The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-12-30

been too good to the colored people.
He has been badly rewarded several
times for his kindness. Did he tell you
that at this moment certain Henry
Seymour, one of his old servants, whom
he had dismissed for robbery, Is in
Philippeville prison after having raw
aged the entire country? He took refuge
in the woods after murder and stayed
there with his Winchester.
He was such a good shot that he
terrified all the other negroes, and the
towards furnished him with food. with
brandy and with cartridges. Finally
he was taken. A false friend mixed
some opium in his whisky and delivered
him uD. He was tried and condemned
10 death. Would YOU believe 1t, Mr..
Scott was indignant at the idea that the
man had been captured by such means,
and managed to obtain a postponement
of the execution. He even went to At
lanta to obtain a reprieve. He was not
successful, and on Thursday this rascal
will be hanged"
But the Colonel must have had other
reasons to give apart from this treach-
ery?'
"Oh, Of course he pretended that Sey-
mour had been made a convict while he
was still young. You have seen those
men in white and brown costumes who
work on eur roads with chains at their
feet. Those are our convicts. And this
youth has gone through that work. I
remember him well. 1T is true he was
only seventeen years of age, but why
had he already committed two robberies
without counting that for which Mr..
Scott discharged him. although he
would not have him arrrsted?"
only seventeen years" 1 replied.
Its very young all the same. At that
age one is very impressionable and such
company Is not calculated to improve
character that has gone wrong"
We'll" answered Mr.. Williams. there
are many who remain in the chain gang
for year or two years and even then
commence their life afresh. When a
man has paid his debt we Americans
regard it as really paid This Seymour
could have paid his in work. If he pre-
ferred to carry on in a way that he
would have to pay it by hanging, why,
all right. By the way, would it not
interest you to be present at the execu-
ton. In Georgia We have not adopted
electricity. We just stick to hanging.
You can compare it with France, for
there you have the guillotine, have you
not?''
L have never seen it work." replied,
'and L doubt whether L have sufficient
moral courage to see a man hanged
without having to leave the spot."
In any case. / will get you a ticket
from the sheriff. said the hotel keeper
and you can use it or not, just as you
choose"
He kept his word. and two days later
that is, on the Monday-he announced
to me that L should have the ticket
But upon the evening of the same day
he approached me afresh in the hall of
the hotel wearing the anxious visage of
a good citizen who has learned some
bad news. and of a hotel keeper who
foresees some unpleasant occurrences
for his guests, and said To me:
What do you think? Have you heard
the news? The ticket that the sheriff
has given us is no good. That damned
rascal Seymour is not going to be
cuted.''
Has Mr.. Scott obtained his reprieve?"
/ demanded
NO; the man has escaped. They left
him too much freedom in his cell. He
received too many visits. Some
passed him knife. and this afternoon
when the jailer took him his food he
took advantage of the moment the man
stopped to put the tray on the floor and
planted the knife right between his
shoulders. The jailer fell dead at once
Seymour took his revolver from him and
his keys. freed seven negroes or mulat-
toes, prisoners like himself, but for
slight offenses. and the eight wretches
escaped by the back door of the prison,
which faces the country. They had the
good luck to escape without being seen
by any one. so that their flight was
only known two hours later BY this
time they are in the woods. and there
can be no traces of them on the roads
after the heavy rains. Heaven knows
when they will be retaken. Now was 1
not right in saying that the Colonel was
too easy with those people? If he had
not demanded postponement Seymour
would have been hanged last week, the
jailer would still be living and / should
not be afraid Of losing my clients. A
family ought to arrive here next week,
but if they read in the papers about
this adventure they will be afraid and
go to st. Augustine. They will get the
idea that it is not safe in Georgia"
/ was already so accustomed to the
newspapers which Mr.. Williams dreaded
and to their extraordinary recitals of
daily happenings to feel very much
constituent at this change or plans, of
which he spoke. Apart from the larger
cities, America still continues to be the
country where the most daring exploits
are executed with an audacity that does
not recoil before any danger. On the
other hand. 1 had not expected to find
myself, i. peaceable Gallo-Roman
literary man. taking part in such a
tragic history as this of the jail-break-
ing bandit. passed the evening fol-
lowing Mr. Willams's revelations in
wondering how could bring the Colonel
to speak to me of his old servant dur
ing our luncheon on the following day.
1 had OWNED from few words the
hotel keeper had let drop that the phi
lanthropic owner of Scott's place was
AS things turned out the Colonel him.
self spared me the trouble. for on the
Tuesday morning about o'clock his
card was brought I'D with a message.
He was down stairs and wished to
speak TO me. / found him there. wear
ing his hunting costume. as on the first
occasion that 1 had seen him. his legs
thrust into stout leather CATERS, and
with enormously thick-soled shoes. He
was carrying rifle in his hand.
81 came to beg you to excuse me-" he
said, without any preamble, land to ask
you TO put off our luncheon to another
day. / dare say you are aware that
several prisoners have escaped from the
public dungeon. and among them one
who was condemned to death-in fact,
a man who was formerly one of my
servants
II have heard of it, I replied. land
also that you had formerly been very
good to the wretched creature"
THAT is not true" he responded; but
| in any case it is of no account. The i'm
portant thing just at present is to re-
| capture them in order that they cannot
| begin to terrorize the country. We tele-
graphed Immediately on their escape to
| Atlanta for some bloodhounds, dogs
| specially trained for man hunting. I
have collected about ten of the citizens
| for the work. and L have brought you
| horse. so that if you choose to come
| with us
why not?" 1 replied after a few