The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1896-01-17
A REMINlscENoE.
How Two Prisoners Used Their Brains TO
Save Their II sads.

How Two Prisoners Used Their Brains ID
Save Their II sads.
Tho following is an incident of TO.
construction days. Captain Rube
Clark and his lieutenant, Reynolds,
guerrillas, were cast into prison,
sentenced to be shot Clark had
powerful friends, who were conf
don't of his release, but Reynolds,
from Memphis, was without hope of
Euccor. Tho prison at Knoxville
was strong iron cage in big
room, whose window had no sign of
q glass, and through the long winter
Clark and Reynolds We're confined
there. Tor several months they suf-
fered tho agonies of tho damned. At
last, as the time for Reynolds cxo-
cution approached, it was noticed
Istbat he was going crazy. Clark de-
olares to this day that Reynolds did
not touch q morsel of food for three
weeks. Ho would moan and sigh
and twirl his thumbs after tho man.
ner of a crazy person, recognize no
ono and laugh insanely in Clark s
face Whenever ho tried to console
him. Clark was sure of his insanity.
Army surgeons and local physicians
passed upon the case, and Reynolds
was finally discharged as lunatic.
Clark's friends finally secured his
release and hurried him out of
Knoxville Two entered carriage
with him--two of his old soldiers
and drove toward the mountains as
hard as possible in tho dead of night.
Reaching a house in dense forest,
they stopped and asked him to fol-
low them to back room. The halls
were darkened, and in the room
there was only the light of q candle.
On tho bed in the corner lay a man,
moaning, signing, twirling his
thumbs and giving other evidences
of insanity. Clark recognized Reyn-
olds.
Poor, poor fellow, he said, lean
ing over the lieutenant to stroke his
forehead. A tear came in his eye as
he looked at the wreck of his faith
full officer.
One of the soldiers shut the door,
locked it and approached the bed
side.
Its all right, Reynolds; this is
the captain" he whispered.
Reynolds tore off the blanket,
sprang up with n glad cry, and
threw his arms around Clark neck.
Great God, captain, didn't 1 do
it well?" he said.
They made all possible haste and
soon reached New Orleans, where
Clark felt that Reynolds would be
comparatively safo. One night as
hey left the opera and had reached
! lamp in the street an officer
.ouched Clark on the shoulder.
Il want you," he said. MAKE no
,uss about it, but como quietly"
Clark pinched Reynolds arm and
iignified that he must fly. Tho
lieutenant needed no second warm
ng. Then Clark asked the officer
what he was wanted for.
Hanging" said tho latter. II
nave been on your trail for three
weeks"
but maybe you have the wrong
nan. My name is Reuben Clark. d"
The officer took from his hip pook-
IT photograph of Reynolds and
examined it and Clark under the
amp. Instantly he saw his mistake
md began to swear.
THAT is likeness of my friend
who has just left us, said Clark
ioolly. His name is
"Roynolds!" shouted the officer.
'vo got the wrong man.
Well, Reynolds was never caught.
10 is living in Memphis today, I be-
ieve, and has grown rich. Clark is
ich, too, but that long term in the
ron cage affected his mind, and he
5 the most abseptminded man in
America. New York Press.