The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-05-30
LOVE DEFIES BARS
SHEPHERD USED A ROPE LADDER TO
VISIT HIS SWEETHEART,
Materials Must Rave Taken Years to Col
lect-Had to Scale Thirty-five Foot
Wall-When the Ladder Was Discovered
He Promptly Gave Himself Up.

Warden Patten of the Indiana prison
south, at Jetfersonville has now on exhibit
tlon one OF the most remarkable contriv-
anceS made by a prisoner that ever came
into his collection. 1t is ladder made of
thousands of small pieces OF Irvine, threads,
cord and rope, such as convict could Sc
rretly collect through years of effort. With
the rope Thomas Shepherd used to climb o
30 foot wall and get out of the penitentiary
yard night after night to visit an old
sweetheart
He never attempted to escape, and when
his ladder was found one night he returned
before his absence had been discovered.
rang the bell at the front gate and surren-
dcrcd himself. On his arm he carried a
rubber coat, which had been used TO con-
ceal his striped shirt. He wore moccasins
over his Shoes
shepherd told a straightforward story SO
far as it went. He had made the ladder
he said. in order that hs might visit q
woman outside the prison. He had gone
to her house only four times, he said. On
recent Sunday night when he returned,
he found his ladder gone from the wall
and at once decided to give himself up.
He would not tell the woman's name, but
the prison officials think they have discov-
cred her identity. She came from her
home in Sullivan county, Ind, some years
ago 20 live in Jacksonville, near her con-
Wet lover
The prison officials profess to believe
Shepherds story that he went out only
few times. 1t is reasonably certain,
though, that the man had been going out.
side for months before his ladder was do
teCted
shepherd was a ''trusty," and for more
than two years had opened and closed tho
wagon gate at the prison. He occupied a
little house just inside the gate. During
the day be stood outside the gate part of the
time and got to know great many people
who were in the habit of passing. Some
months ago reporter, who used &c visit
the penitentiary regularly, came upon
Shepherd one day as he was engaged 81
teaching two little children The ground
where he stood was sandy, and he traced
the letters in the sand with stick. In
this way he had taught the children TO
spell, and they were trying TO master the
ert OF reading. a woman, supposed To be
the children's mother, had been seen
around often, but usually the children
came alone. The reporter thought the in
cident so curious That he wrote it up, and
the prison officials thereupon made Shep-
herd give up his pupils. 1t is thought that
the mother was the woman Shepherd has
been going out TO see.
Shepherd said that he wova his ladder at
night, and that il took him months TO fin
ish it. 1t contains thread. strings and
bits % cord Ct every size, length and color.
They are woven, knottcd and twisted skill
fully. Ii WA Shepherd 5 first intention to
use iron fOotf.asts, and he had managed to
secure four steel stirrups, which were
found in his cell, but he concluded they
would make she rope too heavy The only
pieces of metal in il when finished Were
two iron hooks At the ends, which were
thrown over the wall and held the ladder
III place. 1t is h6rd to understand how the
convict got the rope over the wall even
with the hooks. The wall is of brick, and
is 30 feet high
Shepherd was sent TO the prison to serve |
a life sentence N 1875. A new trial was
secured two years later, and he was recon- !
mitted on the same sentence on April 10, !
1878. He has continually petitioned for |
executive clemency, and two years ago his |
sentence was con- muJed to 90 years. He |
will be released, consequently, on April !
10, 1898. He was country school teacher. |
One night at an epple pairing he had a /
quarrel with man named Macy Engle |
over Il girl. Engie had Shepherd arrested, /
and one night, before the case was tried,
Englo was asSassinated. Shepherd was |
convicted purely on circumstantial evi
dcnoe and has always maintained his III !
Doccnce -Neyy York sun. (