The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-02-23

ohisel with you. Tonight you can
dig through the brick walls at the end
of the cells. II you dig from NO
YOU will come out in a store room
which has a window looking out on
side street. Here is some money for
YOU. If I were you, I'd lie by in the
woods during the day and travel only
at night, and keep south for the OHIO
river"
She gave me ten silver half-dollars
and a long chisel and hurried away
Boy that I was I suspected why she
wanted to get rid of me- She had
come to believe her son guilty, but,
rnother-lil1e, she wanted to save MN
from punishment. No doubt she had
heard from her husband and others
that I was likely to be convicted, but
that wasn't sufficient excuse foE her
urging me to break jail. 1 thought
the matter over, and then decided to
so. .-,-4
1 was not locked in cell at night,
but had the range of the corridor ana
after the turnkey had gone home Tor
the night I began on the wall accord
ing to directions. It was only eight
Inches thick, and at the end or Two
hours I had a hole large enough to let
me into the store room. This room
was pretty we'll filed with old furn1-
ture. chests and boxes, but could
make out things pretty plainly. II was
too early to go out on the street YET
as an occasional PEDESTRIAN WdS pass
ing. and I therefore sat down TO walt
took a seat on a large dry goods box,
and on top Of it, with its open side to
the wall, was a smaller one.
Whatever induced me to move this
smaller box about I don't know. but
move it I did. and a minute later I dis
covered the missing tin box with the
stolen money in it. The box had been
stolen from the farmhouse by the
sheriff's son and brought here to be
I IND 1r~xr hRd
passed Nv first impulse was to take
1t out with me and hand it over to the
loser but fortunately I remem bered
that it had been charged against me
that I had hidden the money before
the constable had had time to arrest
ma
put it back where I found it, and
opened the window and got out. and
an hour later I knocked at the farmers
door and told him my story While
Mr. Davis, the loser, was overjOyed
to get his money back, and believed
with me that he had been robbed by
the sheriff's son, he also wanted 10
spare the boys parents the shame and
disgrace that exposure would bring.
It was finally decided that I should
return to the jail for the box and
&hen I was to remain hidden in the
farmhouse until it was safe to go on
Later on. when the matter had died
out somewhat Mr.. Davis was to clear
box in another hiding place. I was
about to leave the house to carry out
my part OF the scheme when the sheriff
and a deputy rode up. Ny escape
from jail had been discovered by acct
dent, and they had come in pursuit.
The sheriff was so put out and indig-
anat over my jail-breaking that he
seized me by the collar and was about
: to make use Of his riding whip on my
back, when Mr.. Davis called a halt and
told him the whole story
The idea that his son was q thief al
though he knew him to be somewha
tough. almost paralyzed the officer. He
at first charged me with lying. and was
impatient to prove his words. but my
demeanor soon convinced him that
spoke only the truth The four of us
rode to town and the Jail and entered
the store room The box of gold was
where had left it. and no one IN
connected with the Jail could have
found opportunity to put it there. The
sheriff at once went to arouse his SCR
and demand an explanation. but tbf
young man had got a hint of the bust
ness and fed
When I went out of the Jail I carried
along the chisel and threw it away. a7e
before entering the farm house 7 hif
my money under g roadside log 7 re.
fused to tell what sort of 2 tool T l,ee=
to dig out, or how I became possesses
of it, and, Of course. they fOun1 NJ
money on me. Not a hint did dror
about the. sheriffs wife. and now. fol
the first time, after she has long beer
dead. do I tell the story. I am snTe
though. that her husband suspected her
but that was a matter to be settled he.
tween themselves She would have seer
me sent to states prison for Ions
term or years IN order that her sor
might so free, but. boy that I was
reasoned that that was only a mother.
way.
As Mr.. Davis had recovered his mon.