Smyrna times., 1901-02-27

l.
very responsible position in it, related Jl
to Kent county correspondent of the pc
Baltimore Sam how he was once mis- bl
taken for kidnapper and for a while W
was in danger of maltreatment by an W
angry mob. The worst of it was the al
circumstantial evidence was all "
against him. The incident occurred N
at Havre de Grace, Md, two years k
ago. In these days, when the crime of "
abduction of children is becoming so a
common. the story is particularly in C
teresting The victim of mistaken a
identity said; O
'I do not think that |, as Judge or t
juror, could ever convict man of an S
Infamous crime on purely circum- !
stantial evidence, when 1 remember |
how nearly | came to being punished S
how severely it is impossible to tell, {
perhaps hung to lamp post or burned
at the stake by gang of angry men
for a crime | never thought of COM (
hitting. which it was impossible for
me to commit and in fact, which was
never committed, on circumstantial
evid ence strong enough, probably, to
have convicted me in a place where
I was a stranger and where my char
acter and standing were unknown.
81 had an engagement to dine in
Washington one evening at the house
of a friend who was an officer of rank
in the civil service of the Mckinley |
administration. 1t was an engagement
was very anxious to keep for several
reasons. 1t came on very busy day
with me, and when l got my business
affairs in shape L found my only chance
of making the appointment was to take
the steamer Susquehanna at BettertOn
for Havre de Grace and there connect
with an express train for Washing
ton. If the boat and the train were
both up to schedule l would have
little time to spare in Havre de Grace.
But the steamboat fell behind, having
been delayed in getting through the
Susquehanna draw, and when we
landed l saw [ would be pushed to
make the railroad connection, the
depot and the wharf being quite a
distance apart. There was one wagon
at the wharf loading with beer kegs
for a hotel. l tried to get the driver
to rush me to the depot, but he had
his load to deliver with deliver with
dispatch at the hotel.
''Now 1 am somewhat of a sprinter
hoviDo baan for GOV.
eral years at the head of the athletic as
sociations on the Eastern Shore. So
started off on quick run. Before
leaving home 1 put on my evening
clothes and covered them with ligh
overcoat becoming to the season
which was buttoned. l carried only
light satchel. The regular route b.
the streets to the depot caused me t
traverse three sides of square, but
saw there some diagOnals L coul'
make which would shorten the distanc
and save time, and ran along nimbl
across lots or down the railroad
Presently L stumbled to a stoOpin
posture and almost ran over two chi
dren-a boy and girl-who were pla!
ing on the ground and whom l had III
seen until then. Terror stricken, the
ran screaming into the gateway, whe
/ heard their screams turn to shrek
Two men standing near had observe
the incident. 1 started on aga
on run, and soon found the
men were following me, also on arun.
came down to a walk, and the me
went by me, glaring on me as passe
One said, That's the man! and t
other said. 'Yes that's the man!
"Well, by the. time l got near t
depot l was surrounded by a crowd
angry and some of them ferocioU
looking men and women, and the C
Gle contracted until they were alm'
within arms length of me. 81
there was trouble, and plenty OF
ahead. Who they thought was,
no idea. l had not yet spoken wol
but thought quick and formed pla
l unbuttoned my overcoat and thr
it back of my shoulders, that IL
might see that 1 was a gentlem
Men in the crowd were uttering cur
and threats, and heard one OF tn
say, Hang himr There was
leader and knew it would be usel
but foolish and harmful to enter
an argument with the gang.
"Then stepped up close in from
me a man with little girl in his Al
= whom 1 recognized as the one who
had SO innocently frightened.
held her up close to me and said: \
daughter, look closely and caref'
at the man. Take your time an
you are real sure he is the man say