Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-09-06
DAILY SHORT STORY
AN EXCEPTION TO A RULE.
fOrfginal.1

land? That's a secret. but since you
are my son 1 will tell you. The story
illustrates how man must take risks
In his decisions, but I believe it is
always safer to act from conscientious
motives.
Soon after 1 was admitted to prac
tice in Chicago one Christopher Row
an was accused of murder. l had
a fancy for criminal practice and took
his case; but, despite my best efforts,
he was convicted on circumStantial
evidence l was not only convinced
from the mans manner that he was
innocent, but he told me certain facts,
which 1 was unable TO get before the
jury, that confirmed me in my opinion.
l secured q stay of proceedings and in
one way or another delayed the eXecu-
ton, but finally there was nothing
more TO do for him, and l saw the day
near at hand when he would have to
swing. The matter had n terrible eff
feet upon me, not doubling. as l have
said, that the man was innocent.
4 few weeks before the execution q
letter came for him from distant part
of the world. The sheriff took pos
session of it and instead of giving it to
the condemned sent it to me. 1t con-
tanned official information that Rowan,
through the death of cousin, had
fallen heir to an entailed estate worth
nearly million. 1t was in itself proof
that the man about to die came of an
excellent family. This he had told me,
but hoped that if he died on the gal
lows the matter might escape the no
tice of his relatives.
For awhile 1 was in a quandary; hen,
suddenly coming to resolution, / call
ed cab and hurried to the Jail to de-
liver the letter to its owner. L was not
surprised that it did not have any very
great effect upon him. The truth is he
was stunned by his misfortune and the
near approach of death, which he had
for some time considered inevitable.
Instead of returning to my office l
went to myroom-I was then bachelor
and, locking myself in, considered
what 1 would do In an hour had made
up my mind to use what money was nee
essary to save the mans life, though il
must be applied illegally. 1 cabled in
Rowan's name to know for how much
l might draw on the estate, and a good
" SUM was named. Then l told Rowan
of my plan, and he signed a draft.
In due time the prisoner was put
through the process, or, rather, an APP
pearanCe OF the process, the law had
directed. The newspapers told Of the
brave manner in which the prisoner had
met his death, though he had refused
spiritual consolation. The name was
spelled (as he had given it when ar
resteO Rowan. 50 that his relatives
might not know of his fate. The corO-
ner pronounced him dead, and his body
was turned over at my request to me
for burial. Instead of burying it l sent
| it in the guiSc of n negro to New York.
where It sailed alive for Liverpool.
Rowan before leaving offered me any
portion of his estate that l would
accept but L declined to take 4 penny.
| After his arrival in London he wrote
me renewing the offer. l still declined.
He made me different propositions at
| different times, but l declined them all.
Meanwhile he had entered various en-
| terpriseS and doubled his capital FL
nally he wrote me that if | would come
| to London and practice he would
| see that l had the most lucrative eli
| ents 1t was ten years after l had been
the means of saving him from an ig
nominious death that l went To London
| and consented to act as his and his
| friends attorney. In time l became &
| barriSter.
have left out the most important
| part OF the story? How did 1 cOntrive
Rowan's flight, the sham hanging and
all that? Money, my dear boy; money.
| 1t will accomplish anything. We don't
need to 90 to Russia for corruption:
| there is plenty of it i'll the United
| States. But ii costs a big sum. l paid
! it all TO one man in gold-S3OO,O 900
| though I didn't pay more than n sixth
| Of this at the time of the hanging, and
| the go betweens paid all the rest. Be
| sides the sheriff, those in attendance
| and the coroner it was necessary TO
| give plenty of hush money to any one
| who might have the slightest suspicion.
| How did they fool those whose duty
| it was to see the man executed? Come
| here. The evidence has been in this
! safe ever since you were born. DO
| you see this rope loop: II fitted around
| Rowan's chest. I'll put it on and show
/ you how It worked. l have no horror
| Of It; 1t saved a life instead of taking
| one. You see it passes across the chest
/ and under the arms. Higher, where
/ the ends join, is q hook. small. but
/ strong. On the hangman's rope close
/ TO the knot was little loop made of q
/ hundred fine steel wires, and just be-
/ fore the condemned was swung off the
/ hook was pulled up under the coat
| collar and fastened to the steel loop.
Hook and loop We're lost in the hang
mans knot behind the ear and tie
victims coat collar
Have 1 ever regretted my act? New
er. In sense / did wrong TO work q