The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1897-08-26

after the completion of my studies, and,
after a short stay in New York, 1 ac-
cepted the post Of prison doctor at Au-
burn, which, as you perhaps know, is
situated in the State of New York. l
was intrusted with the medical su.
pervision over that part of the prison
which was set apart for the worst
class of criminals-men, or l should
say, human hyenas, whose blood, as
Mephistopheles says, had already
ceased to be a fluid of rare quality.
''Two of these wretches were des-
tined to spend the remainder of their
days in the prison, and they, by rea-
son of their great physical strength as
well as by the extraordinary cunning
they had evinced in several desperate
attemsts to regain their freedom,
were subjected to even closer super
vision than the rest of their compan-
ions. was an object of particular
hatred and dislike to these two scoun-
drels, because 1 had been instrumen-
tai IN the discovery of number of
iron implements which they-God
only knows how they had obtained
possession of them!-had concealed
under their clothes; and again on
another occasion, because i had re-
fused to receive them into the hospi-
tai when they feigned illness, expect
ing doubtless when they were
once in there that they would find
more favorable opportunities for ac-
complishing their escape. The ruff
fans were separated and placed in re.
mote parts of the prison, and were
laden with chains; but in spite Of all
these precautions, one fine morning
the one, and few days later the
other, together with their chains, had
disappeared without leaving o trace
behind them.
'It must have been almost a fort
night after the flight of these two
criminals, which had caused the ut
most CONSERVATION amongst the
authorities at Auburn, that l ordered
my horse one afternoon, and started
off for n ride to Cayuga Bridge. 1t
was midday when reached the end
of my journey, and stood still for
some time contemplating with silent
delight the exquisite scenery which
lay stretched out for miles before me.
The Cayuga Lake, one of those which,
together with Lake Erie, compose that
vast system of inland seas in the State
of New York, lay in all its beauty at
my feet The long, slender streak of
silver wound in aud out of the rugged
black cliffs which hemmed 1t in, and
which rose sheer up out of the lake,
facing each other like grim opponents
who had for thousands of years bid
one another defiance. Far down the
lake, which is forty miles long, and
at this particular spot about one
broad, l could discern the enormous
trestle- bridge, n marvel of American
engineering skill, which carries the
Auburn division of the New York Cen
trail Railway across. passing on its
way through the small station of
Cayuga Bridge.
"My business in the village was soon
finished, and towards evening | started
home again. Do you know how de-
lightful ride on summers evening
is? Cayuga Bridge is surrounded by
extensive oak forests, through which
the greater part of my journey lay. The
gnarled and massive trunks cast long
shadows, and the foliage rustled so
gently in the soft evening breeze, that
one seemed rather to feel than to hear
it. AS l rode between these giants of
the forest, sweet recollections of my
distant home crept into my heart, and,
sunk in my thoughts, let the reins
fall on my horses neck, who trotted
steadily forward. / admired the mar
vellous variety of color that the rays
of the setting sun produced as they
shone through the mass of dark-green
leaves, and seemed to kindle their
edges into flame.
Suddenly / was startled out Of my
reverie by II slight noise which ap-
peared to come from the underground
on either side of the road. Turning
sharply round, / grasped my revolver,
but in the same moment 1 received q
stunning blow on the back of my head,
which knocked me senseless from my
saddle Once more recollectopening
my eyes, and thinking that could see
indistinctly one of the escaped criminals
bending over me, and then all became
a blank.
"It must have been late in the night
when consciousness again returned to
me. Slowly opening my eyes, 1 saw
far above me the dark blue vault of the
sky, and the full moon shining bright
ly. A dull, painful sensation at the
back of my head prompted me to place
my hand there, and then 1 discovered
that / was bound hand and foot. Grad
ually I collected my thoughts; I re-
membered now the murderous attack
in the forest. and fearful foreboding
flashed through my mind, which al
most caused my heart to stand STILL
l felt that 1 was laid across two sharp
parallel projections, which cut into my
shoulders and the back Of my legs,