Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser., 1890-06-20

At the Jail the sheriff's jury was
drawn up in the corridor, solemnly
waiting for the conclusion of the last
conference of the condemned with his
spiritual adviser. The sheriff restlessly
paced the tagging. while one of the
deputies nervously fingered black
cap. and the other toyed with the cords
to be used in pinioning the prisoner.
The sheriff who had repeatedly looked
Mt his watch in = way that seemed to
beg time to go more slowly, glanced at
it at last with . heavy sigh, and went
to the Jail entrance for final look to-
ward the telegraph office. The deputy
stationed there was not in sight. and the
executive official turned with a heavy
heart to the prisoners cell.
Comet" he said. aud the heavy foot
falls OF the jury sounded dismally
through the corridor.
1T is time" he said gently to the
prisoner, who courageously stepped
into the corridor and bravely faced
the jury. while the deputies bound his
arms and slipped the cord OF the cap
over his head. He was ready, but.
just when the word to move to the
yard was given. he turned a longing
glance toward the main entrance. as Il
he hoped to see his wife appear there
suddenly.
Slowly the procession moved-the
prisoner leaning on the arm of the
clergyman. his back toward the main
entrance, his temples throbbing many
beats between the footballs Of his exc
cutors. who stepped heavily and in time
with him, as if to deaden the sound
of his own feet. which shuffied in spite
of him. the nails in the heels of his
boots rasping on the stone floor.
And then came shrieking through
the corridor the whistle OF locomo-
time-strident scream on scream rising
higher each second. and indicating that
the engine was approaching at a
terrible speed. The heart Of every
man in the Jail leaped. The prisoner
stood still and his lips moved as if in
silent thanksgiving. for to him the
shrill sounds were trumpeting his free
dom. The sheriff rushed to the Jail
entrance. A commotion rose among
the visitors, who had grown cold in the
snow, and they began to crowd into the
Jail. The deputies momentarily for
got the prisoner, while they contended
with the impatient and excited specta-
tors. forcing them back to the yard.
The conductor of the gravel train
was startled when the whistle pene-
trated his ears with its cry for a clear
track. and he was glad that he had
reached with his train the safety of the
siding ut the county seat when he saw
t,n 1x,., u.
a steep down grade.
The deputy stationed at the tcle-
graph office ran out on the track to
learn the meaning of the terrible
shrieking. The operator ran with him
and the crowd around the Jail stam-
peded toward the station. The whistle
ceased its screams and man was seen
standing between the cab and the ten
der as the engine with unabated speed
forged toward the station.
The crowd stood still in silence as
the man lowered himself on the step to
the cab.
Heavens! he is going to Jump" said
the deputy, and the crowd fell pell-
NELL back out of the way, but every one
heard the man cry:
Take this to the sheriff."
He waved his hand in which he
clutched something yellow.
"A mans life depends on it," he
shouted again.
Then he jumped and rolled to the
feet OF the deputy, who wrenched an
envelope from the grasp of his twitch-
ing fingers. Without pausing to see
whether the man was alive or dead the
crowd ran after the deputy. and no one
looked around when the engine crash
ed into the dump and was totally
wrecked.
The sheriff. in trembling, eager