The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-12-14
SMITHS CRIES OF PENITENCE.
His Wife Agreed to Take Him Back
His Punishment Light.

A night in a cell at the station house
thoroughly convinced Fred Smith, the j.,
NJ. & 1. freight conductor. arrested for wife
desertion night before last, of the great
folly he had committed, and yesterday
morning he was thoroughly penftent. When
the door OF the cell room was opened and
Smith saw his wife sitting in the police sur
geon's Office, fifteen or twenty feet away,
he gave q loud cry OF grief. so a bystander
says. and dropped to his knees and crawled
to his wife's side. He buried his face In her
lap and implored forgiveness. Mrs. Smith
was crying herself. and 1t was some mo-
ments before she could make herself heard,
so loud were his lamentations and profess
sions OF p~enitence. One OF the officers who
witnessed the scene says he cried loud
enough to be heard a square away. He pic
tured to her the ruin that would come upon
him IL she refused to receive him again,
and promised she should never have further
occasion to complain OF his conduct. Mrs.
Smith partially agreed TO take him back.
In the Police Court Smith said he knew he
had done wrong. but had no intention OF de-
sorting his family; he expected to return to
them, he said. In reply to a question from
Judge Cox. Smith said he would go back TO
his family and they should never have fur
Their trouble because or him. AS for the
girl, she could go to work, Smith thought.
Judge Cox told Smith that he had intended
to give him the limit. 500 fine and six
months IN the ~workhouse. but his wife had
come TO him and pleaded for leniency. Judge
Cox scored him severely. and said he de-
served severe punishment for DESERVING his
wife and family In such a heartless man.
ner. but he said. in answer 10 your
wife's pleas. and for the sake OF your chill
dren. 1 am going TO do what my conscience
tells me / ought not to do, and infiict a light
penalty. You will be fined So and sentenced
TO the workhouse for five days" Judge
Cox lectured Smith severely for first desert
ing his family for the Miller girl and then
expressing himself in such an Indifferent
manner as to what would become OF her in
her present misfortunes. The girl said she
had not asked Smith to desert his wife.
while on the contrary he induced her RI
go away with him. She was fined $40 and
given five days in the workhouse.
1t IS understood Mrs. Smith has implored
the railroad officials TO reinstate her hus-
band. and that because of kindly feelings
the officials entertain for her he will be al
lowed to resume work when he has COM
pleted his sentence. Smith voluntarily
turned everything he possessed over to his
discharged. II seems the girl has been more
unfortunate than designing. II Is claimed
letters were found among Smiths effects
which she received from her mother, urging
her TO continue her relations with Smith.
a dispatch from Columbus. Ind, says:
both well known here. The girls mother
still resides here. but the girl left here
some months ago. She had gained some
notoriety before she left and IL generally
believed 10 be more than eighteen years
old. Smith gained much unpleasant prom
with the death OF Mrs. Willer's sister.
The girl. VINO was about sixteen years old,
died very suddenly and IL was supposed
that her death was caused by drugs taken