The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1890-10-29
LOVE CAUSED HIS FALL.
THE PATHETIC STORY OF A JOLIET
PRISON "TRUSTY."

Arm for Liberty, He Resists All Temp
tation, Until a Woman Smiled on Him
and He Falls.
CHICAGO, Oct. 23-EveryboGf 1:ho
has visited that living tomb, the Joliet
Penitentiary, cannot but feel sorry to
learn that Robert Click, the "trusty" of
Warden Berggren, has fallen from
grace. The solitary figure in convict
garb standing on the narrow platform
at the penitentiary depot was the last
| recollection that visitors carried away
Of the horrors of that dismal place. \
link between the WretchednesS within
the walls and the glad freedom out
doors, the hearty good-by from the
tralnmen to the convict as the train
moved off fingered in the memory of
those who heard it like adeathbed part.
ing between friends. Even the train
men themselves, who hare long grown
accustomed to see the half-free convict
swinging his lamp at the stopping
place at all hours of the night, have
never been able to overcome the feel
ing of sadness and sympathy as they
have watched him trudge back to his
wretched prison home, faithful as a
dog returning to its collar and chain.
They all knew his story. Years ago,
when first the new "trusty" appeared
at the depot, a single glance into his
clear blue eyes was sufficient to make
the trainmen his friends. That Ward
den McClaughrey had made a good Sc
lection IN the new 'trusty" was admit
ted even before they heard his story.
That he was life convict. and that his
crime was willful murder, made no diff
ference. Any one could see that he
was honest as daylight. and the SYM
| pathies of his new associates went out
to him even before they had learned
| the details of his one offense against
his country's laws. Visitors to the
prison who have left tho building with
feelings strangely alternating between
repugnance and pity fer the miserable
occupants OF the white-washed cells.
have seldom failed to question the con-
Wet guide who escorted them to the
train how it happened that he was in
such place. And, indeed, it did ap-
| pear more than strange that man of
his unquestioned honesty should be
among the condemned. Without at
| tempting either to minimize his offense
or to appeal for sympathy, Click would
answer that he had killed man and
had been sentenced for life. Seven
years ago the crime had been commit
ted, and seven years ago he had worn
his first suit of stripes. Seven years
hence he would in all probability be
wearing still another suit of stripes,
and so on from year to year until
maybe when I'm an old man I'll get
out of here"
| To hear 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 sympa-
thy demanded fuller explanation,
and the convict would not hesitate to
give it. It was a very ordinary quar-
rel that had resulted in the loss of life
! TO Clicks victim and the loss of liberty
to Click himself. Click was hostler in
the employ of a horse trader in South.
ern Illinois. Between his employer
and Il neighboring dealer bitter feud
had long existed, and whenever neces-
sity arose for business negotiations
| between the two Click always acted as
representative of his employer. On
one of these occasions high words arose
between Click and the rival horse deal
er. A fight seemed imminent. Ac-
| cordlng to Clicks story his opponent
was on the point of drawing knife
when friend thrust a revolver into
Clicks hand. A second later the horse
! dealer was dead, shot through the heart
by a bullet from Clicks gun. Then
followed a long Imprisonment and
trial. Popular opinion ran high that
the deed had been instigated by Clicks
employer. Every inducement was Of
fered to Click to confess that his en-
ployer had actuated the crime. But to
| every appeal Click replied that the kill
ing had been done in self-defense, and
that if he were placed in the same po-
sitlon agaln-an angry opponent about
| to draw knife, and a revolver thrust
into his own hand at the instant when
his lite seemed in most imminent peril
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 Imprisonment. His new life
began in the harness shop, where his
| conduct was so exemplary that War
| den McClaughrey singled him out as
| his "trusty" or confidential servant In
this capacity almost unlimited conf
delce was repoSed In the convict. The
journey to and from the station, which
is within stones throw of the prison
gates, was the least of the chances
thrown IN Clicks way to escape had he
so desired. AS confidential servant to
the warden Click was often sent, dress
ed in civilians clothes, into the city of
Joliet. The fast horses in the warden's
! stable were 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 to exchange good
day with the honest-looking fellow.
Acquaintance a began to multiply, and
| within a radius OF dozen miles there
were few who had not good word to
say on behalf of Robert Click, the war
den's "trusty."
"Wouldn't you like to get out of
PRISON." was a question put to Click
dozen times day, to which his invari-
able reply was, Il would give my right
arm for liberty, but not my honor. In
the eyes of the law I am a murderer,
but l can stand that rather than feel
that am not honest. Inever deceived
a man who trusted me, and don't pro-
pose to begin now"
But alas for the poor fellows sense of
honor. In moment of madness, in
fatuated by woman's glances and
morally blinded by the fumes of liquor,
he decided to throw away his moral
obligation and to elope with woman
of Joliet. tillthe Old feeling of friend
illness, born of honesty and trust, saved
Click at least from the actual breach of