until winter VI, n. | over.
 1v It now became thing of frequent oocu to | renee for the sheriff to find his prisoner si n, ting on the jail steps, and though he placed no watch on the man he could never find ho
 the escape was made.
 During the latter part of November th
 lock on the vault of the Farmers and Me
 chants bank became deranged, and th .- officials were compelled to undergo ten $. porary suspension until they could get son ie one to open the lock. All the locksmiths the town and the bank lock experts of Ka
 sas City tried their skill on the refraotol UT door in vain, and the bankers were going
 \ send to New York for an expert, when Ga ,ty ton told the sheriff to offer his services, as is thought he could open the vault. lie h,
 given Sterling such good reason to believe ur his power that the sheriff had no hesitan va" in telling the bankers that he had man vi to could open their safe for them. Carton N an | escorted to the bank, and in the presence