Telegram-herald., 1889-12-28
WANTS TO GET OUT
A Life Convict Who Thinks de Is
Abused.
REC0aD OF 4 DASIlBDLY CRlAE
us nit Mzu on tie Head Nith a. A..
stole u4s Meuey 2aa left htA on
tLe Railroad EFack-Au AceA-
dental sisuai stops the Atn-

JAcKsox. M.ch. Dee 27.-0scar Hop
k,us. } lifer st the prison, believes thai
le 4. uujusuy mcarcerated, and has
engaged counsel 10 take step. % secure
A.- release. He alleges that he Was
convicted and sentenced 20 life mpfls-
oumeut on the charge of stealing s't
from a mans clothing, but lnyestiga-
u0n into his crime shows i 20 have
been most dasardiy and So full q
miraculous situations as 10 MAKE Il
worthy of narration.
Hopkins Vas sentenced az Bay CITY
March z 1854, and AT the trial the evi-
dence of the complaining witness,
jaime, Flannery, was 10 the effect that
he Fanneryl was at P.nconnlng Feb
ruary %, 1854, and on that day went 10
Nne Mile switch, small station on 4
logging road running ont ot LAY CITY.
Toward night he started out 10
walk back 70 PlcOnning on the
railroad track. lie proceeded n
short stance and stepped INTO a small
eating house near the track 20 get sup
per. Inside he met Hopkins and m
vted tne latter 10 JOIN hlm IN the re
past. The invitation was accepted and
Jt tJe conclusion OF the meal tlanncry
took out his pocketbOOk - pay the bill,
at the same time exposing quite roll
Of money. After counting u over he
announced his intention or proceed
ing on hls journey. Hopkins SAID wait
moment and VIII 90 along with You,
and at tins Ire went INTO another room,
returned with a lighted lantern and the
two men started toward Pluc0nn-
ing. Before tney had proceeded
many yards Hopkins sad that he
would have 10 return to has
house and get his AK as he
wanted 70 cut some wood down the
track aWays. Flauncry expressed a
willingness TO wait tor Hopkins and on
uls return they once more resumed
their walk.
They had proceeded only short dis
tance when Hopkins raised ms ak on
h gh and brought il down with crush
ing force upon Flannery's head. The
blow had the desired effect and the
assault man measured his length IN
the snow. When he came 10 he found
himself IN Hopkins house under the
care of a doctor. At tins point the
chain of evidence was completed by
railroad men. 1t seems that in
an hour CT so after the assault a
train which came laundering along
the railroad was stopped by what
appeared TO be a signal light set direct
Is IN the center Of the track. Upon
| investigation by the engineer and fire
man as To the cause OF the light they
found Flannery stretched across the
track with the back of his neck resting
upon one of the rails, and near him 4
lighted lantern, while a few feet from
the track was found IN the snow an
empty wallet Hopkins house being
the nearest one, the injured man was
/ taken there and made comfortable.
The theory, which is doubtless cor
rect, Is that after telling FlaGncry with
/ the AK, Hopkins secured what money
there was m the wallet, threw Il away
and placed ms victim across the track,
in the position that he was found, So
+ that the first train passing the point
would complete the Job, leaving the
I world % suppose il 10 bc either an acci-
/ dent or suicide. In his excitement the
wOuld-bc murderer ran away from the
+ scene OF his crime leaving the lighted
lantern on the track. This Is all that
I saved Flanncry's life, and today he Is a
F sturdy picture of manhood residing i'm
+ Bay CITY, but il is no fault OF Hopkins
+ that hc IS not IN hlS grave.