Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1903-02-04

Gus, religious and exemplary In his
conduct. When he left the peniten-
tiary, where he had lost seven years,
he thought he had nothing to do but
to return to Anglers purified complete
ly. 1t was at Anglers that he commit
ted his crime, and he wanted to prove
that he was reformed. This hope was
dissipated. The fact that he was an
ex-convict closed all doors and all
hearts on him. He found it extreme
ly difficult to get work, and when, by
chance he did procure some arduous
employment, the other workmen re-
fused to associate with him. He was
condemned to idleness, beggary and
theft.
One Sunday, while roaming through
the country he stopped, fatigued, to
rest himself in field where there were
some horses at liberty. He thought
of the sea that was only thirty leagues
from him, and Of America, that new
world where he expected to live as an
honest workingman. The idea turned
his head. He jumped like mad man
upon one Of the horses and started
the animal along the road, without a
saddle or bride. He set out in the
evening and arrived at the break Of
day at Ingrandes. Nearing that place
on the edge Of the road there was
prairie. There he turned loose the
horse and entered the town. An un-
known person turning a horse loose
was suspected. He was followed, ar
rested and brought before the mayor.
He gave his name without hesitation,
but while they were discussing his
case, he managed to escape. He
reached Nantes and tried to ship with
some captain on a long voyage. But
to embark, it was necessary to have
papers, and Urban didn't have them.
For some time he wandered along
the quays almost on the verge Of sui
eide, when big hand touched his
shoulder, the hand Of a boatman of
Anglers, who recognized him. The
boatman wanted help, so Urban went
with him to Anglers. He had hardly
arrived before he was arrested and
put in prison on the complaint of
stealing a horse. Now, it happened
that the honest peasant Brisset, was
the owner Of the horse In question.
He testified before the court that his
horse came back to him and that Ur-
balm was too honest a fellow to want
to steal it. But he pleaded for him
in vain. The unfortunate young man
was convicted a second time by the
Assizes court Of Maine-et-Loire to
twelve years penal servitude.
At Brest he served his time just as
he did formerly at Toulon. In prison
his conduct was irreproachable, but
after four years Of tortures inflicted
upon him in that dreadful place, he
escaped. Where was he to go? Par
is was the only place that could hide
him from the police. He went there
without encountering any difficulties,
and the very next day after his ar
rival he was on the Place de Greve
among the laboring men. There he
was taken by a building contractor,
with whom he remained for three
years, whose regrets followed him to
the establishment Of M. Masse, a dry
goods manufacturer, where he received
better wages. For four years M.
- ia
hands large sums Of money, which Ur-
balm always handled with zeal and
and perfect honesty. He
to prosper and married an
honest working girl. Happy in the
thought that at last he was loved and
he lived with her for seven
years.
One Sunday while he was walking in
the suburbs with his wife, he met a |
policeman who was a former convict, |
who knew him at Brest. This police
man destroyed his entire happiness.
He arrested him. Urban was brought |
to Bicetre, and from there was taken to |
Brest to finish the eight years Of penal
servitude that he had still to serve, in
addition to the supplementary years
for the crime of escaping.
1t was during the few months Of his
detention at Bicetre, in 1888, that
Christophe knew Urban and
learned his story. M. eau-Christo-
phe obtained for him the favor Of ex-
emption from the first chaingang, on
leaving Bicetre for Brest; and a few
months later he managed to send him
back to Paris. In other words, he
brought the case to the attention Of
the king, who pardoned the man upon |
the spot.
Urban Lemelle lived to great old
age He was the best Of husbands,
and wished to be the best Of fathers,
but that joy was denied him. He CON-
soled himself, nevertheless, by max
ing pets Of all the children In the
place where he lived, and he amused
them often by telling them stories of
brigands. Heaven only knows what |
queer stories he must have learned
during his ten years in the Bagne.-l
In