Rural Retreat times. [volume] (Rural Retreat, Va.) 1892-1918, 1903-10-09
RICH MAN IN JAIL
DIRECTS BUSINESS

Here is the daily schedule Of John
Terrell, the Bluffton, Ind, millionaire.
in jail awaiting trial on charge OF
murder for a confessed homicide.
a. m.-Breakfast
$3.50 a. m.-Exercise-a walk through
the corridor Of the jail
| 700 a. m.-Receiving and opening
morning mail.
! 500 g. m.--Arrival of stenographer
for days dictation.
| 300 a. m.-Arrival of business callers
oil men, gas men, financiers, real es-
tate dealers, bankers, contractors, pres
ent to transact business.
11:00 q. m.-Business callers dis
missed to permit visits from relatives
and friends.
| 1900 m.-Dinner.
loo p. circumference with architect
| and contractor engaged In construction
of new opera-house.
200 p. m.-Appears at his cell win
dow to conduct personally through his
cell bars the work on the new building
and to view the progress OF the work.
800 p. m.--Interviews and conference
with attorneys.
4:30 p. m.-Diversion and exercise.
600 D. m.-Supper.
900 p. m.-Bed.
Living in the shadow of the gallows.
Terrell devotes himself to his various
business affairs and enterprises as
closely as though he were free.
For five hours every day he sits at
the rude table in his prison or stands
before the barred window, directing the
men in his employ. His cell has been
converted into business office.
Through the iron gratings he trans
acts daily his business ventures. re-
ceives the callers who come to him to
discuss matters of finances and ways
and means Hardly moment of the
| busy day passes during Terrells "office
hours" that does not see man OF at
fairs, messenger, an officer boy. a
contractor, foreman, a secretary, or
a stenographer enter the jail and pass
unquestioned to the millionaire's cell.
In one corner of Terrelps "ofice"
| stands a safe, and in the safe are de-
posted valuable papers and money an0
bills, aggregating on an average $5O,-
900.
s'The money is safe here" Terrell
has said, iocularly. mo one ever heard
of burglar breaking into jail"
In another corner of the cell stands
Terrell's desk, not a step from the cot
on which he sleeps at night When
opened it discloses bills due, accounts,
plans, checks certificates Of stock. led
gers and journal books in bewildering
variety. Besides his desk, cramped for
room, its Terrell's pretty stenographer,
taking his dictation.
Near the barred window stand a
chair. Each afternoon promptly at
the millionaire mounts this stool and
with his elbow resting on the narrow
window ledge, loks out across the town.
within stones throw of his cell win
dow workmen are engaged on hand
some new theatre, which is being built
with Terrell's money. Half a block
away customers are passing in and out
Of the doors of a store operated with
Terrells money. Further along the
street is Terrell's home. His family Is
there, including his daughter Lucy, for
whose sake he is the occupant of cell.
Half a mile away is farm of $50
acres. From his window he can see the
trees that shelter his herds of cattle,
and among the trees he can see the der
licks from which are driven the giant
drills that are daily tapping the sea of
oil that underlies Terrells' acres. The
oil in his enough alone to pay the ran
som of king, but will not buy free
dom for its owner.
A bank, a mill, real estate, stocks,
| bonds. franehises-Terrellh has them all;
but with all these the best that Terrell
| can hope for is Imprisonment.
But John Terrell has no regrets
Bearer to his heart than his riches and
! his freedom is his daughter, Lucy. 1t
was because of the abuse heaped upon
the girl by her husband that Terrell
committed the crime for which he is
now in Jail awaiting trial.
Lucy Terrell when only sixteen was
married to Marvin Wolf. 1t was an un-
happy marriage from the first. and
finally the young wife fled to the pro-
lection of her fathers home.
Terrell, maddened beyond self-con-
troll, lay in wait for his son-in-law. AS
the latter passed in buggy Terrell
fired two barrels of shotgun at him.
VOLTS right leg was pierced by score
of shot and he was carried to physi-
clans Office.
| Two minutes later Terrell, riding fu-