Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1905-01-12

-1 from a Virginia Jail the
N other day in a manner
lAA sometimes described by
~ m but seldom re-
correct III history.
He had been sentenced to five years.
Imprisonment, and was waiting for the
officers to take him to prison. His
mother came to say goodby to him,
ind the jailer left them alone for q
few minutes.
Any nan would hate tc watch a
mothers farewell to her son under
such circumstances, SO in their few
moments Of privacy mother and son
changed clothes.
When the time was up the jailer led
out q grief-stricken figure in skirt and
bonnet, leaving a lad weeping on the
prison bed.
By and by he returned TO say words
Of comfort to the boy, to bid him to
''brace up" To his establishment he
found a laughing woman.
Two hundred years Ago.. almost-in
1716-the Countess of Nithsdale res
cued her husband from the Tower OF
London in much the same manner.
The Earl of Nithsdale was to be exc
cuted for treason. His wife had begged
in vain for his life, and then a made
up her mind to rescue him.
With two women she went to the
Tower to see him, carrying an extra
skirt, hood and cloak. Then she sent
one of her friends away, then the 9TH
er; one of them returned and went
away again.
Finally, when she thought the guards
would be confused as to the number
of women who had gone in and out,
she packed off her husband, dressed
in the clothes she had brought.
She herself stayed in his room for
half an hour, talking in her own voice
and replying in his, and at last, telling
his servant and the guards that the
Earl was praying, and did not want to
be disturbed, she went away herself.
The Earl escaped to the Low Coun-
tries, where in time the Countess
joined him.
In 1915 the French Count de Lava
lette was sentenced to death for hav-
ing aided Napoleon on his return to
France earlier in the year. His wife
took his place in the cell md let him
escape.
In the same way Maggie Jordan
helped Sharkey, a convicted murderer.
to escape from the Tombs thirty years
ago. He was never recaptured.
Another historical story has been re-
peated recently.
Adolph Beck, an EEglishman, served
two terms of Imprisonment for obtain
ing none under false pretences. HI
swore that he was innocent, but as
they all do that" no one believed
him.
Not so long ago he was again arrest
ed on a similar charge. About thu
same time William Thomas was arrest
ed also on a like charge. Then thu
police began to investigate matters
and Thomas confessed that he ha(
committed the two crimes for which
Beck was punished.
So the British Government gave
Beck a "free PARDON" to restore hin
to citizenship, and offered him $40,
900 to say nothing about the matter.
He refused. He has not kept quiet
and he hopes to get more money a
compensation.
In 1862 Jean CALAIS, a French mer
chant, was the victim of a similar er
ror. He was accused of murder
found guilty and executed with th'
cruelty Of the time. His family, too
was ruined by the confiscation of hi
property.
= After his death the real murdere
was found. Voltaire, the great Frencl
writer, led a successful popular dc
l mand that his memory should b
, cleared.
The story of Jean CALAIS tragic fat
has been used as the basis for a play
4 "Le Courier de Lyon" which is know
e in this country as ''The Lyons Mail.
' New York Journal.