The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1890-11-13

ranged it all with JONES' when 1 was up at
Wesleyburg the other day. All you'll have
to do. is to take this card (he produced the
article. and handed it to Teddy, go to
Wesleyburg, and present yourself at Mr..
Jones' place of business The address
you'll find it on the card. So cheer up,
me boy; and hope for a better time ahead. "
Up to nOw-side by side-the philanthro-
pist and eX-cOnvict had walked leisurely
away from the prison buildings-On up the
quiet thOroughfare. But at this point, the
former recalled to mind another engage
ment. and stopping briefly to add bit of
we'll meant advice, he bade Fitzroy hearty
farewell. And upon the thanks that bub-
he merely waved from the distance mag
unanimous depreciation: Don't mention it,
me boy. Don't mention it!'
Puff. puff-toOt. toOt, toot-puff. puff
tOOt, tOot. toOt. On through the darkness
sped the W Wesleyburg Express.
And thus, for hours at time. Presently
"a shock! A moment of untold horror!
And all was over. The train was wrecked
And though much profitable and interest
ing reading might be CLEANED therefrom, the
attending scenes of misery and suffering,
are foreign to this tale.
III.
Never before, in the history of the Wes-
leyburg District court. was there such an in
terest manifested. as there was in the case
now on trial-The Wesleyburg Express
Wrecking case. Or as it appeared upon the
recOrd-'"The State VS.. Jenks and FitzrOy." !"
People from afar, had flocked to witness
the proceedings. And. to twelve of as good
yeOmen as the district could produce, had
it fallen the lot to act as Jurors
1t was plain to see, that public opinion
was predispOsed in favor of jerks; though
so far as that gOeS-there was no evidence
against either of the accuSed-any more,
than that they had both been seen on that
fatal night. riding the blind end of the ex-
press car. But Jenks-though a repulsive
looking tramp-was not an eX convict. as it
was but shortly after the arrest of the
twain discovered that FitzrOy was. Hence
this disposition in favor of jerks.
Through the eloquent pleas of the re-
spective counsels. the case swayed first to
one side. then to the other The state set
up an ingenious claim of circumstantiaI ev-
idence. and the defense refuted it,
1T is prepOsterous to suppose" claimed
they, THAT they Uhe defendants) had
placed the ties across the track, and then
trudged back through a foot and a half of
snow, to the nearest telegraph station
which was twenty miles away-tO board
the very tran-the prosecution has it-that
they intended to demollsh! PreposterOus
and out of all reason! The accused are in
nOcent of the charge"
And thus for three days the trial pro-
ceeded.
On the morning of the fourth-havng
made another fine argument-eSpecially in
sOfar as the interests of FitzrOy were con-
cerned. in shOwng-in view of his release
from Bleak Hollow, over one hundred miles
away. on the very morning of the tragedy
the utter impOssibility of the latter making
connections even. though motive
there could be established" as was face
tiOusly added. the defense rested its case
And the prosecution having nothing further
to add. than that it trusted verdict would
be rendered in accordance with the evidence
adduced the judge made the charge to the
jury.
You will please find verdict of Not
Guilty.
The jury retired. The two accused sat
pale. yet hopeful. A solemn hush through
out the audience. An hour elapsed. and
yet no sign of jury. Two hours. and still
that solemn hush. Three-At last. just
as the sOmbre looking court clock indicated
four. the door in the east wing swung ajar,
and the jurors hove in sight.
''YOur, verdict, Gentleman" 'Et's
Guilty Judge. for F-F- FitzrOy. Not
Guilty. as to j Jenks."
And thus ended the celebrated case of
81 he State VS.. jerks. and Fitzroy.
jerks went on about his business-what-
ever that was-lnd Ftzroy day or two
later, went back to Bleak Hollow on a 20
years. sentence.
EPILoGUE.
And now. that the story is ended. where
does the philanthrOpist's mistake come in?
Well. that's where the moral comes in, and