The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-09-23

The toe suddenly disappeared from
sight, and there was waving motlon
to the curtain
II think you had better come out"
l continued. You are here on an
errand. and the sooner you accomplish
it the sooner you can go. The men
from Penfeld will be on your heels be-
fore daylight"
view and sprang to his feet. with a
muttered curse. He was in convict
uniform. but he was not an evil-look-
ing man. On the contrary, he looked
to be more of a sufferer than crimi-
nal There was more pride in his face
than might have been looked for, and
he had my sympathy at once
"Well?" 1 Gueried, as he stood star
ing at me.
Il shall never go back to prison
never." he exclaimed. as he looked
around the room. TN die right here.
I've been in q living hell for ten long
years and the other hell can't be
worse. / went to prison thinkinG to
do nv best but as I held up my head
they said 1 was too airy and must be
broken down. 1 was punished again
and again because 1 would not be-
come a fawning sycophant-a creeping
crawling thing at the feet of a brutal
keeper. They starved me-loaded me
with chains-lashed me till they did
not dare TIC add another blow. I was
told that the governor rubbed his
naIluS ana lduSneQ over IT, anu SWOd c
would live to escape. and escape to
drive a knife into his heart / never
knowingly broke a rule of the prison.
1t was because ] would not lick the
shoes of the keepers that they wanted
to break me"
1 asked the man to take a chair.
and I gave him a glass of wine and a
cigar. He was nonplussed at my ac-
ton. and didn't know whether TO re-
ceive it as a kindness or as a scheme
To him q 10
told me of his life in the famous Eng
lish prison. of the beatings and starv-
ings. of the cruelty and the curses
heaped upon him every hour in the day
to drive him to rebellion. and when he
had finished there was but one thing
for me to do
1 had a hundred pounds in my wallet
l made even divide with him. ! had
a rough-and-ready suit for fishing. | took
this from my trunk and told the convict
to exchange suits When pair Of shoes
had been added and he stood fully dressed
his identity as prisoner was gone. With
a pair CT scissors clipped and trimmed
ms shaggy eyebrows. and strip Of plas-
ter was placed on his cheeks as if 10 hide
a scratch l can not say that he looked
like gentleman when his d..;eu.se was
complete, but no policeman In England
would have taken him for anything else
but mechanic of the better class
l did not ask where he was going. what
he intended to do. or anything about his
future 1 felt that he would take care of
all that When he was ready. to go, we
the front. There he turned and took my
hand and held it for a long minute He
wanted to spe~k-.o tel me of his graft
.ucc-bu. &c 81 ply couldn't get word
out. On ny part l was silent.
So he passed out into the night and was
gone, and an hour later the town was
aroused by the advent of a dozen police
men and prison guards looking. for Con-
vict No 1920. He had escaped from Pen
field by a bold stratagem, and had 50
managed that pursuit was made in a false
direction and much time lost A larger
reward was offered for him than for any
prisoner who ever escaped. but he go-
safely out of England, and, a. far as