The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-12-11

and SO the deed could not be brought
home to him. Whoever had killed the
poor girl had dressed in her clothes, but
afterwrd had taken them off. If he
had planned to go out in the disguise
his nerve had failed him
About eight months after the murder
HWnen Horton had been with US for three
years and four months, he made his
escape by means of a tunnel which he
had been over two years digging 1t
began in a clothes closet off the library
and ended ninetythree feet away out
side the prison walls. What was done
had to be accomplished between a. m.
and p. m Horton could not bar any
one out Of the library, nor could he tell
what minute some one would enter. No
convict ever worked for liberty with
such odds against him. He simply took
the one chance in a thousand. There
were times when he descended to his
tunnel and worked for an hour before
coming out After coming out he had
to wash his hands and remove all dust
and dirt, and he must have had nerves
of steel and will of iron to bear up
under the hourly fear of discovery. That
tunnel was more than a nine days
wonder after discovery.
You VIII want to know how I learn
ed or certain things. A year after Hor
toms escape we heard of him in Mon
tana- He had Joined a small band of
trappers and hunters and was living
among the mountains. After he had
been located it was decided that
should be sent out to ATTEMPT his cap
ture. When I reached Gallatin I
learned that Horizons party was in the
mountains to the north and enlisted two
men in the search for him. We We're
on the trail of the hunters for a month
before we found them. One evening we
rode into their camp prepared to cap
ture or kill the fugitive murderer, but
he was not there. Two days before he
mad started out alone to inspect some
traps and had not returned. The rest
fa Sor-fx- -
out looking for him on the Gay of our
arrival, but had found no trace The
search was resumed next day. and along
IN the afternoon we found him. He had
FALLEN over cliff and landed on. a shelf
about 40 feet below. His fall had been
broken by a bush. but he had been Sc
verely injured and was almost dead
! when We got him up. He had broken
leg and an arm, and as there was no
show to get a doctor we knew that
death soon must terminate his suffer
ings.
During the last day of his life Horton
was not only conscious. but talkative ard
free from pain. He insisted on telling me
| all about the tunnels business, and of
| painly told him that 1 had suspected him
] from the hour of finding Miss Calhoun 5
| body and that, figure it out as I night, no
one else had the opportunity that he had.
He did not answer me for several minutes
and then quietly said:
I will give you my idea of that affair,
though of course it may all be wrong
! When Miss Calhoun and I separated. she
/ started for the exit and l for the library.
There were several TRUSTEES about, and no
DOUBT one of them spoke to her and she
may have turned aside; 1t was a dark.
| foggy day. you remember. and the man
might have clutched her by the threat to
prevent alarm and carried her to the
storehouse- He took great risks. but was
not discovered. I have always felt much
grieved over the fate of that poor girl
What motive do you think the murderer
had p I asked.
Probably to don her clothes and pass
out to liberty"
But why didn't he carry out his plan?'
Probably something threw him off his
nerve he approached the wicket. He
could have gone out unquestioned, but
something happened to make him suspect
that he would be nabbed-
And you will not confess. realizing, as
you must, that death is not far away
My dear man." Horton replied as a
smile played over his pale face, Tets talk
about that tunnel and drop all dismal sub
/ jects. So all of you called it an excellent
bit of civil engineering, Ell? Well. think
it was. was very proud of that tunnel,
and I sometimes felt like going back TO
-Four hours later he was dead passing
away as peacefully as if he had never she1
a drop of human blood.-(Copyright 1902.
/ by c. B. Lewis.0