The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-10-15
ESCAPED THE GALLEY
Dan Sherman of the Jay Cir
Gus Company,
FUGITIVE FROM FRANCE
relied a BigOted French Lieu
tenant in a Cafe.

In recent months much has been said
about French justice. as exhibited in the
Dreyfus scandal, and the burlesque man
aer that justice is melted out In the courts
OF France There is gentleman in Wich-
ita who is what might betermed fugitive
grom French justice. 1t seems that accord
ing 20 the very peculiar manner of French
courts. people are tried there whether
;hey are apprehended OF not. II the police
there fan 10 catch party charged with
az offense, the court proceeds TO Try him
just the same, and very curiously people
over there are tried. found guilty and
Sentenced ii a speedy manner.
Mr.. Dan Sherman. who is here with the
Jay Circus company. is a victim Of the
farce known as French justice, and as a
Jesuit Of this mode of trial. is under sen
tence Of eight years service in TIE gal
leys. Sherman and Morrisey are a swell
sketch team, and for six seasons made
continental towns, which carried them
through the countries OF Europe. uring
their engagements over the water, they
played before prince and potentates until
i've years ago, since which time they have
not touched the shore of EurOp, owing 10
Mr.. Shermans aversion to being taken to
the ganeys to be detained for a period of
eight years.
Mr.. Sherman is somewhat averse TO tell
ing the story. as he has no desire TO pose
as q convict. yet upon persuasion he tells
the story, as follows:
About five years ago. while playing at
Toulon, France, he, in company with his
wife, who is here with him now visited
cafe for a lunch after the nights per-
formance. It was a, swell cafe, where al
the high officials and officers of the army
freQuented. As they were partaking OF
their lunch, seated in the French cafe a
French lieutenant named Tuffeli. entered.
with a beautiful bulldog for a companion
The dog was an intelligent creature and
well trained. The officer seemed intoxicat-
e.. and the dog failing 10 obey one OF
the commands he began to chastise him
with his sword. In his fright the dog ran
around the room and under the table at
which Mr.. Sherman was seated, nearly
upset. ng the table Mr.. Sherman re-
marked to his wife in English that cafe
was a deuced place to train a ferOcious
bull dog. The lieutenant heard the re-
mark, Strengthened up. and walking UP to
Mr.. Sherman slapped him in the face at
the same time in a most dignified manner
presented his card to the astonished
American Sherman not being up on the
code duello called for the waiter to pul
the man out and asked the proprietor to
protect his guests against such unwar-
ranted insults. The officers thereupon
strutted out of the cafe, muttering all
sorts of things in French which Sherman
did not understand and which he did not
take the trouble 10 have translated. How
ever, when Mr. Sherman. with his wife
leaning upon his right arm. left the cafe
they encountered the Offended lieutenant
outside the door As they came out the
officer began to draw his sword. Sherman
seeing this, his right arm being tncum-
bered. let fly his strong left and in true
American style administered a genuine
Fitzsimmons knockout blow. which felled
the blood thirsty lieutenant 10 the fioor.
It was one Of those unfortunate blows
which prove fatal, and in two hours Lieu
tenant Tuffeh Of the 1l1th regiment was
no more. Mr.. Sherman having heard of
the peculiar method of French justice
thought discretion me peIter part OF NdioI
and disguised as a tramp made his way
out OF the country. a fugitive, and after
many hardships fifteen days after reached
the English channel, and with the assist
ance Of the American consul succeeding
IN obtaining passage to America The
sentence still hangs over him, and al
though a well known theatrical manager
made a great effort to take Mr.. Sherman
to Europe with him, promising him the
protection Of the American consul, he has
seen fit not TO go and says America IS
good enough for him Mr.. Sherman is
fine looking, broad shoulde7'ed man Of
genial temperament and hearty manner
and did no more than what any other
American would have done under similar
circumS taIces