Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1894-06-14

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81 HAVE BEEs SENT on An IRRAND
WHICH THIS LETTER WILL EXPLAIN"
have been sent on an errand which this
letter will explain"
The governor put on his glasses and
read the letter that was handed 10 him.
II ran as follows:
ITO rHE GovEnSoR or rnE FEDERAL PRig.
ON ETC, Ere; The bearer Of this, Mr. Kent,
IN connected with the stan Of this paper ami IL
sent to you to obtain, II possible, on Interview
with the prisoner Jean Laport, now under sen
toncc for manslaughtcr Tho interests Of tic
political party now IN power can be materially
advanced II this man can be Induced 20 talk
aud, II possible, furnish some Information CON
| corning his COnicdcrates IN % vast scheme 10
rob the government It IL assumed that the pris'
oncr VINO IL virtually under u life sentence, can
have no good reason for longer keeping silent,
and II II thought by tho managers Of this paper
that nn adrot man, like the bearer Of this, II
furnished the facilities, may succeed In clicitlng
the Information, which will ho Of great service
In the coming campaign to tho administration,
OF which you are loyal udhcrcnt
Unexpectedly ctt, etc"
Gov. Ixtcl, plcthoric and good-na-
turcd man when not dealing with con-
victs, let his hand drop To his side with
the letter In IT, With the other he took
Oft his glasses and looked ut Mr.. Kent
with n broad smile.
"Why, bless your cntcrprising soul"
he said that old alligator won't talk.
Nou couldn't pump ten words ont Of
him II YOU worked n month"
Nevertheless" replied Mr. Kent, II
am here to make the attempt with
your kind permission"
Take u seat" said the governor. 81
never heard that laport was mixed up
in politics"
Mr.. Kent sat down. "Wcll, sir, It
isn't generally known hut he Is
nevertheless the depository of ccrtuin
,ccrcts which to hold will no longer he
" any service To him and which II he
win give them away, ns we huy, will
rcurc for him the influence of NUM-
Der of powerful friends who can, II
they set 10 work. get him n commuta-
ton Of sentence"
Mr.. Kent was evidently clever
tnl,cr; he was thoroughly posted In
the political situation; he brought
with him from New York good deal
II inside news and several ruttling
stories that were new. lie cuudidly
confessed that he had no stomach for
this Job and wanted to bc back In the
metropolis. hut duty was duty and
he'd have TO make the attempt. lie
did not think he'd get much ont Of It.,
but II he did II would lie "a feather in
the cap Of the present administration
and an additional plume for himself,
Mr. Kent talked 50 long that the
governor invited him to take dinner
with his family, and the guest proved
such an interesting talkcr that Mrs.
, Ixtel late In the afternoon proposed to
, the governor that II would he far more
lhospitable to have the gentleman stay
with them than to 80 or to hotel,
lilo played backgammon that night
with the governor; sang the latest
, songs for Miss lNtel and accompanied
/ himself on the piano; and he sat up till
, twelve o'clock talking politics and
drinking the governors whisky.
, The next day about nine o'clock In
I the morning, the prisoner, n round
Shouldcred old man with great dcn
a " character In his square jaw and
a massive chin and dccp-sct scintillnnt
black eyes, was brought into tn,
!, Office of the prison. No one was pros
, ent but the governor and the reporter
a "Laport," said the governor, "hcrci
: a gentleman wants to talk tn you.
y hope you'll treat him with more con
!, sideration than you do me-"
y The old man looked from ono OF tn,
!. men to the other with sullen dc
| oil Al
trouble, )" he said. I've nothing 10 say,
lie folded his arms and stood looking
. |, at the ceiling,
"Well, ait down and DO comfortable
a II you can't be human" said the gov
= ernor. There's n chair"
I Kent then began n free and easl
IS explanation 10 which Lnport paid yer!
Is little attention. lie approached tn
G subject of his inquiry, the governo
l. thought, with great tact, and thel
IS asked one or two unimportant ques
> tions.
The only answer the man made wa
I. To turn 10 the governor,
a "ls there anything In my conduct
n he said, ITO warrant you in inHictin
10 this extra punishment on me? Sen
me back to my work.
I'm Inclined" said the governor
"to put you in a dark cell for wee
% 10 punish you for your internal obst
D. macy. I've treated you altogether to
u we'll, old man"
70 The old man gave slight shrug {
n his shoulders, but was silent
y Kent began TO apologize for hin
Is and, as coaXingly MS he could, aske
him several more questions. To one {
n them he growled out sullen mo
and was ON the point of saying SOM
A. thing else when one OF the guart
= s.AznA In with = mAssARa for tina Rol