The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1895-08-22

came interested in the man. After his
conviction, and when he was about to
be taken away to prison, the young
woman asked him to solemnly promise
her one thing, that when he had served
his term and should come away free
man, that he would desist from his for
mer ways and lead an honest life. He
gave her such promise, greatly at
tracted by the kindness Of the young
woman.
"He went to prison, and behaved him.
self so we'll that during his confinement
he was put into a position of some re-
sponsibility and trust in the prison. |
The time of his release came, and he re-
turned to st. Louis and looked for
work. But his past life was too we'll
known, and he was not successful in
finding employment, even to earning a
living, although the pastors of the city
and other prominent men took interest
| in his case. But he was determined to
fulfil the pledge he had made in the
county Jail He went to Chicago, where
some of his crooked work had been
done. but still he was unable to find
honest employment. While here, how
ever. he fell in with one of his old pals,
who informed him that he had a job on
hand which, if Burke would join him
and stay with him for two weeks, would
Io, CT
: fierce temptation, being, as he was, in
large city without friends and with
, out money. But he declined the offer,
. went on to New York City, and while
there wrote to some Of his would-be
3 friends in ST. Louis of the proposition
that had been. made to him, and told
} them the day and hour when it would
be attempted. The robbery, for that
was the scheme, came off promptly up
[ on the scheduled time, and the people
/ to whom he had written saw that the
D man was in earnest. They wrote for
e him to come back to St. Louis, and
: when he returned went to work earnestly
d to find him employment.
/. 'My father, Capt Isaac NJ. Mason,
r continued the speaker, ''was sheriff OF
e St. Louis county, and becoming inter
l ested in the man, consented to put him
e on the force of deputies, there being
|, about forty men on his force. | was
s myself engaged on the sheriff's force
l and it happened that Burke came i'm
u mediately under me in his work. This
It position was the hest that could have
S, been given him, as it protected him
It against the inducements of his old com
II panions, who would nowkeep shy OF hin
and against the city detectives and po
lice officers, who are only too anxiou
very often to get suspected man ou
,e of their way in one manner or another
i'd He became deputy in 1880, and sool
a won the entire confidence of my fathe
n and all connected with him. Burk
D. was trusted to collect money, in fact t
a do any sort of work. Once when w
had levied upon safe supposed to cor
If. tain 100000 worth of bonds, he wa
ne left to watch over it during the nigh
e. and could easily have brokeninto it ha
1T, he so desired. Frequently when sale
were made he was detailed to carry tn
nd money into the Office, and might readil
he have gotten away with it.
k, "To make a long story short, the ma
ed married the young woman to whol
en- several years before he had given tt
ed sacred promise to change his life. Il
I'D. became highly respected citizen {
nd St. Louis, served as deputy sheriff undo
US four different sheriffs and for sixtee
ga years. A couple of weeks ago he die
I'D and he was buried from one of the lea
ing Methodist churches, of which
St. was faithful member, and his funer
On was attended by the most promine
es. people of the city. The story, to n
1tv mind, shows Tat often there is mu
in good even in the lowest criminal, al
, people ought to be more willing to lei
JUS helping hand when a man is tryil
'er- hard to lead a nstter life. In the ca
vas of Burke, I believe he was truly &C
mo verted and that he ever after lived
20 Christian life. The temptations dra
'oi ging a man down are almost insupel
jail BILE when once he has become spott
be- as a noted minal."-PiOneer Press