New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1889-04-24

;ject was to be arrested. On my ex-
ANIMATION Ilpleaded guilty and was
bound over. When the case came to
the higher court a lawyer was as
signed me, and hadtI worked with
him the jury would have cleared
me. / refused tn answer any ques-
iltions, admitted my guilt, and wasre-
|.garded by some as light in the head.
The jeweller did not desire my CON
Isviction, and but for my impudence /
should have failed in my purpose. A
verdict of guilt,Mas finally reached,
and his Honor gave .ine a year in
prison, though | believe he was ready
ito suspend sentence in case | broke
Fdown and promised reform
WhensI arrived at the prison / gave
my occupation as "a chair fnisher,
land, ITO my great satisfaction, was
assigned to that work, and soon
found myselfalongside the man I was
after. He was recorded on the pris-
on books as Jordon Hatch, No.
2,1SO l was down as Charles Mer-
rift, No. 2,1S5. We were at least
thirty feet apart for the first three
weeks, and I had been there full
month before we passed a word.
Then, as we we're carrying some
work ito the stock room, I got a
chanceito groWlto him:
81 thought the horse thieves were
putinto the slop department.
He gave me a fierce look and grit
| to- II
edheyWhispered:
''And I Thought the cheap-watch
grabbers were used as kitchen
tmops!''
''He knew, then, as I suspected,
whatI had been sent for No convict
is in prison week before his offence
is pretty generally known. AS we
passed again whispered
tits; a good thinr sometimes to be
laid bp."
His reply to this was:
'1"Then don't size me up for horse
+ thief
Duringrthe next two weeks, owing
ITO the illness Of one of the fnishers,
and the fact that another Was par
doned, Isgot nearer to Hatch, but
NWhile,I seemed to be utterly indihfer-
emit to him, several times caught
him looking me over as if interested.
He was'very handy, and very tasty
with brush and stencils, and as I
was equally, SO it finally came about,
after / had been in prison about
three months that we worked side by
side. at the same platform. There
was one overseer for fifteen ofus, and
Nwehad only to exercise prudence and
discretion to be able to communicate
in Whispers [ carried the idea that
[ grabbed the watch on purpose to
T be:laid, by until the hue and cry over
a big job had died out, and by ab-
staining from asking him any ques-
tion3about his past gave him no
treason to distrust me.
Il had been in prison for seven
tmonths:when was called to the Of
flee one day to see friend, one of
the few, who were in the plot. Hehad
'called;to ask what progress I had
made. Upon my return to the shop
HatchWas curious to know what had
passed, and informed him that had
got,word that a pard Of mine who
had Teen i'm the big job with me, but
who had escaped arrest, had con
verified our hidden swag to his own
use and gone to Europe.
IT'D kill him!'' he replied. sMy
pard hadn't better try that on me!'
'"But he may
."Not this pull. Isn't he here with
Eme?''
It>was a month before I made an
other move. [ then feigned sickness
land got four days in the hospital,
and when I returned to work [ had
some news for Hatch. 1t was to the
effect that another horse thief. whose
name I could not.remember, butswho
was in the shoe department., had
| ,been1receiving the visits Of a lawyer,
lwhowas doubtless seeking to get him
I;a;pardon or a new trial.
| '"The--le is!'' Kissed Hatch, jun b.
ing to the conclusion | hoped he
would
/ lpurposely prevented any other
conversation for several days, but it
was!plain enough that.my shot had
told and that my man was greatly
worried. i pretended to have no in
terest in the matter, and one day
WREN opportunity offered he OBJ
served:
I'D give ;atthousand dollars 10
get "a letter out Of here to cer-
tain parity
BETTER not try it, I briefly re-,
| piled ,analleti him5worry again for a
week
It SO happenedF then that ! was de
tailed ito the yard for a couple OF
days To assist in erepiling some lum-
Der, afad when returned l had some
gossip tor Hatch. It was to the eff
feet that the Governor was being
worked for a pardon for one sot the
shoe men, and it was reported that
! the lawyer who had the case in hand