Gulf Coast breeze. [volume] (Crawfordville, Fla.) 1897-19??, 1898-03-04

very outset of this story that am al
old bachelor. can say withou
egotism that | could have placed til,
yoke Of matrimony over my neck
score of times between the ages of q
and 40, but | did not elect to do so
IL seemed great deal better to keel
my liberty and to fall in love with
new face about once q month.
bachelor can do this, You know, Will,
married man is bound by certain
tics not easily broken.
Up to the time I was appointed
warden of the Keswick prison had
been in love just ~ times. This was
an average of twice year, which |
think is doing very well for modest,
retiring man, who was baldheaded at
the age Of % and yet not too much
for man with natural leaning tow
ard the fair sex. / was appointed
warden, not because of any peculiar
fitness, but "A u political reward for
assisting to elect certain candidate
for governor. | think best to admit
this, lest you find it ont from other
sources. l held the place for q year
and half, and the files of the news.
papers prove that was a "soft
mark"
The Keswick prison was for both
sexes, aud when took charge il con-
tanned $50 male and 80 female CON
victs. ] felt sorry for the females
even before the keys had been turned
over to me, anu they soon discovered
that / was ready to listen to their sto-
ries and to do my best to amelorate
their condition. In the course of
month l was pretty well satisfied that
at least 80 out of 80 were entirely in
nocent Of the crimes charged and that
the other ten ought to have new trials
at least. Fifteen of the women were
in for Observation-Disclosures murder
the courts said-but when they hal
told me all about it | could see where
witnesses had perjured themselves and
jurors had shown their thirst for re-
venge. tried to make things very
easy for the female contingent, nc
tuated solely by natural courtesy
toward the sex, and think the news
papers that criticised me so severely
should have been sued for SANDER.
In eight months the governor, more
to oblige me than for any other reason,
pardoned 20 of the females and among
them were five under sentence for
murder. l should have recommended
him to pardon at least 20 more before
the year was out if the opposition
hadn't got after us and made things
hot. There was an investigation, II
great deal of talk, and IN n result |
had to repress my natural gallautry
and wait for things to cool down. 1t
was during this period Of waiting that
the vaults Of the state treasury were
robbed of 1920, 900 in cold cash. The
trick was done by one man aud in the
neatest manner. He drove up to the
building at high noon in n carriage
and entered the treasurer's office. The
money had just been bundled up to go
to the bank, and these packages were
lying on table with two clerks to
guard them. The robber gave one
clerk a clip over the head, bound aud
gagged the other, and the packages
were carried ont ami dumped into the
carriage in the nerviest sort of way.
He had 20 minutes start of pur-
suit, and though overhauled after n
hot chase OF an hour, every dollar of
the money had disappeared. As he
had not thrown it away during his
flight, the idea was that he had either |
stopped at some house in town for a |
or met another carriage, &C
cording to arrangement. The problem
seemed easy of solution, but though
Il was worked upon for weeks by many
detectives nothing was discovered.
The captured robber was a young
md good looking man who gave his
name rs Charles Day. He refused
my information as to his home or peo-
pie and insisted on pleading guilty
when arraigned for the robbery.
There was great sensation over the
oss of the money, rs the state was
heavily in debt with big interest to
pay, and the party in power, from gov
,rnor down TO ianitor, got daily rak.
ng for many long weeks. 1t was even
charged that certain clique of us put
Up the robbery and and were to whack
Up with the robber. This was bold.
aced scandal, of course, but it mate
tally dimmed our prestige and almost
aused me To doubt the innocence of
fresh lot Of female convicts sent in
or various crimes against the law.
They made quick work of sending
,harles Day to prison for 20 yeas,