The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1890-05-14
KENDALL'S BROTHER.

kENDALL'S BROIHER.
There was snow-storm on the
morning of the day fixed for the execu-
ton of Jonas Toms, who had been con-
victed of the murder of the old farmer,
Joseph Kendall. The down-train on
the branch from X to the county
seat had come through without diff
Guilty and the up-train-with load of
mOrbidly curious men who had taken
passage for the purpose of witnessing
the hanging-was at last reported as
having reached the county seat. So
the road was open and if the snow did
not drift into the cuts there would be
no need of sending out the snow-plow.
Jonas Toms was looking through the
grating of his cell when the whistle of
the uptown reached him and for half
hour he waited expectantly, hope not
failing him until the sheriff came to the
cell door and shook hands with him in
silence.
''She did not come?n the condemned
said, despairingly.
No. She was not on the train, but
there are two hours yet and have put
a deputy at the telegraph office with
W I'LL DIT OuCC Will duy
message"
You are very kind, sheriff, - faltered
Jonas. and turned away from the
grated door.
1T wouldn't be human not to try to
make an ugly job like this as easy as
possible" muttered the sheriff, land l
never was sure Jonas was guilty,
though he couldn't prove he wasn't
The sheriff's opinion of the case was
shared by a great many citizens of the
county Of, and they had signed a
petition to the governor for respite
for the prisoner, and a communication of
his sentence if the governor could not
see his way clear to grant pardon.
With this petition Mrs. Jonas Toms
had gone to the capital to make use of
it in pleading for her husbands life.
That morning the prisoner had looked
for her return with definite information
concerning him-whether he was to die
that day or not. As no word had been
received from her, he was not hopeful,
and he had really expected her to come
back to him only for final leave
taking.
Yet, when the sheriff spoke of the
telegraph, hope asserted itself again
and Jonas was buoyed with imagining
his devoted wife wrestling still with the
governor, and refusing to abandon the
struggle for her husband until it was
useless to plead longer.
And while the condemned was thus
catching at straw, and his heart was
overbowing with love and gratitude to
his devoted, tireless wife. the deputy
left the telegraph office and hastened to
the Jail. The sheriff, seeing him COM
ing, ran to meet him, but paused
abruptly when he could see clearly his
subordinate's face.
The operator can't get X" said
the deputy.
"How can't get himP" asked the
sheriff, with the impatience of a serious
man with riddles when plain words
were OF urgent need"
Cant get the operator at x to
answer his call; the wire must be
down"
The sheriff groaned and trembled as
if shaken by strong wind. go back, >
he said-''go back and wait, for il
there's word to come it will get here. }"
The sheriff spoke as if he expected
a miracle to be wrought to deliver hin
from the awful legal duty of taking 8
mans life to satisfy the vengeance OF
the law, but yet he, having once more
obtained control of his nerves, walked
firmly back to the Jail, where he pro-
ceeded at once to conclude the prepara
tions for a solemn act.
Meantime crowd of men was surg
ing about the jail entrance and some
boys had climbed a tree to look ovel
the wall at the scaffold. The deputy
in charge of the door admitted thost
who had passes and kept back thu
others, who nevertheless clamOred tt
be let in. Those who were within thu
gates by permission trampled the snow
in the yard and impatiently wished th'
sheriff would ''hurry up" while th
other prisoners in their cells wer
silent, and curious, and glad-not glaC
because one who had been with then
in compulsory association was to b.
hanged but glad because their crime
were not so heinous as his, and they al
vowed to reform lest they, too, shoul(
end on the gallows.
But at X the telegraph operate
was frantic. He had called tn
operator ct the county seat and coulC
! not get replyi ue was III uooPt'li an
he thumped the key. There befor
him lay a message from the governo
of the state:
ITO THE SHERIFF oE-CoUNTY: Respit
of ten days granted to Jonas Toms"
The telegram was signed by the gov
ernoGs secretary, but apparently it wa
AS useless as if it had never been written
The county seat was thirty miles dis
tant and there was but an hour to ge
word of the respite to the sheriff befor
it would be forever too late.
A restless man stalked up and dow
the long platform; he seemed to b
waiting for train and impatient bt
cause it was delayed. He noticed th
telegraph operators agitation an
made inquiry concerning the cause
The operator showed him the messa9
and the mans face blanched as he de
manded, TREMENDOUSLY:
sWhy don't you send it?"
81 can't, l say, for the wire is ne
working"
The man paused a moment irresC
Iutelv and then said: ''Give the me-
sage to me. Seal it in an envelope wit
wax. 1 will take it to the sheriff
.sHow?"
.'On that engine" He pointed to
locomotive that was standing on sl(
ing with steam up, but was not manne
the engineer being at his home and tn
fireman having made a trip to th
round-house.
''Give me switch-key, the strange