The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1897-10-14

"N ES,' said the warden, women
are strange creatures. / could
tell you many queer things that hap
pencd through them right in this old
prison. Yen never heard Of the duchess
who came every day to bring flowers to
Sicchi. the Polish murderer? She would
sit and ,ry an hour with him each time.
lie was q little, dark man, with little
goat face and goat beard. He used to
spend an hour before the glass getting
ready for the duchess. Why did she
come? Oh, sympathy gone mad. Did
you never see an engaged young couple
lavishiug maudlin sympathy ON each
other. Well, there are women who are
in that state of mind all their lives. 1t
is necessary for them 10 have hystcr-
les once Il day, and they go to see per-
son who is or ought to be, suffering,
to crafty their craving for emotional
intoXiCation.
But it was not about the duchess |
was going to tell you, though; but about
young woman who sat in that very
chair where you are sitting now one
afternoon not more than ten years ago.
She was II handsome and very digni-
fled young woman, and she told as Cos
pei truth the oldest story ever heard.
when she first entered she had asked
me if l knew that had under my care
Count De LONE, peer of France. /
Dt hnt
was EARNEST and calm. l replied that
! was not aware that we had any such
distinguished guest
That is his sensitiveness and mod
esty,' she exclaimed. He would rather
die than expose his family, ,,>. ;
"What is his offense?'
"'He is charged with burglary, but
it is all dreadful, dreadful mistake, of
which only he and know the explana-
ton
"'Describe his appearance
"'Hc is of medium height, has very
dark, curling hair, black eyes and heavy
black mustnche.
81 knew the man at once as Hand
some Charley who had come to New
York from Chicago, leaving n streak of
crime stretching out behind him like
the tail OF comet. / told the young
woman that knew the man.
~ am afraid that you arc prrju1fccl
againSt him., she caid; but, OH. War
den, if you could only hear his story
as l have heard it, your sympathy
would 90 out to him rs the most unfor-
tunate Of men. 1t is impossible for
anyone to look in his eyes and disbclcvc
him
"'Ics?' asked, and then, after n
pause, May | inquire what is your
name, madam, and why you are so in
tercsted in the prisoncr%
"The name she gave me was that
borne by one of the oldest and wealth |
lest families in the state. Il am wom-
an of property she said, living in Tar
rytown. | am interested in this poor
young man, because | know his sad !
story; how he has been victimized;
how he has struggled and how an ire
sistiblc power has dragged him down.
DO you know that he was caught in !
the very commission Of this last crime |
~ know that so appeared
iut the circumstantial evidence |
was positive. lie was caught in the
dining-room of a maEsio3 in Madison
avenue with Il heap of plunder about
him and bag into which he was put
ting it,
THAT is the saddcet part OF his
trials. Even to fair, unbiased minds
lie must always appear guilty. l my
self thought him guilty when | first
looked upon him two years ago in the
u my own house, where the
aud butler who had captured
nm were holding him down. | had
lcen awakened by terrible commo-
ion and had FASTENED downstairs TO
ma my servants holding the stranger,
Vho' thcy said, was Il burglar. Every
hlng seemed 10 indicate that their con- {
fusion WAS correct. a window had {
'een forced, and the stranger had he
ore him bag filled with plate and '
EVERY gathered from all over the '
onsc. When he saw me he Immediate
y spoke: s
Madam he said, 4 appeal to YOU I
ot to decide too hastily. am q gem s
leman and not robber, but am the I
ictlm of the strangest and most cruel I
itality that ever prosecuted n mortal. t
ould but engage your kind attention
or few minutes | would. am sure 8
e able to persuade you that instead S
reprobation deserve the deepest and o
ncerest sympathy and the pity of d
very true Christian of whom I per- c
Give you are one.' Z
4 was greatly afraid of the man Mt "
rst, as young lady naturally would Il