The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-12-11
A QUEER CASE.
Prisoner Walks to Jail Alone and
Hunts Deer En- Route.

to Kentucky criminal procedure was tried
at the September term Of the Lewis county
circuit court in 1886. 1t was peculiar. not
so much on account OF the crime (mayhem)
as because Of the unheard of conduct
OF the sheriff and prisoner after conviction.
In the spring of 1886, Larkin Lyles and
Edward Campbell, two prominent citizens
OF Lewis county, engaged in rough-and-
tumble fight at Vanceburg. They were
both powerful men physically, and, as wit
nesses afterward testified, they hit one
another like "hosses a-kickin'." Finally,
after each contestant had registered a
number OF knock-down blows, Campbell
got his opponent down, and pro-
| ceeded to punish him in harmony
with the most approved methods OF
the old-time flstic art. Lyles, who
had worn the beltn for several generations,
grew desperate at the awful prospect OF
being licked" and, raising his head with
bulldog ferocity, he seized the neither lip of
the prospective victor between his teeth and
eliminated large chunk Of the inner part
OF it. At the succeeding term Of the circuit
court the grand jury indicted Lyles for the
crime Of mayhem, and a trial was at once
accorded the defendant.
The jury, after listening to the testimony,
AoblIeut anu, hAteI OlouReu CONSULTATION.
returned a verdict OF guilty. Judge Walker
Reid, therefore, sentenced the defendant to
the penitentiary for one year. And now
come the features OF the case that constitute
it striking anomaly in criminal history.
The sheriff, w. b. Parker, nick-named
Buck" was a lifelong ohum Of the sem
fenced mau. Accordingly, instead of taxi
ing possession of Lyles' person, he told him
to go home, and he would see him on the
following day" Lyles, acting on this liberal
suggestion, mounted his old black horse and
left for home, seven miles south Of the
county seat
The next day Parker rode out to Lyles
home, and found the latter cutting up
cornn
''Hello. friend Larkin" shouted the
sheriff, riding up to the rail fence, a few
steps away from the prisoner %.
Hello, Buck Good morninh."
Hard at work, seer
Yep; Gittin' my hand In, ye see, SOS ID
won't go ser fox-laked hard win me when
git ter Frankfort
''Er, haw, haw, haw, hawl" merrily
shouted the sheriff. "When do you think
you'll be ready 10 start, Larkinp
81 can't tell jist yit, Buck" returned
Lyles, coming up to the fence and resting
his arms on the top rail-
wal, about when do you thinkP
"Lemme see, now,h returned the SEN
fenced man, scratching his head In puzzling
cogitation. am try ter git ready two
weeks from ter day. Ye see, Buck, I've
got or heap sight o. things ter see to afore [
kin possibly git off. The CON is all ter cut
up, my stray hogs must be hunted and put
up, an dead coolies Nv other matters ter see
to; but I'll be ready by that time il thar's
no providential hindrances.n
"All right, friend Larkin; don't want
TO discommode ye no way, shape or form or
fashion. Thar amt no big hurry fer We
down thar ter Frankfort that kin see. It's
got along very we'll 80 fur without we, an
guess it can do leetle while longer. Go
right ahead an fix up yer matters sos Polly
Ann will hev as little trouble as possible
and when ye've got perfectly ready, II
don'tsee ye tween now an then, jist come
on in an we'll go.n
IAN right, Buck. Come around TO the
house. hear the dinner horn a-blowin'.n
''Pn do it, Lsrkin, fer / hearn yer son
John killed fine fat deer yesterday, an
ter git q few mouthfuls of it 10 mostly
what brought me over to-day"
Two weeks later Larkin Lyles came Ia
and reported to the sheriff.
"Well," spoke the sheriff, 'if you're
ready, Larkin, am. Which route do they
want TO takep
l propose TO go the nesrdest way, through
the hills, an take my gun an hunt through
to Frankfort
"All right, Larkin," returned the sheriff.
"You walk through, IL it suits you best.
I've got a little Dzness ter see to at Nays
Vile; 80 I'll jist go on thar an tend to it,
an then take the stage over the turnpike.
I'll try to be there before you do"
You'll have to make mighty good time.
Buck, eff ye do"
So sheriff and prisoner started for Frank
fort, each taking a separate route. On the
way through the hills Lyles killed several
deer and arrived at Frankfort before the
sheriff got there.
He reported at once to Gov. Clark. When
the latter entered the waiting room Lyies
arose and extended his hand.
"Be you Gov. Clarke
81 am, sir. What can do for your
"Put me in the penitensiary," was the la
comic reply.
"PuE you in the peniteutiary N exclaimed
the bewildered executive. What do you
meant
"Jist what sed l wuz tried in Lewis
county for bitin' of durn cuSs' lip, an the
judge sentenced me. Amt Sheriff Parker
never showed up yitp
mo, sir; know nothing about your case.
I've no authority TO put you in the peni.
Tertiary. Where is the sheriRp
why" returned the astonished Lyles,
''hain't he never cuml He started the same
time ul0, an az walked through, an he
took the stage, I'd think he orter be here.
Pm kinder uneaSy erbout him.
While they we're discussing, and the old
governor was puzzled over the strange case,
the sheriff came in.
The two friends leaped toward one an
other with unnatural EXPLANATIONS Of de-
light.
After they had shaken hands warmly the
sheriff, who knew the governor WELL intro
duced the prisoner as one of the best
hearted men In Eastern Kentucky"
"Well, now spoke the governor, Tets
understand this business. Was this man
sentenced to the penitentiary for mayhemg'
MO- returned the sheriff, mot for MAY
hens-it was for biting piece outen the in
side of Ed CampbelPs lower lip. An now 1
want ter tell ye, governor. there never was
better man than Lsrkin Lyles, an want
ter say furder, that Ed Campbell Is a heap
sight better lookin' man than he was before.
His lip wuz a heap too thick, governor. an
Lsrkin jist trimmed it down TO about the
right size"
"Well," returned Gov. Clark, laughing,
isn't it rather strange conduct in an officer
leaving man sentenced TO the penitentiary
20 come alonei Did you know you were
responsible for hint"
"Sartinly, governor, knowed all that. I
knowed jist what | wuz dom. II you
knowed Larkin az well az do you wouldn'b
a-been afeared ter trust him either / hone