The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-07-03
man nature, as indeed she had every

j
calling for mercy poured in on the gov
ernor from all parts of the state. The
good man, whose eye was entirely on
his own recollection, did not know what
to do II any one could have shown him
mathematioally that this action or the
other would gain or lose him exactly so
many votes, his course would have been
clear, but his own advisers were uncer-
tain about the matter. A mistake in a
little thing like this might easily lose
him the election. Sometimes it was ru-
mored that the governor was going to
commute the sentence to Imprisonment
for life. Then the rumor was contra
dicted.
People claimed, apparently with JUS
tice, that surely Imprisonment for life
was sufficient punishment for II young
man, but every one knew i'll his own
heart that the communication was only
the beginning of the fight, and that fu-
ture governor would have sufficient
pressure brought to bear upon him to
let the young man go.
Up to tho Goth of September the gov
ernor made no sign. When Bowen went
to his duties on the night of the Goth, he
met the sheriff.
"Has any repriovc arrived YETI" ask
ed Bowen. The sheriff shook his head
sadly. He had never yet hanged man
and did not wish 10 begin.
NO." said the sheriff, land from
what / heard this afternoon none is like
ly to arrive The governor has made up
his mind at last that the law must take
its course"
'I'm glad of that" said Bowen.
"Well, I'm not"
After o'clock messages almost ceas-
ed coming in, and Bowen sat reading
the evening paper. Suddenly there came
call for the office, and the operator an
swered. AS the message came over the
wire Bowen wrote it down mechanical
ly from the clicking instrument, not un-
derstanding its purpose, but when he
read it he jumped to his feet, with an
oath. He looked wildly around the
room, then realized, with u sigh of re-
lief, that he was alone, except for the
messenger boy who sat doing in cor.
ner, with his cap over his eyes He
took up the paper again and read it with
set teeth:
Sheriff of Brenting County, Brentingvile:
n, ftr bnr x,.itb -
Prior. Sentence commuted. Documents sent
of by tonight's mail registered. Answer that
you understand this message.
JOIN DAY. Governor.
Bowen walked up and down the room
with knitted brow He was in no doubt
as to what he would do, but he wanted
to think over it. The telegraph instru-
ment called to him, and he turned to it,
giving the answering click. The mes
sage was to himself from the operator
at the capital, and it told him he was
to forward the sheriff's telegram with
out delay and report to the Office at the
capital-a mans life depended on it,
the message concluded. Bowen answer
ed that the telegram to the sheriff would
be Immediately sent.
Taking another telegraph blank, be
wrote:
Sheriff OF Brenting County, Brentingville:
Proceed with execution of Prior. No re-
prieve will be sent. Reply il you understand
this message. JOHN DAY, Governor.
1t is pity it cannot be written that
Bowen felt some compunction at what
he was doing. We like to think that
when man deliberately commits a
crime he should hesitate and pay enough
Difference to the proprieties as to feel at
least temporary regret, even if he goes
on with his crime afterward. Bowen's
thoughts We're upon the dead girl, not
on the living man. He reused the doz-
ing telegraph messenger.
Here" he said, "talse this to the
Jail and find the sheriff. If he is not
there, go to his residence. If he is
asleep, wake him up. Tell him this
wants an answer Give him blank,
and when he has filed it up bring it to
me. Give the message to no one else,
mind"
The boy said Eyes, SIR and departed
into the night. He returned so quickly
that Bowen knew without asking that
he had found the sleepless sheriff at the
Jail. The message to the governor, writ
ten in trembling hand by the sheriff,
was:
understand that the execution is to take
place. II you should change your mind, for
Gods sake telegraph as soon as possible.
shall delay execution until last moment al
lowed by law.
Bowen did not send that message, but
another. He laughed and then checked
himself in alarm, for his laugh sounded
strange wonder if am quite sane,"
he said to himself II doubt it.. F"
The night wore slowly on. A man
representing a press association came in
after 12 and sent long dispatch.
Bowen telographed it, taking the chances
that the receiver would not communi-
cate with the sender of the reprieve at
the capital. He knew how mechanically
news Of the greatest importance was
taken off the wire by men who have au-
tomatically been doing that for years.
Anyhow all the copper and zinc in the
world could not get message into
Brentingville except through him until
the day operator came on, and then it
would be too late.
The newspaper man, lingering, asked
if there would be only one telographer
OIL hand after the execution.
81 shall have lot of stuff to send
over, and Iwant it rushed. Some of the
papers may get our specials. l would
have brought an operator with me, but
we thought there was going to be re-
prieve, although the sheriff didn't seem
to think so, he added.
'The day operator will be here at 6,
will return as soon as I've had cup
of coffee, and Won handle all you can
CAST OUT,