The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1893-04-14
Srle&t Miseellnnl].
A Trustworthy Prisoner.


tucky 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 crlme-mayhem -as it was
because of the unhea-d of conduct of The SIler
iff and prisoner after conviction.
In the spring of 1896, I.arkin Lyles and Ed
ward Campbell, two prominent citizens -oi
Lewis county, engaged in rough-and-tum-
BILE fight at Vanceburgh. They were both
powerful men physically, and, as witnesses of
terward testified, they shit one another like
horses a-kckn." Finally, after each con-
testant had registered number of knock down
blows, Campbell got his opponent down and
proceeded to pun sh him in harmony with the
most approved methods of the old-time tistic
art .-Lyles, who had '.worn the belt' for sew
eral generations, grew desperate at the awful
prospect of being clicked" and, raising his
head with bulldog ferocity, he seized the
neither lip of the prospective victor between
his teeth and eliminated a large chunk from
the inner part of it. At the succeeding term
of the Circuit Court the grand jury indicted
Lyles for the crime of mayhem, and trial
was at once accorded the defendant.
The jury, after listening to the testimony, re
tired, and after prolonged consultation re-
turned 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 a striking anomaly in criminal
history. The Sheriff, w. B. Parker, nick
named "Buck," was lifelong chum of the
sentenced man. Accordingly, instead of TAX
ing possession of Lyles' persoa, he told him to
ego home and he would see him the next
day."Lyles. acting OH this liberal sugg estion,
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 '.cu'ting up corn
ssHello, friend Larkinr' shouted the Sher-
if, riding up to the rail fence, few steps a
way from the prisoner.
"IIello, Buck. Good morning."
''Hard at work, see:?"
"Yep; gettin' my hand in We see; SOS it
won't 90 ser fox laked hard vim me when
git ter Frankfort.
''Er, haw, haw, haw, haw!' merrily shout
ed the Sheriff "When do you think you
will be ready to start, Larkin?'
81 can't tell jest yit, Buck" returned Lyles,
coming up to the fence and resting his arm on
the top rail.
"Wel, about when do you Think"
"Lemme see, nov," returned the sentenced
man, scratching his head in puzzling cogita-
ton. "I'll try ter git ready two weeks from
ter day.-Ye see, Buck. I've got er heap
sight o'things to see to afore l kin possibly
git off The con is all ter cut up, my stray
hogs must be hunted an put up, an dead
oodles NV uther matters ter see to, but III be
ready BY that time if thar's no providental
"All right, friend Iarkin, don't want to
dscommode ye no way, shape or form or fas-
ion. Thar aint no big hurry for ye down ter
Frankfort that 1 kin see. It's got along very
we'll so fur without ye, and guess it can do
a little while longer. Go right ahead an fix
up yer matters SOS Polly Ann will have as
little trouble as possible, and when ye've got
perfectly ready, if don't see ye tween no"
and then. Just come on in an we'll GO
Two weeks later Larkin Lyles came III and
reported to the Sheriff.
"Well," spoke the Sheriff, ''if you are ready,
Larkin, am. Which route do you want to
take9"
81 don't know what's your choice route.
propose to go the nearest way through the
hills, an take my gun and hunt through to
Frankfort
"All right, Larkin," returned to the Sheriff.
"You walk through, if it suits you best. I've
got a little bizness ter tend to at Mayvlle; SO
III Jest 90 on thar an tend to it, an then take
the stage over to the turnpike. "l'll try to be
there before You do"
"You'll have to make pretty good time,
Buck, eff you do"
So Sheriff and prisoner started for Frank
fort, each taking separate route. On the
way through the hills Lvles killed several
deer and arrived at Frankfort before the Sher-
iff got there.
He reported at once to Gov. CLARK. When
the latter entered the waiting room Lyles rose
and extended his hand.
s'Be you Gov. Clark"
81 am, sir, what can do for youa''
"Put me in the penitentiary," was the Ia
comic reply.
"Put YOU IN the peniteatiary," exclaimed
the bewldered ExecuLive' hit do you
mean?'
".Jist what sed. was tried in Lewis
county for bitin' off i duru cusS's lip an was
tried fer it and the Judge sentenced me.
Amt Sheriff Parker never shown up yil:"
..No, sir, I know nothing about your case.
Eve no authority to put you in the penitentia-
ry. Where is the Sheriff.
"U'hy," returned the astonished Lyles,
s'haint he never cum: lie started the same
time did, an as walked through, an he
took the stage, I'd think he orter to be here.
I'm kinder uneasy about him.
While they were discussing, ard the old
Governor was puzzling over the strange case
the Sheriff came i'll.
The two friends leaped toward one another
with unnatural excamations of delight.
After they had shaken hands Warmly, the
Sheriff, who knew the Governor well, intro
duced the prisoner as one of the ,st hearted
men in Eastern Kent ucky."
"Well, now," spoke the Governor: "let's un
a.;
fenced to the pententiary for Mayhem
"No," returned the Sheriff, ''not for May
hens-it was for biten' piece outen the in
side of Ed. Campbell's lower lip. An now
want ter tell yo', Governor, there never was a
better man than Larkin Lyles, an want ter
say fnrder, that Ed. Campbell is heap sight
better lookin' man than he was before. His
ip was a he Up too thick, Governor, All, Lar