Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1902-01-02

solitude in 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 ne found himself
on the threshold 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 mockingly.
For long time he was the center of
gaping crowd by day. At night he
was chained in reeking cell. Harsh,
Unconditional 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
all 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.
A key grated in the lock. The door
Ann oman. Aoo1 ~ e1,h 1,1o n II n h r
filed the cell. The convict pressed his
hands over his closed eyes and almost
screamed with pain. But no sound
came from his tightly mpressed 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
dense cloud 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 We're
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
alarm came from the imprisoned con.
victs in the cells.
Coolly he hurried to the prison gong
and gave the danger signal to the
guards. Next he signaled the peniten-
tiary fire corps. The warden now ar
rived on the scene, and took personal
command. At sign from him the
guards rushed forward and unlocked
the doors, allowing the frightened,
half-clad copvicts 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 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 now
at an alarming rate. With word Of
caution to the guards, the warden
mounted the wall. He had scarcely
directed the stream of water on the
flames when he perceived that he had a
companion in a striped suit who was
bravely 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.
No sooner had he reached the earth
than cry of horror arose from the
GUARDS and convicts. A cloud of SIN oke
had enveloped the prisoner and in his
confusion he had fallen from the wall
into the smoking ruins of the cell
house.
In the gray dawn of the morning the
prison clerk called the roll. Convict
Green did not answer.
Blackened, lifeless, still clutching
the hose nozzle, Convict Green was dis
covered soon after when the hea ted ru-
ms cooled sufficiently to allow search
to be instituted.
Suffocation had apparently caused
his death, for, although one foot was
burned to crisp, the clothing of the
victim was only scorched here and
there. His face had been cruelty disfg-
ured by falling stone. Beneath his
prison jacket the officials found faded
photograph of a smiling woman with
dimpled chin and lips with dropping,
scornful curve, yet parting in co.
quettish smile.
OF course the newspapers blazoned
the deed Of Convict Green to the world