The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-02-27
FREED FROM JAIL By DICE.
Prisoner Won JaiIer's $500, Then Played Hin,
with 5000 and Liberty as stalker.

CHARLESTON. s. C., Feb. officiating out Of
jail with a good file seems easy enough" said al
ex-Sheriff to THE Sun correspondent the otheI
day. but L don't think I ever heard Of but one
case where q prisoner made his escape with 8
handful Of dice. 1t happened years ago in my
county after / had arrested a crack gambler
from the West for shooting a farmer. The
farmer was not killed and the westerner was
shut up in Jail until court convened. The
chances were that he would be sent to the peni
Tertiary for half a dozen years at least. He
went under the name OF Mike Hunkler. That
however, was an alias.
while l was going over tho building one
morning a stranger came up and asked to see
Hunkler. He said that Hunkler was an &C.
quaintance Of his and he wanted to talk with
him. about securing the serviceaof a lawyer,tode.
fend him. l let the man in. but told Robinson,
the jailer. to watch them.
THE following morning while I was at break.
fast a boy rushed in and told me that Hunkler
had %escaped; When made an investigation |
Later in the day i found a note from Robinson
addressed TO me. He asked me to forgive
him; said IT was an affair Of honor and could
not DO helped. The escape was investigated by
the Grand Jury and after Il long wrangle | was
completely, oxonerated as a trusted employee
The years rolled on and the escape had
ceased TO cause any comment. Some time
altcrwaru 1 got u telegram from Tennessee say
ing that Robinson was dead and that he had
made a request that / be notified. Five days
later; ] received a letter written by Robinson,
whole story Of the escape.
~ seems the man who went to see Hunkler
prisoner a set Of poker dice and a roll OF bills
amounting to about $500. That night, while
Robinson was pa trolling:the Jail, Hunkler, who
got to talking with him. asked il he did not
want to shoot a few hands. The cubes were
brought out, and Robinson said he was the
luckiest man with them in town. The jailer
got $50 out of his wallet to start on, and de-
spite his luck. he lost. He went back for an
Hunkler. Robinson had $500 In all, and he
promptly brought IT out. In an hours time the
last OF his three years savings was gone. No
ticinE his detection. Hunkler after a while said:
m,Ro6inson. win make this proposition. I
VIII give you a chance 70 win your money back
and mine. too. on one throw. I'll put up 5000.
me escape tonight
Robinson thought oyer t,e matter for hf.
poker hand TO the Mi. Robinson won the toss.
and had 70 play first. He pitched out the dice
and then looked down on two pair. queens and
Jacks. lie kept tho queens and then took the
three other cubes for tho second throw. He
cursed his luck, but threw again to the queens.
lie turned another queen and a pair OF aces.
"hunkier took Tho dice TO beat the full. Ho
rattled them long and carefully. and when the
Another ten would set him free. with $500 in
his pos acts. ON the second throw he made n
pair u iacks, hut they did moi free him. Rob.
inson held his hrca N on he third .oss, and 10
Hnnkier he was free, hut that he had made him.
sen an o%utcast. Al l o'clock the next morn
inr the two slipped away, Robinson refusing 10
ACC 'pt a dollar from Hnnkler.'