The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-05-05
AN ELECTRICAL SLIP.

indicated. The insanity plea had
broken down, and Albert Prior was
sentenced to be hanged by the neck
until ne was dead, and might the Lord
have mercy on his soul. Everybody
agreed that it was a righteous verdict,
but now that he was sentenced they
added, Poor tellowr'
Albert Prior was a 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
violent will was a wonlan-a girl al
most. She would have nothing to do
with him, and told him so. He stormed
of course, but did not look upon her OPP
position 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 orepa-
tor, Prior's rage passed all bounds. He
determined 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 a
smile, not knowing 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
bullets for himself. But he was a cow
ard and a cur at heart, and when it
came to the point of putting the two
bullets in himself he quailed, and
thought it best to escape Then cleo
tricity did him its first disservice. 1t
sent his description far and wide, cap
turing him twenty-five miles from his
home. He was taken back to the coun-
ty 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 it's action was
an ominous gathering of dark
citizens outside the Jail. There were
determined nlutterings among the
crowd rather than outspoken anger,
but the mob was the more dangerous
on that account. One man in its midst
thrust his closed hand toward the sky
and from his fist dangled a rope. A
wolves went UP as the mob saw the
rope, and they clamored at the gates of
the Jail Lynch him! Jailer, give up
the keys was the cry.
The agita'ted sheriff knew his duty,
but he hesitated to perform it.
But the keys were not given up. The
clamor ceased A young man with
pale face and red eyes stood on the top
| of the stone wall that surrounded the
gaol. He held up his hand and there
was instant silence. They all recog-
nized him as Bowen, the night oper-
ator, to whom she had been engaged.
Gentle 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
[ thought the miserable scoundrel in
side would escape-if l thought his
money would buy him off-Pd be the
man to lead you to batter down those
| doors and hang him on the nearest
ireland you know it" There were
cheers at this. But he won't escape.
His money can't buy him Off He will
be hanged by the law. Don't think
it's mercy I'm 70 preaching; it's ven
! geancer' Bowen shook his clenched
| fist at the goal. THAT wretch there
| has been in he'll ever since he heard
your shouts He'll be in he'll, for he's
! a bastard, untlkthe time his. trembling
| legs carry him to the scaffold. L want
! him to stay in this hell till he drops
| through into the other, if there is one.
I want him to- suffer some OF the
misery he has caused Lynching IS
! over in a moment. l want that
murderer to die by the slow, merciless
| cruelty of the law"
Even the worst in the crowd shud-
dered as they heard these words and
realized as theyo7 looked at Bowen $
face, almost inhuman in its rage, that
his thirst for revenge made their own
seem almost innocent. The speech
broke I'D the crowd The man with
the rope threw it over into the gaol
ward, shouting to the sheriff: Take
care of it, old man, you'll 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
helm helm the murderer, and he was
! sentenced to be hanged on September
/ 81, at a. m. And thus public opinion
was satisfied.
But the moment the sentence was
| announced and the fate of the young
man settled a curious change began to
| be noticed in public opinion. 1t
seemed to have veered around There
|
of course Then there came to be much
sympathy for the criminal himself.
! Peonle quoted the phrase about the
worst use man can be put to. Ladies
| sent flowers to the condemned mans
cell. After all, hanging him, poor fell
| low, would not bring MISS Johnson
back to life However, few spoke OF
Miss Johnson, she was torg4tten py
! all but one man. who ground his teeth
when he realized the instability of pub
| lie opinion.
! Petitions were got up, headed by the
local clergy. Women begged for sigma
| lures and got them. Every man ana
woman signed them All except one,
and even he was urged to sign by a
fearful lady, who asked MIN TO re-
member that vengeance was the
Lords. ;,
But the Lord has His instruments,
said Bowen, grimly, land L swear to
you madam, that if you succeed IN
! getting that murderer reprieved 1 will
| be the instrument of the Lords venge-
ance.''
lady. 'sYour Signature would have
such an effect. You were noble once
and saved him from lynching; be noble
again and save him from the gal
lows
Il shall certainly not sign. 1t is, if
you will pardon me, an insult to ask
me. If you reprieve him you will make
murderer of me, for I will kill him
when he comes out, if it is twenty
years from now You talk of lynch
ing; it is such work as you are doing
that makes lynching possible. The
people seem all with you now, more
shame to them, but the next murder
that is committed viii be followed by
a lynching, just because you are sue
cessful today"
rTNr-. ci1-Io