Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1901-12-18

his away. He did not resist, because
they represented some vague, unde-
fined power which he had always re.
| spected. Then followed a period of
| solitude in a padded cell. The red spots
came with greater frequency now. A
gray-clad young fellow was always
watching him. One day he eluded his
keeper and made his escape. For a
whole night he wandered about. The
next day he hid in the timber near
! stream. That night he found himself
on the thresh of his cottage. He
opened the door. There was a scream
and an oath. DR.. Scott, the man he
hated. seized him. Green remembered
that his wife hid her face in terror.
Then the red spots danced mocking.y.
For long time he was the center of
gaping crowd by day. AT night he
was chained in reeking cell. Harsh,
unemOtiOna. voices discussed the pro-
! lection of society and other topics
which he could not understand. Only
once did they say anything to him.
Then he comprehended clearly what
they meant. Had he killed Scott? Of
course he had. And he was so glad Of
it that he laughed loud and long. The
spectators stared. Some of them
nudged each other. Finally the judge
began talking of some awful penalty.
A sudden loathing seized him; he hated
al mankind. Springing to his feet he
defied the entire assembly and vowed
never to speak to anyone again. His
only fear was that this pledge might
some day be broken.
key grated in the lock. The door
was flung open; food of subdued light
filled the cell. The convict pressed his
hands over his closed eyes and almost
screamed with pain. But no sound
came from his tightly compressed lips.
In silence, he was partly led, partly
dragged to his own quarters at the ex-
IRENE end of the line of steel cages.
Confusion reigned supreme that
night within the prison walls. Shortly
before the guards were changed at
midnight. the deputy warden detected
a dense c-oud of smoke that seemed to
be pouring up from the inner cell
house. Gaining admittance to the
prison yards he was almost struck
dumb with amazement. Flames were
bursting from the roof of the building.
AS he looked, the cupola, a mass of fire,
fell outward upon the upper gallery,
disclosing the fierce Roadway the
flames were making. Even as he list
ened shrieks of terror and yells of
a-arm came from the imprisoned con-
victs in the cells.
Cody he hurried to the prison gong
and gave the danger sigma. to the
guards. Next he signaled the penlte
tiary fire corps. The warden now ar
rived on the scene, and took personal
command. AT a sign from him the
guards rushed forward and unlock ID
the doors, allowing the frightened,
half-clad convicts to escape into the
prison yard where other scantily-at-
tired employees stood with threatening
rifles ready for instant use.
In order to save the penitentiary and
the lives of its inmates, the fire must be
confined in the cell house, which COM
municated with the remainder of the
| prison by a narrow arch. Two men
scaled the wall and directed streams
of water on the flames raging within.
Overcome by heat, one of these faint
ed, and his companion bore him from
the wall. The flames were gaining ow
at an alarming rate. With word of
caution to the guards, the warden
, mounted the wa. He had scarcely
: directed the stream of water on the
flames when he perceived that he had a
{ companion in striped suit who was
, brave.y fighting the fire by his side.
: The flames began to grow weaker; the
{ lurid glare was dying out. Exhausted
: the warden turned to his companion
! and commanded him to retire. Then
: he started to descend.
d No sooner had he reached the earth
/. than a cry of horror arose from the
: guaros and convicts. A cloud of smoke
y had enveloped the prisoner and in his
/ confusion he had fallen from the wal
). into the smoking ruins of the eel
S house.
I In the gray dawn of the morning he
e prison clerk called the roll. Convict
!. Green did not answer.
:. Blackened, lifeless. still c.utchine
q the hose nozzle, Convict Green was dis
: covered soon after when the he a ted ru
d ms cooled sufficiently to allow a search
d to be instituted.
e Suffocation had apparently caused
}, his death. for, although one foot wa:
= burned to crisp, the clothing of tn,
r victim was only scorched here anc
there. His face had been cruelty disfig
d ured by falling stone. Beneath hi:
y prison ia cket the officials found faded
a photograph of a smiling woman Will
$ dimplsd chin and lips with a dropping
o scornful curve, yet parting in CO
l. quettish smile.
OF course the newspapers blazonet
= the deed of Convict Green to the wor;t
= in all the somber murkiness of scar,
:. heads. One enterprising Omaha jour
. nal placed the picture of the woma
beside that of the prisoner and hintet
at dark tale of wife's unfaithfu.
ness. Vague as was the suggestion :
&c superannuated society woman of tina
u city still fears that some of her friend
o or discarded admirers will detect tn,
{ unmistakable likeness between a fadec
society barnacle and the unfaithfu
spouse of the unfortunate convict.
q GEORGE W. KLINE.
it. On the trial proof of malice wa
clear and convincing and II was evi