The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-11-06
IDENTIFIED IN TIME.

WlCEOuG leaving Un6 DD2. 1n6n Inc CLERK
put the formal question:
Prisoner at the bar, you have heard
the verdict Of the jury. Have you any
thing to sny why sentence OF death should
not be passed upon yOus''
well, cap1n, it's hard to be hung for
nOthins but ( can see this zero is a yard
arm business. 1 knows no more o. this
'ere burglary nor a babby, but these wit
nesses ha'n't told no lies, s'pose. And
what can [ say agin emf When this thing
came off, was fighting the slaves Of the
gold coast. But you've got no call to be-
Iieve that so there's an end OF
There was something bluff and manly
about the prisoners manner which i'm
pressed the Judge, who said. not unkindlv.
50 But, surely prisoner, if your story is
true, you must have friends and comrades
with whom you could have communi-
Gated? If you had thought they could do
you good, you would have done this. It
is too late now.
you're right, cap'n; it is too late. But
it's all very we'll to say Let 'em know
when a man is locked up in Jail and can't
read or write and don't know where
they are. They may be in Ameriky, and
they may be at the Cape, and how could
let EN- know? Leastways, not in time.
No, it's no use, cap'n, and you'd better
order me to be run up to the yardarrn at
once.
at the man who thus coolly urged the
judge to hasten bis execution while at the
same time protesting his innocence. The
judge was evidently touched
But, prisoner, the court has no wish to
hang a man who may be innocent. Is
there no one who could speak for you?''
90 Not likely he began. But suddenly
he stopped short, a look of astonishment
came over his face, he leaned eagerly for
ward, his eyes seemed starting from their
sockets. Slowly Thomas Wilson raised his
arm, and, pointing solemnly to the
stranger from the Lion hotel, who sat on
the bench, said, in voice half choked by
emotion:
Ye-es; there's a gentleman there who
might speak for me, if he would. -
The judge turned sharply round. 'sDo
you know the prisoner - he asked
mo, my lord, - was the reply. st never
saw him before in my life. .
A deep groan burst from the prisoner,
and it was echoed by something very like
q sigh of disappoin tment from the people
in court.
"wen, Cap'n Sharpe, If you put the
rope round my neck, give in. Go on, my
lord, I'm rea,,y for the yardarm y
'Stay," said the judge, turning again
to the stranger, are you Captain Sharper
eyes, my lord, - was the reply.
''Well, the prisoner seems to recognize
you, and under the peculiar circumstances
I will ask you to step into the witness
box and be sworn in order that the pris-
oner may asL you questions.
Captain SAarpe stepped into the witness
box. Thomas Wilson began to question
him.
''Beg pardon, sir, but are you Cap'n
Sharpe of his majesty ship Wultur2''
Eyes, I am Captain Sharpe, and did
command the Vulture before she was paid
off
''Was you, sir, in command Of her last
spring on the gold eoast?''
9 I was"
''And wasn't enc Of your crew.
Certainly not. I never saw your face
before in my life
''But. cap'n, don't you remember that
big Arab dhow that gave yer SO much
trouble? Don't yer reunenl Der boardin of
herf''
yes but all this has been in the news
papers, where you have probably read it,
for am certain you were not one of my
crew"
''What, Cap'n Sharper cried the pris-
oner, almost in Il roar, Il wasn't one Of
your crew. Don't yer remember who came
between you and the big niger that was
just a-goin to cut yer down, and don It yer
remember what he got for it? Don't yer
remember this, Cap'n Sharper
And as he almost shrieked out these
words the prisoner pulled aside his full
shock of hair and showed a white scar ex-
tending along the whole of the scalp.
Captain Sharpe stared hard at the in
terrOgator; a strange, puzzled expression
came over his face; then he slowly mutt
tered:
'sHeavensi Is it possibleq Why, you
must be Tom Wilson, my old boatswainl''
Captain Sharpe, leaving the witness box,
made his way across the court to the dock.
Then he seized the prisoner by the hand
and, turning to the judge, with tears in his
eyes, he said:
My lord, there is some terrible mistake
here. This is certainly Tom Wilson, ny
old bos'n, but he's so changed suppose
by the anxiety and imprisonment no has
undergone-that did not recognize him
at first. You can't hang the old Dos u of
the Vultule my lord, unless you hang his
captain with him. D."
The scene which followed has probably
never had a parallel in any court of jus
tice. The spectators gave vent to their
pont up emotions in ringing cheers, which
the judge made no attempt to check. In
deed, be was himself so affected that the
tears were running down his checks
When silence was restored, his lordship
turned to the jury and said:
Gentlemen, 1 think this Is a case in
which you may we'll reconsider your YER
dict. -
owe have, my lord, promptly replied
the foreman, land We find the prisoner
not guilty.
About 10 O'Clock that night Captain
Sharpe, accompanied by his faithful boat
swain, left Chester for London. Had the
judge and jury overheard the conversation
that passed between them, they would
probably have been more astonished than
in court. Well, old pal, - Captain Sharpe
was saying, I'VE pulled through that bust
ness pretty we'll, I think. That was good
idea of Willy Bobs-waiting for the YER
dict We could never have touched that
evidence. - Yes, - Tome Wilson answer
ed, tand you acted it perfectly. If you
had cottoned to me minute sooner, be-
lieve they'd have twigged it. S'help mel