The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-07-03
AN ELECTRICAL SLIP.

uokeu uOWn, ana AlDer6 fItOr was ben-
fenced to be hanged by the neck until
he was dead, and might the Lord have
mercy on his soul Everybody agreed
that itwas a righteous verdict but now
that he was sentenced they added,
''Poor fellowl'
Albert Prior was young man who
had had more of his own way than was
good for him. His own family-father,
mother, brother and sisters-had given
way to him so much that he appeared
to think the world at large should do
the same. The world differed with him.
Unfortunately the first to oppose his vi
olent will was woman-a girl almost.
She would have nothing to do with
him and told him So He stormed, Of
course, but did not look upon her oppo-
sition as serious. No girl in her senses
could continue to refuse young man
of his prospects in life But when he
heard that she had become engaged to
young Bowen, the telegraph operator,
Prior's rage passed all bounds He de-
termined to frighten Bowen out of the
place and called at the telegraph Office
for that laudable purpose, but Bowen
was the night operator and was absent.
The day man, with Il smile, not know
ing what he did, said Bowen would
likely be found at the Parker place,
where Miss johnson lived with her aunt,
her parents being dead
Prior ground his teeth and departed.
He found Miss Johnson at home, but
alone. There was stormy scene, end
ing with the tragedy. He fired four
times at her, keeping the other two bull
lets for himself. But he was o coward
and cur at heart, and when it came
to the point of putting the two bullets
into himself he quailcd and thought it
best to escape. Then electricity did him
Its first disservice. 1t sent his descrip-
tion far and wide, capturing him %
miles from his home. He was taken
back to the county town where he lived
and lodged i'll Jail.
Public opinion, ever right and all
powerful, now asserted itself. The out
ward and visible sign of its action was
an ominous gathering of dark browed
citizens outside the Jail. There were de-
termined mutterings among the crowd
rather than Outspoken anger, but the
mobwas the more dangerous on that ac-
count One man in its midst thrust his
closed hand toward the sky, and from
his hand dangled rope. A cry like the
growing of pack Of wolves went up
as the mob saw the rope, and they clam
ored at the gates of the Jail. Lynch
himl Jailer, give up the keysW was the
cry.
The agitated sheriff knew his duty,
but he hesitated to perform it.
But the keys were not given up. The
clamor had ceased. A young man with
pale face and red eyes stood on the top
Of the stone wall that surrounded the
Jail He held up his hand, and there
was instant silence. They all recognized
him as Bowen, the night operator, to
whom she had been engaged.
Gentlemen, he cried, and his clear
voice reached the outskirts of the crowd,
don't do it. Don't put an everlasting
stain on the fair name of our town. No
one has ever been lynched in this county,
and none in this state so far as l know.
Don't let us begin it. If l thought the
miserable scoundrel inside would escape
If thought his money would buy him
of-I'd be the man to lead you to bat
ter down those doors and hang him on
the nearest tree, and you know it !"
There were cheers at this. But he
won't escape. His money can't buy him
of. He will be hanged by the law.
Don't think it's mercy I'm preaching;
it's vengeancep' Bowen shook his
clinched fist at the Jail. THAT wretch
there has been in hell ever since he
heard your shouts. He'll be in hell, for
he's bastard, until the time his trem-
bling legs carry him to the scaffold. I
want him to stay in this hell till he
drops through into the other, if there is
one. want him to suffer some of the
misery he has caused. Lynching is over
in moment. / want that murderer to
die by the slow, merciless cruelty of the
law"
Even the worst in the crowd shudder-
ed as they heard these words and realiz-
ed as they looked at Bowen's face, al.
most inhuman in its rage, that his thirst
for revenge made their own seem al
most innocent. The speech broke up the
crowd. The man with the rope threw it
over into the Jail yard, shouting to the
sheriff, Take care of it, old man; you'll
need it.
And so 1t came about, just as Bowen
knew it would, that all the money and
influence of the Prior family could not
help the murderer, and he was sentenc-
ed to be hanged ON SeptHNl, at a. IN.
And thus public opinion was satisfied.
But the moment the sentence was an
nounced and the fate Of the young man
settled a curious change began to be no.
ticed In public opinion. It seemed to
have veered round. There was much
sympathy for the family, of course.
Then there came to be much sympathy
for the criminal himself. People quoted
the phrase about the worst use man
can be put to- Ladies sentfowers to the
condemned mans cell. After all, hang
ing him, poor fellow, would not bring
Miss Johnson back TO life. However,
few spoke Of Miss Johnson; she was for
gotten by all but one man, who ground
his teeth when he realized the instabili-
ty Of public opinion.
Petitions were got up, headed by the
local clergy. Women begged for sigma
lures and got them. Every man and
woman signed theh-all except one,
and even he was urged to sign by tear
full lady, who asked him to remember
that vengeance was the Lords
"But the Lord has his instruments, {"
said Bowen grimly, "and l swear to
xynr ,,,ola,x, tlol ..o.. ...uuaa.l