Durango semi-weekly herald., 1905-02-23

cell, so that his toes tapped against
the cage. Mrs. Smelcer heard the
noise and listened, and as the noise
continued. a tapping against the cage,
she got up and crossed the hall to the
door OF the jail and opened the wicket
and looked in. It was dark inside and
everything was still at first. and then
she heard gnrgllng sound. She
called to the prisoner and he made no
answer. She called several times, and
getting no answer. she returned TO
her room and awoke Mr.. Smelcer, tell
ing him the young man was sick.
Mr. Smelcer then went to the
wicket and called. He was a little
leary about going In as 1t was dark
and he did not know but what the
prisoner had put up a Job to get him
in and tap him on the head with a
and got candle and then went in.
Mrs. Smelcer held the candle on one
side of the cage while Mr.. Smelcer
went on the other side and looked
through 1t was then he saw the
young man dangling from the wire.
He unlocked the cage and went in
and cut the young man down. Po-
liceman Stansel and DR.. Lefurgey
were telephoned for and quickly re-
sponded. The cord was tightly drawn
around his neck and he had tied a
bandage tightly around his eyes. For
this he had used a bandage which he
had worn yesterday on his finger.
where a dog had bitten him.
Some wiskey was poured down his
throat and he soon revived. When
he regained consciousness the first
thing he said was: rs my mother
here?'
He was curious to know how they
came to discover him and was told
that Mrs. Smelcer had heard him.
That's Just like woman-always
in the way" he said.
careful watch was keIt over hin.
the balance of the night. for fear he
would make some other attempt TO
end his life. He intimated that he
would yet succeed in killing himself,
and as he is an extremely resourceful
fellow. very careful watch will have
to be kept on him If he ever reaches
Cincinnati alive.
Before making the attempt on his
life he wrote letter to his mother,
and one to Jailer Smelcer, and one
to the city marshal He requested
the latter to express his regrets to
the officer who comes to take him
back to Cincinnati that he (the ofiicer)
should be compelled TO take such a
long ana lonesome ride-lonesome
because he (Dashwood) would be in
the baggage car Such a way Of jok.
ing with death is remarkable in one
so young.
Officer Stansel gave him good
talking to and told him to brace up and
make the best of the situation, telling
him there was vet time for him to
reform and start all over again. after
serving a sentence, probably in the
reformatory. Said talk did not seem
to have much weight However, for
the young man keenly feels the dis-
grace and does not wish to meet his
people ard seems determined to out
wit the watch who is placed over
him to keep him from making another
attempt on his life.
Except for soreness around the
neck he is all right today
Following is a letter he wrote for
the authorities:
Il must be buried in Cincinnati, Be
careful how you break this news to
my parents: also how you handle this
shell that formally held an agonized
and tortured soul, or shall haunt
you to your dying day. I forgive ev-
erybody. II is nobody's fault but my
own. | beg you to pray for me, for the
blighted life that was once so full OF
hope and promise. Tell the detective
who is coming for me | hope he will
not be lonely going back home; that
! will be in the baggage car ahead, but
Oh, so far away Farewell. Grant a
dying wish and mail this letter for
me- Send my watch and clothes
home"
His letter to his mother was pathe.
tic in the extreme. II spoke Of the
anguish his rash act would cause
her and he lamented the fact that the
son of the sweetest mother in the
world should spend night behind
prison bars. The letter shows that
for all the young mans waywardness
he still loves his mother and father
and he asks that the children" be
| allowed to grow up in ignorance ol
him, that they might never feel tn,
disgrace, The writing becomes less
plain and legible towards the last, as
he says death is drawing near ant
ne grows cold at the thought OF 1t
and the last few lines are almost II
| legible. The anguish of a fond moth
er getting such a letter would be 8
| terrible blow.
St. Patrick's day is less than I
month away.
A snowslide last week wrecked tn,
cook house on the Doyle properties OF
the Bast Mancos.
F. M. Goodykoontz has leased hi,
Montezuma valley ranch and will
I