The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1899-02-03
A IyI'lll Or FATE.
Written for This Paper.

Written for This Paper
There are thousands of pi.afalls for the
young man who leaves the village home or
the farm TO seek fortunes favor in a large
city; many ways in which success may be
turned into the bitterest kind OF defeat.
The following is 4 true account OF young
man who came to the city upon the advice
OF influential friends, who offered him eS-
ceptiona opportunities tor advancement,
and whose prospects were of the brightest.
As he has outlived the unhappy circum-
stances of his younger days and is to-day one
of the prosperous business men of Chicago
it would be an injustice. to him to use his
name, because the story, even though he did
nothing wrong, might injure his business
standing. Any name will answer and we will
call him John Smith
Seventeen years ago j John Smith was liv
ing on his fathers farm in the central part
of Illinois. His life on the farm was much
like that of every other farm boy, and he
had wished, as almost every farm boy does,
to tempt fortune in large city. The sum-
mer that he was 20 years of age friends of
his father from the city visited them, and
before they returned home had become in
terested in John. They had heard from him
his desire to leave the farm and go to the
city. They promised him that they would
do what they could to see his wish gratified,
and month later wrote to him that they
had found position for him which offered
little at first but rapid promotion if he
showed himself capable. In addition they
offered him home so long as he should de-
sire it, and until such time as he should re-
ceive sufficient increase in wages to war
rant heavier expenditures his home and
board would cost him nothing.
He rightfully considered that such OPP
portunities were exceptional and eagerly ac-
copied them. In week he was in Chicago
and his friends wishing to give him an OPP
portunity to see the sights of the city before
entering upon the duties of his position adj
vised him to spend a few days in wandering
about. This he was glad to do as everything
was new and strange to him, and he could
find much of interest.
While passing through one of the rougher
sections of the city one day his attention
was attracted by a commotion in saloon
followed quickly by pistol shot. His curl
osity was aroused instantly and he rushed
into the place to find the cause of the
trouble. When he entered there were but
two men in the place and one of those was
lying upon the floor in front of the bar with
bullet through his body. The other was
the proprietor, who was just passing around
the end of the long bar to where the muir
dered man lay. On the bar was revolver
still smoking from the shot just fired. Be
fore Smith had crossed the room to where
the man lay a woman, who afterward proved
to be the proprietor's daughter entered by
back door. A minute later two police Off
GERS entered and demanded an explanation
OF the trouble, which was given, by the pro-
prietor OF the place.
This young fellow came in a little while
ago with another man and ordered q drink
for two,' said the proprietor, "and while
they were drinking they began quarreling
about something did not understand,
as had not been listening to their previous
conversation. One word brought on another
until the scrap became too warm to suit me
and l ordered them to leave. Instead of
doing this the man there" pointing to the
one on the floor, began calling this young
fellow names, and he pulls gun and shoots
him. That's all there is to it SO far as
know, and | can prove that by my daughter
here, who saw the whole thing, and think
you will find the gun in the young fellows
coat pocket"
For minute Smith was too much fright
ened to speak, and when he found his voice
at the polcemens bidding he denounced the
whole story as fabrication.
Il came in here after the shot was fired
to see what the trouble was" he said, "and
there were only these two men in the place,
the girl cane in afterwards, and the revolver
is there on the bar" and he turned to point
to it, but ii was gone. "Well, it was there q
minute age" he added.
The proprietor demanded that Smith be
searched, and the officers did so. The re-
voiyer was found in his coat pocket. The
patrol was called and the luckless young
man was taken to the police station. Bail
was refused him, and three months later
he found himself an inmate of cell at the
Joliet prison despite the efforts of his friends
WHO never ceased to believe in his inno-
cence.
AT the trial the saloon keeper repeated his
to- lhe officers told what little they knew
OF the case, and if their evidence was col
ored at al ii WAS in favor OF the saloon man.
There MAS nothing i'll Smiths favor but his
previous reputation, and the fact that he
had never been known to drink. The muir
dered man had never recovered conscious
ness, and so had added nothing to the evl-
dence on either side. 1t took the jury but
ten minutes TO find Smith guilty of murder
and he was sentenced to life Imprisonment
For lhree years he wore the convlcts
stripes al Jo,iet. During every day OF tina,
time his friends worked Tor his release
1Ae, tried to get new trial without sue.
cess. a..ai ,hen they tried for pardon. but