The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-03-14
FREED FROM JAIL BY DICE.
Won Jailer's $4OO; Then Played Him
With 5000 aud Liberty AS Stakes.

WV" POOO anu Il'Derty Us sanhes.
Getting out of jail ith good fiie
seems easy enough" sail an ex'sboriff
of Charleston. 5. c., TO The Sun zorro
spondent the other day, but / don't
think ever heard of but one case where
prisoner made his escape with hand
fui of dice. 1t happeneds years ago in
my county after l had arrested crack
gambler frcm the West for shooting a
farmer. The farmer was not killed and
the Westerner was shut up In jail until
he would be sent to the penitenti'ry for
half a dozen years at least. He went un g.
der the name Of Mike Hunsler. That,
however. Ewas an alias.
While 1 was going over the iuildipg
one morning a stranger cam, up and
asked To see Hunkler. He said that
Hunkler was an acquaintance Cf his ana
be wanted Co talk with him about secur-
ing the services tf p lawysr u defend him.
let the man in, but told Robinson, the
jailer, 60 watch them.
THE ftllowing morning while was
at breakfast hoy rushed in ana told ms
that HunlSler had escaped. When made
an investigation ! discovered that hob
irson had also di.appeared Later in the
day found ncte from Rohiuson address
ed to ma He asked me to forgive him,
said it was an affair of honor and could
not be- helped. The escape was investi-
gated by the grand jury and after a long
wranRle was completely exonerated as
trusted employee had played Inc false
'Ths years rolled on and the escape had
ceased to cause any comment. Some
time afterward ! got n telegram from
Tennessee saying that Robinson ~as dead
and thar hs had made a request that 1 be
letter written by Robinson, previous to
his death, In which he told me the whole
story Of the escape.
"It seems the man WHO went to see
Hunkler as his friend was motel crook.
He carried the prisoner set of poker
dics and roll Of bis amounting to
about $500. That night, while Robinson
was patroliing the Jail, Hunkler, who
got to talking with him, asked If he did
not want to shoot few hands. The
cubes were brought out, ard Robinson
said he was the luckiest man with them
wallet TO start on, ard despits his luck,
he lost. He won't back for another wad,
and in due time that drfted over to
Hunkler. Robinson had $I00 In ALL and
he promptly brought 1t out. In an hours
tims the last of his three years savings
was gone. Noticing his detection, Hhnk-
Ter after while said:
Robinson, will make this propo-
sition. will give you chance to win
your money back ard mine. too, on one
throw. I'll put up S9oo and If you win,
you get ALL ~ win you let me escape
tonight.
Robinson thought over the matter for
fifteen minutes. and finally agreed to lay
one poker hand to the fill. Rooinson won
the toss nnd had ID play first. lie
pitched out the dice ana then looked
down on two pair, queers and jacks He
kent the uueens and then tJok the three
other cubes for the secord throw. He
got another pair of jacks and an ace. He
cursed his luck. but threw again to the
queens. lie turned another queen and
pair of aces.
"Hunkler took the dice TO beat the full.
He ratified thsm long and carefully, aud
when they hit tho jail floor he smiled as
he saw three tsns. Another tsn would
set him free, with $500 in his pockets.
On the second throw he mnae pair Of
Jacks. bot they dit not free him. Robin
son held his breath on the third toss. and
~ his sorrow he saw the lucky ten turn.
lie tlld Hunkler he YVES fsee, bat taat he
had made himso.f an outCast. AT 1
clock the next mornng the two slipped
away, Robinson refusing II accept dol
ar from hunkler. Tho sun.