The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1894-06-26
AN ELECTRICAL SLIP.

t'phfltf hiAhi NAibtl llpi W 40 Htil-
fenced to be hanged by the neck until
he was dead, and might the Lord have
mercy on his soul. Everybody agreed
that itwas q righteous verdict, but now
that he was sentenced they added,
"Poor fcllowl"
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 50 much that he appeared
to think the world at large should do
tho 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 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 a stormy scene, end
ing with the tragedy. He fired four
times at her, keeping the other two bull
lets for himself. But he was coward
and a cur at heart, and when 1t came
to the point of putting the two bullets
into himself he quailed and thought it
best to escape. Then electricity did him
its first disservice 1t sent his descrip-
tion far and wide. capturing him 25
miles from his home. He was taken
back to the county town where he lived
and lodged in 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 We're do.
terminod mutterings among the crowd
rather than outspoken anger, but the
mob was 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
himi Jailer, give up the keysl' was the
cry.
The agitated sheriff knew his duty,
but he hesitated to perform it.
But the keys We're 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 us 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 lynchod in this county,
and none in this state so far as / know.
Don't let us begin it, If / thought the
miserable scoundlel inside would escape
IF thought his money would buy him
stf-Id be the man to lead you to bat
ter down those doors and hang him on
the nearest tree, and you know it"
There We're 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 vengeancer' Bowen shook his
clinehed fist at the Jail tThat wretch
there has beon 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 seaffold. I
want him to stay i'll this hell till lie
drops through into the other, if there is
one. l want him to suffer some of the
misery he has caused. Lynching is over
i'll asmoment. 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 II
need it. "
And SO it 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 sentence
ed TO be hanged on Sept. 2l, at a IN.
And thus public opinion was satisfied.
But the moment the sentence was an
nouneed and the fate of the young man
settled curious change began to be no.
ticed in public opinion 1t seemed to
have yeered 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 a man
can be put to. Ladies sent flowers 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 them-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
You, madam, that if you succeed in get
ting that murderer reprieyed l will be
the instrument of the Lords venge.
ance.
"Oh, don't say that, /" pleaded the Ia
dy. Your signature would have such
an effect. You We're noble once and saw.