The semi-weekly messenger., 1905-03-31
LUCKY JoE- WILSON'S END
How He Once Feigned Deatll-Adven-
furous Career Of a Convict.

Written for the Charlotte Observer:
sued a pardon tn one Lucky Joe
Wilson who was doing time on the
roads of Iredell county for petty lar-I
ceny. Poor Joe had been sick and
the pardon was granted because it was
feared that he could not live in conf
|tiEement much longer. But. alas. tneI
|Governor's clemency had been dclayea
toe long. and when the pardon arrived
Lucky joe had passed to the bournel
from whence there is no record that
lans traveller has ever returned.
This pathetic incident brings b,l
mind how Lucky Joe" once escaped
from prison.
Many years ago whole Lucky joe.
was serving a term in the state pris-t
on for larceny. the writer was his att
ltorney and succeeded in getting Cow
ternor JARVIS to grant Lucky Joe" al
pardon. During this employment
Lucky Joe" detailed the history ofi
thow he escaped from the Jail of Ashel
lcounty after he had been sentenced
there for a long term for stealing
with the promise that the same shouislI
not be made public until after his
death. Death havink broken the SEAL
J of confidence. here is the story as|
l'Lucky Joe" gave it in detail:
| The Wilson family had been left al
considerable amount Of property inl
Tennessee, and it was of the utmost
importance that Lucky Joe" should
go there and look after the same. In
this view. when the relatives came
to the Jail to see him. the plan was
Iconcocted that Lucky Joe" should get
Isick and remain so for two or three
weeks. gradually growing worse and
finally die. Previous to this certain
persons necessary had been induced
to lend themselves to the successful
tissue of the plan. After death Lucky
Joe" was to be transported home and
kept over night, and a log represent :
ling his weight was to be Put in the
coffin. While the relatives of LUCKY
Joe" were digging the grave wherein
he was to be deposited on one side OF
the grave they found hole large
enough for a man to sit uD IN. which
had been made by the blowing up by
the roots many years before of a very
large oak tree. The finding of this
lcavity suggested change in the plan.
A small excavation was made from
this underground hole to the top of
the ground. and It was covered SO ;is
Ito give air, but remained concealed
lfrom the public. The casket was then
lccEstructed with a door on the side
next to the hole in the grave. which
Ihad been carefully hidden from the
public gaze. The catch of this door
Twas on the inside and the coffin was
lowered with black. and lined inside.
And "Lurky Joe" feigned death and
Twas prepared for burial and lay in
Estate in the court house for several
Ihours. and then he was put into the
tcasket and taken home by his griei-
lstricken relatives. There his frjer,s
Iinduleed in a wake" over him. and
Ithe next day he was consigned to
tmOther earth--the large cOncOurSe
taking a last look at the remains while
1.-THE caskat was lying on the studs oVei
1.-THE open grave. AS soon as the clods
icommenced to fall on the plank that
icoVered the casket, Lucky ice" push
led open the door and crawled out into
1.-THE hole and was sitting up in there
Hong before the grave had been filled.
THAT night the opening from the hole
Twas made larger and Lucky joe
lcanie out and proceeded to Tennessee
About a year after this escape it
ibcgan to be noised and rumorc1
laround that Lucky Joe" was not dead
These tales were at first treated as
idle gossip of tale mongers but now
land then came authentic news of the
commission of Offenses which caus-
led those familiar with the ear-marKs
lof crime as heretofore committed by
l''L.ucky Joe" Wilson. tc remark that
Eappears like It was committed py
'LEczy Joe" Wilson. And after 2
while man who knew Lucky Joe
Icame to Jefferson. the seat of Asha
lcounty. and maintained that he had
lseen Lucky joe in the flesh only a
flew days heretofore at a distillery
lin the county of Yadkin. going under
lthe name of Willis Walkers. SO the
Iseent became so hot that the prose
lcuting attorney of the district was ap-
Incaled to and he ordered the BODY
lexhumed. This was done and the cof-
lin was found empty. The door t.
1.-THE coffin was found but the hole in
1.-THE ground was not found. and the
lnvstery of how Lucky Jce'' got out
Twill not have been revealed until this
Iarticle appears in print. The public
lat once accepted the fact that LUCY
Zoe was alive. Some time after this
in another county, Lucky Joe'' was
iarrested and indicted for petty larce-
InE'. He was in and out of prison Until
his last sentence to the roads of Ire
ie11 county. J. G. L. HARRIS.
Raleigh n. G..