Daily Yellowstone journal., 1890-01-10
jim CROWS sTRATAeEM.
How a Washington Thief Made an Honest
Living While In Jail.

Living While In Jail.
IN n dilaVldalod little hovel near the
river front dwclis a character well
known To- certain strata of Washing.
tons society u, jim Crow. Jim Is "A
thief, and viii. Us he states, steal any
thing from a chicken TO a locomotive.
In this city. where his light fingered
habits have become well known Ia the
police, he confines himsclf-uudcr
protest, luwcycr-tO chickens, and
the floor uf lis hut is covered with
feathers several inches thick. Feath-
ers being a marketable commodity, as
well as distinguishing marks by which
irate chicken fancicrs can sometimes
identify their fowls, Jim picks his
birds bcfur, selling. and carpets lis
residence with their feathers until n
sufficient 4uautity Is obtained 10 make
II worth while to sell them.
Jim's former Eus'ing grounds were
in BailimuI" county, Md, whore hbs
ostCuslblr business was that of "A
huckStcr. lul his natural love Of ~.
fined associations and architectural
beauty. ~ Nrti u too close an ac-
quuiutancs with tie minions of law
IN Blltimuru county. led him 10 select
the capital ~ ll, future home. And
then, too. Jim, having grown old in
iniqulty. /, growing old in wears. and
finds more pleasure in gathering
around h!!a Gvp?eCiat.vc listeners, and
telling tuvm the >tullys of his former
escapad,, than of r'-cnuc;lTg them.
He t,lis with great humor and cNprrs-
sion how. when a young and an n
terprising Aucksler DESTROYS Of max
ing rs fine an appearance before the
public "a possible, lie exchanged the
rickety aud battered wheels Of his
cart Tor the more ]prctcntious mes of a
neigLbor's vehicle while that umfor-
tuuate Ela was IN a country tavern.
He also du.At 10 cattle-othcr peoples
cattle-whiIh he sold To the slaughter
houses IN Baltimore.
One wien prtunC had been frown-
ing upon his effort, and his pockets
We're empty. Ic conceived and carried
out the boil. scheme of visiting the
yards Of ON of the slaughter HOUSES.
stealing tlprctrom a fine black bull
witt a vii sta ON his forehead, COW
erlng Tie y mite marx with "A handful
of tar. al selling the animal to its
rightful ""nor. who did not discover
the theft uulil lac had cut the bull up
into Stgu,N
One - Jim'sbest efforts was planned
while s,auusuiug IA summer IN the
Baltimore county jail. Iii, term was
nearing il end. and he WAS revolving
III his fertile brain what 10 do with
his liberty after obtaining ii. lie had
s. secrcled Ia lis coll, which he wish
ed 10 invest IL Tie highest possible rate
of interest. His ingenuity did not
fail Lin, and he determined To escape.
and take with him two Of his fellow
prisoners. VITA this object in view.
he went 10 work. and after much labor
displaced enough bricks from the
wall of his cell 10 permit Of egress.
He then permitted the two men he
had selected to discover his plot.
They. of course, insisted upon accom-
panying hiaI. and after much hesita-
tion and only upon their threatening
to turn inionmers lac consented. and
proceeded 10 enlarge the hole IN the
wall IN order that OF the men. a
large fat fellow, could creep through.
On the night fixed the three prison
ers with soft and eat like tread stole
through the prison walls and o
breatlled the sweet air of freedom.
They made for the woods. and there
Jim outlined TO them his plan Of oper-
Gti0ns. lie gave them money enough
Ia 60 To Havre de Grace, telling them
10 meet him al a certain point neal
that station two days later, which two
days he would spend in eUdcayoring
10 ~repluuish their treasury in a mar
ner which he declined To- explain
The men agreed, and after seeing
them safely of. Jim went 10 Il friends
house and waited forth reward Which
he knew would be Offered for the APP
prehcnsion OF himself and his com
panlOns.
The next day posters were stuck up
everywhere offering $500 reward for
the capture of the escaped prisoners.
Jim thercupCn sent a note to the sheriff
and made an appointment with him.
When the shcriiT came he delivered
himself up and offered to tell where
his companions were, if the sheriff
would share the reward with him and
give n solemn assurance that his term
would not be heightened. This ar
rangemeut was agreed to, and Jim sent
the officers to Havre de Grace with
directions how and where 10 find the
two men. and then returned 10 Jail,
served out his term, and left with $3.50
and a thorough contempt for the guilt
lessness of the chumps he left behind.
Washington Post.