The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1904-05-12

- 49, fHe@F a-tAA rA~ ~ - lAA'4tfAA
as rested meath the shade OF tree,
close TO a farmhouse gate l saw a
young man OF about twenty leave tie
house by a bedroom window and make
on. as il afraid OF being observed. !
did not know at tie time that the fam
ily woe away. and though his man
ner WIS furtive did not suspect him
OF being Thief. but two hours later.I
vas picked up on the highway and.
charged with having robbed the house.
They found nothing on nae of course,
but WIS taken TO jail and held 20
await examination. This examination
was delayed for week, aud during
this time got sight of the shcriff'S son
about the jail and NJ once spotted him
as the person had seen leave the
farmhouse BY the window was NOT
only sure OF his identity, but i at once
denounced him to his father and moth
err and for so doing was threatened
with all sorts of pains and penalties.
The wife and mother came to my cell
that evening, however, and, after ex-,
cuslng the harsh words OF the morning,
she said: ~ s Aaias
II am. going to tell you something
and ask you not to repent it to any one.
You are a poor and friendless boy. and
they mean to find you guilty OF this
robbery. I do not believe you took the
money. but others do am going TO
help you to escape from jail. ana when
you get out you must hurry right away
and not befrecaptured.f'
But II go they win surely say / am
guilty. l protested.
But that will be better than TO be
convicted. am going TO leave this
chlsel with you. Tonight you can dig
through the brick walls az the end Of
the cells. II you dig from No. 4 you
will come out in a storeroom which
has window looking out on a side
street Here is some money for you.
If We're you I'D stay in the woods
during the day and travel only at
night, and keep south for the Ohio riy.
err" aus eQ
She gave me ten silver half dollars
and big chisel and hurried away.
Boy that was, suspected why she
wanted to get rid OF. me. She had come
to believe her son guilty; but, mother,
like. she wanted TO save him from pun
ishment. | thought the matter over
and then decided to go.
!, was not locked in cell at night,
but had tho range OF the corridor. and
after the turnkey had gone home for
the night began ON the wall according
to directions. 1t was only eight inches
thick, andsat the end of two hours !
had hole large enough to lei me into
.he storeroom. This room was pretty
well filed with old furniture, chests
and boxes, but could make ont things
pretty plainly. 1t was too early TO 20
out on the street yet, as an occasional
pedestrian was passing, and therefore
sat down to wait took seat on
large dry goods box, and on top of it.
with It's open side 10 the wall, was a
smaller one. e5~l
Whatever induced me 10 move this
smaller box about / don't know, but
AupN1 ~ hAl. uul u lluute luleT 4 us
covered the missing tin box with the
stolen money in It The box had been
stolen from the farmhouse by the sher.
hrs son aud brought here TO be secret.
ed until the hue and cry had passed.
My first impulse was TO take 1t out
with me and hand il over to the loser,
but fortunately / remembered that il
had been charged against me that 1
had hidden the money before the CON
stable had bad time TO arrest me.
| put 1t back where / found II and
opened the window and got out, and
an hour later knocked at the farmers
door and told him my story. While
Mr.. Davis, the loser, was oyerjoyed 10
get his money back and believed with
me that he had been robbed by the
sneriff1s son, he also wanted TO snare
the boys parents the shame and dis
grace that exposure would bring.
1t was finally decided that should
return 10 the jail for the box. and then
l was to remain hidden in the farm
house until 1t was safe 10 70 ON. Later
on, when the matter had died ont
somewhat. Mr.. Davis was 10 clear NV
reputation by ..discoyerins" Ills box in