The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1897-08-12

somethiuk hand e alluz takes hail that the
crook swipes. They take hall the chances
hand q hall the swag. 'Es landed two or three
men hin the jug"
He'll do worse n that fur you Oh m afeared
"Well, hif Hive got to climb the wood, es
got to climb hit wi me" said Jem, with a sud
den fierceness. "Hfll take i'm hslong.
That's roight," murmured Con, sympathet-
ically. Did he kill the man hisselfY
1t was a startling question 10 plump squareiy
at man, but Con had an intuition that thst
was the best thing TO do. Jem hesitated but
An instant, and then said bluntlyi
"No; Hi killed 'im-stabbed i'm in the
back, but that cove might as well "a done hit.
Il planned hit hall out told me the man WIZ
a bloody spy who'd got pints that would send |
hus h all to Joliet fur iiio that we'd got to get !
rid O. i'm; that hit wouldn't be noticed. so
many better men WIZ bein' killed heyery day |
He guv me a lot to drink. hand put somethink
hin it. fur Hi ready fur hanythink. ne |
wuz to take the cove hout fur a walk HIN the |
hevenn. Hi wuz to be loafn harouDd near |
the docks II WIZ to give sign by raisin' is |
at hand wipin' is forehead. Then Ill WIZ TO
sneak hup behind hand stick i'm. hi done
just has @ planned. 'Etook heverythinS hout
hof the mans pockets, guv me dollar to gis
whisky wi, hand / tumbled the stih hinto the
drink"
Rough man as Con was he could not repress
q sbudder at the horrible recital. He crossed
himself and turned away. saying:
"O must go now but Oil come agin, prs
intly. an, DILL do all Oh kin to help ye ag'n
him."
He went to carry cup of water to one OF
the other prisoners, who had awakened ana
was yelling Justify for a drink. He passed
near Ragabert's cell. who called out to him, IN
tones meant to be concilatory:
"Say, Mr.. Irishman"-
"Me names Mister Purteil," said Con, with
dignity.
"Wel, Mr.. Purtel, won't you please bring
me a cup Of water, too?"
When Con brought him the tin, Ragabert
said, wheedlingly:
81 see you've been talking great deal with
those other men down there. What have they
been saying to your"
Fittings that wuddent be agrayable fur ye
| to hear, sorr." said Con sternly.
Later in the day, the Superintendent came
in with Kent He took Con into a private
| room and heard his story.
| "Oi think sorr." said Con, in conclusion,
"that Ragabertd 1oike TO talk wild you. He's
been wantin' to say you or the Captain all day."
81 suppose he thinks it is time for him to
say something. Well 90 in and see him. Come
| along Halliday"
Ragabert's manner was pleasant, even fawn-
| ing, as they approached. i've been waiting
| anxiou5y to see you SIR" he said. " fo1
| haven't favored me with any information as to
| the charges against me. I'm sure they cannot
be serious. At most, all that can be said was
/ that | was found in bad company. 1t would
| be long story to tell you how l gos compii-
| Gated with those fellows. 1t was from my at
tempting to help them in getting an honest
| living. / was badly deceived by them, but got
so involved as to be put in shape where ap-
| pearances we're decidedly against me-"
"Mr. Ragabert," said the superintendent,
dryly. Il wasn't born yesterday. I'm man
of middle age. If you think / have time to
fair fnla Vo1
greatly mistaken. Have you anything OF real
Importance to say to me?"
Ragaberts face and manner changed in-
stantly. " / can furnish you with evidence to
break up a most dangerous band of criminals,
if the same will be of any benefit to me-"
Thanks said the superintendent, IRON
| cally, but we shall not want your evidence.
We have more than we need from other sources.
II you will allow a suggestion, it is that yon
| concentrate your fine abilities upon the prepa-
| ration of your defense"
MAY be allowed to see lawyer?" asked
Ragabert.
I'm time. There is no hurry. 1t will be 3
week or two before the Grand Jury meets.
After it has found the indictment against you,
you can have lawyer"
Ragaberts countenance took on look of
wan despair.
"Wil you allow me to have paper, pens and
ink sent in?" he asked in low tone.
"Yes; but you can send nothing out, except it
passes through my hands. Nothing more?
Good day. then"
When Ragabert received the stationery, he
sat down and began writing industriously. He
was engaged when Wat relieved Con in the
evening As darkness drew on Wat walked
past the cell two or three times and looked in.
Ragabert was sitting on the wooden bench star
ing fxedly at the opposite side of his cell. The
next time Wat went by he saw him stretched
upon the floor writhing in commissions. Wat
ran to the door of the corridor and gave the
alarm.
The Armory physician was summoned. and
pronounced the man dying from some poison.
Some one noticed that the seal on heavy ring
on his left little finger was open. There was
yet little of white powder in the Enclosure
which it covered. The physician took a few
grains of the powder. examined it carefully,
put grain OIL the tip of his tongue, spat it
out again, and said
"Morphia; the mans dying from morphia
poisoning Bring him out here at once. Get
those paddles. couple of you slap his hands
as hard az you can. Pull off his boots. and
paddle his feet. One of you 60 and get some
strong coffee. But / don't think it is of much
use"
The physicians judgment was correct. He
soon ordered the padders and slappers to
desist. The man was dead.
well, the County's been saved good many
thousand dollars for trying him." said the
Clerk of the Police Court.
, Here's fwhat he's been wroitin' all after.
noon," said Con, picking up bulky envelope
addressed to the Chicago Press.
"Ye'd betther take that over to the Superin-
tindent at onct, Wat" continued Con. -"OIl
sthay by the stiff till We hear from him."
The letter read:
To THE NEWSPAPERS OF CHICAGO: As nv arrest
Is probably the sensation of the day, and will be
/, made the most of in your sensatiOn-Toying col.
unIns. and as will almost certainly be misrepre
sentcd and maiigned by ignorant and vicious re-
porters. desire to make this statement the
public aud hope you will have manhood and fair
ness enough to print it. shall probably not bs
| here to read it. The public mind of Chicago is 81
excited over the numerous bomicides recently tina
it demands victim, and If / should live should
be that victim This has always been my luck
i, Other who We're much worse than have
Il escaped punishment. while have been pursued t,
Y the bitter end.
i AS very tired of this sort of thing / shall
prevent it by the Judicious of little morphine
. which have always carried about in view O
]. such n contingency. The whose life I an
:, accused OF taking did not die by my hand. AL
the same. if live shall be tried condemned nnt
executed for that crime, owing the blind. un
II reasoning feeling in the public mind at present.
reiierate that lie did not die by my hand. Yet
had suffered more from him than from any othe
: man in the world.
e When started out in business he was my part
ner, u rigid unbendiDg, puIitanieal sort of n maj
tho could make excuse for the foibles and fail
u ings of others. i was very much smarter
z brighter. farther-sceing man than he and ambiti
a to make money more rapidly than by his close
calculating penurious methods. In my experi
IN he ali hat Ia