The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-11-20
AraUsrY's FATAL LOVE.
Unfortunate Romance OF a Life Prison.
ar in the Illinois Penitentiary.
1,,o,,, fhe Chicago Herald.

tomb. the sJOll6t pCaAOONSAgs OAb
feel sorry to learn that Robert Click, the
.strustyn of Warden Berggren, has fallen
From, grace. The solitary figure in convic5
,srb standing on the narrow platform at
the penitentiary depot was the last recollec-
zion that visitors carried away Of the hor-
rors of that dismal place. A link between
enc ,vretchedness within the walls and the
,-I.d freedom of outdoors. the hearty good
= from, the trainmen to the convict as the
rain moved of, fingered in the memory Of
sSosa who heard it like a deathbed parting
hatween friends. Even the trainmen them
ssIvas who have long been accustomed to
Sc the half-free convict swinging his lamp
- +ba s.oppiag place at all hours of the
;ht have never been able to overcome
the feeling Of sadness and sympathy as they
i've watched him trudge back to his
wretched prison home, faithful as dog
,stnrning to his collar and chain
They al knew his history. Years ago,
,vben first the new "trusty" appeared at the
Genot single glance into his clear blue
ovss was sufficient to make the trainmen
b;s friends That Warden McClaughrey
bas made a good selection in the new
s.trnstvn was admitted, even before they
heard his story That he was a life con-
U;ct and that his crime was wilful murder,
,1sde no difference. Any one could see
mat he was as honest as daylight, and the
sympatbies of his new associates went out
- him even before they had learned the de-
rails of his one offense against his country's
laws Visitors to the prison who have left
tbe building with feelings strangely
alternating between repugnance and pity
for the miserable occupants of the white
washed cells have seldom failed to question
the convict guide who eScor ed them TO the
train how it happened that he was in such
Mace. And, indeed, it did appear more
than strange thata man of his unquestioned
hnnestv should be among the condemned.
Without attempting either to minimize his
ofFense or to appeal for sympathy, Click
would answer that he had killed a man and
bad been sentenced for life. Seven years
AGO the crime had been committed, and
ssven years ago he had worn his first suit Of
stripss. Seven years hence he would, in all
probability, be wearing still another suit Of
stripas. and so on from year to year until
emaybe when I'm an old man, I'll get out
of here"
To hear a young man full of vigor thus
talking hopefully of the time when he
should be an old man and free once again to
earn his daily bread was painfully sad.
Curiosity and sympathy demanded fuller
explanation, and the convict would not hest
tate to give it. 1t was a very ordinary quarrel
that had resulted in the loss of life to Clicks
victim and the loss of liberty to Click him.
self, Click was hostler in the employ of
horse trader in Southern Illinois. Between
his employer and a neIghboring dealer
bitter feud had long existed, and whenever
necessity arose for business negotiations
between the two Click always acted as repre-
sentative Of his employer. On one of these
occasions high words arose between Click and
the rival horse dealer. A fight seemed immi-
neut According to Clicks story his oppo-
nent was on the point of drawing knife,
when friend thrust revolver into Clicks
hand. A second later the horse dealer was
dead, shot through the heart by bullet
from Clicks gun. Then followed long i'm
prisonment and trial. Popular opinion ran
high that the deed had been instigated by
Clicks employer. Every inducement was
offered to Click to confess that his employer
had actuated the crime. But
to every appeal Click replied that the kill
ing had been done in self-defense, and that
if be were placed in the same position again
an angry opponent about to draw knife,
and revolver thrust into his hand at the
instant when his life seemed to be in most
imminent perll-he would act just as he had
done.
Sentenced to the penitentiary for life,
Click accepted his fate as stoically as he had
undergone the ordeal of trial and jail i'm
prisOnment. His new life began in the har-
ness shop, where his conduct was so exem-
plary that Warden McClaughrey singled
him out as his ''trusty," or confidential SER
want In this capacity almost unlimited
confidence was reposed in the convict The
journey to and from the station, which is
within stones throw of the prisons gates,
was the best of the chances thrown in
Clicks way to escape had ne 50 desired. As
confidential servant to the warden,
Click was often sent, dressed in
civilians Clothes TO the city of
Joliet. The fast horses in the war
denS stabesiwere at the convict's disposal
whenever, as often happened, his duties
took him to any considerable distance from
the prison. Thus it happened that on the
Streets of Joliet the convict became one of
the best-known figures. People would stop
70 exchange good day with the honest-look-
ing fellow. Acquaintances began to null
tlply, and within a radius of dozen miles
Vn9re vera few VINO had not good word to
say on behalf of Robert Click, the warden's
"truStya
wouldn't you like to get out of prisonq'
was question put to Click a dozen times a
gay. 10 which his invariable reply was:
would give my right arm for liberty,
PuC not my honor. In the eyes OF the law
alh a murderer, but l can stand that
rather than feel that I am not honest.
never deceived man who trusted me, and
won't begin now"
but, alas for the poor fellows sense of
ttohor, IN moment of madness, infatuated
!! "oman'S glances, and morally blinded
W Ine FUMES of liquor, he decided to throw
nMay MS moral obligation, and to elope
W.; WIN woman of Joliet. Still, the old feel
.us Vi Irlendliness, born of honesty and
SSlsI, saved Click, at least, from the actual
G 1 OF trust which he had contemplated.
muioug his friends in the prison were
,To. VINO, though wearing conviots' garb,
ToI e YET, In Clicks opinion, Trustworthy.
tb.Ne them without a word was some
hi, us le mad not contemplated, and when
~ IN pans for freedom seemed on the verge
tbos oItp ~ he turned to say good-by TO
tophe. '''N' Anen caune ehe catas-
Al, Altons Paradise LOST contains no sad
frt picture than that presented by the un-
@mi t 'ta, young fellow, torn from the
snn-na loeuom which convict alone could
tbiziOr s., torn from the society of sympa-
wmDs conn., friends IN the city, torn from the
Oa1 paaE OF the woman for whom he was
bbsd tn 70 sacrifice even honor, and ban
who fs on the confidence of the warden.
tasko .noLn friend, now becomes a harsh
the soI... Chained to the door of
Gj c solitary dungeon in the prison.
Frdav ' LEFTY lamented his folly throughout
found bhilgn5: and on Saturday morning he
routjna nt nt condemned over again to the
,6on hon 40 u prison life, lock step, cell, work
blas,aSS 4u ra prison fare. His hopes of pardon