The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1894-03-09

you consent will place the money
the hands of your wife and willF "
range signals between you so that'yoY
will be assured that she has ti5
money
For an hour or more this meSs'S
was repeated until it seemed to STA :,
that the sound of it would drive him
crazy. Arguments were then being
made IN lie case and it was necessary
Tor him to make up his mind soon.A Il p
parently. however, the offer made no
impression on him, for the next morn
ing the scarfpin appeared in his cravat
as usual
At sight OF the pin the conspirators
for the first time became alarmed.
Judging the juror, perhaps, by their
own peculiar standards, they had reck.
oned that fifteen thousand dollars wts
enough to buy him, body and souE
Time was now precious The next day
! the case was to go to the jury. Ar
rangemcnts would have to be made
that night or not at all. Another con-
sultation WAS held that evening and 1t
was decided to offer Smith thirty thou
sand dollars. This was thought to be
so large a sum that he could not posi-
bly, refuse.
Accordingly the operator was again
sent to the hotel and again the instru-
mcnt licked out it's tempting offers to
the jurylnan. But again the offers
were useless, for Smith appeared the
next morning wearing his scarfpin as
usual That morning the case was
given to the jury, who retired to de-
liberate upon the verdict, leaving the
prisoners with very little hope.
Their friends, however, did not give
up the battle yet. BY dint Of hard
work they raised fifty thousand dollars
and sent the telegraph operator to make
a final appeal to the juror.
Before his arrival, however, one OF
the bailiffs was nosing around the
corridor off which was the room which
was used by the jury. BY d lucky mis-
take he opened the wrong door and
went into the room where the tele-
graph instrument was placed. His
suspicious were at once aroused. He
had heard a faint clicking sound the
night before, but could not make out
what it was.
"Who occupies room 1852" he asked
of the clerk in the office.
ga travelling man," was the reply.
'What's the telegraph instrument
there for?''
Didn't know it was there"
Without telling the clerk his suspi-
cions the bailiff went to the room and
removed the instrument.
A few moments afterward the opera
tor appeared on the scene. 1t was too
late. The game was up. The instru-
ment was gone and there was not time
to procure another. 1t was not only
too late for the conspiratOrs to make
another offer, bnt Smith could not then
accept the OFF, already made, as he
had no assurance that the money prom
Used would be forthcoming. The jury
took hours to decide upon verdict
which it was said at the time was not
reached without considerable trouble.
The faces OF the prisoners blanched as
the jury filed into court, d, they, too.
knew tnc game was up.
How the verdict was rendered, how
the sentence was pissed, and how the
prisoners, after q long delay, were sent
to prison to serve three years, and how
since their release from durance some
Of whom have waxed fat and rich and
naughty. the whole world knows.
But would Smith have accepted the
offer of fifty thousand dollars had the
opc..ai.,;' BE- u able to make it?
The ucnspirators to this day declare
that he would.
One thing, however, is certain
Smith Is still comparatively poor man
aad bears a good reputation. Chicago
Times.