The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1905-01-14
PARDONED


r whats the matter. madam"
My purse. It's gone
\ lady in Il trolley car EeH up reti-
| culc which had been slit from top to
| bottom.
"Conductor." said IL gentleman sit
| ting opposite, stop that man getting
| off tic platform. He was sitting be-
| side the lady"
Several men rushed for the man re-
| ferred to and held him.
| "Whats the mattc"?" he asked.
| "SoncbodyS robbed that lady. You
were sitting beside her
| suppose | W"s. | didn't rob her"
"Policc" yelled the conductor, ring
| ing the stop bell and Reckoning to a
| policeman lettering on the sidewalk.
The man of law suddenly frightened
| up ut the prospect of something to do
and hurried to the car. The suspected
man was taken to Il police station and
searched. bat nothing was found ON
| him. But there was nothing remark
able in that. These thieves all have
pals. to whom they can pass the
'swag.'
|
| brought up for examination, and the
lady who had been robbed appeared
against him.
"Whnt's your Nance" asked the in
sncctor
"John Joslin"
The inspector looked mt him with the
air of one who was not to be thus i'm
posed upon.
"Jim Boise" he said, you're the
most mpudcnt crook that has over
| figured in the police courts. But you're
Il fool to work this town. l know of
| dozen l@di"H you robbed year ago
who cam be brought to swear to your
identity. Your picture is in the ro"ucs'
gallery, and yet you play your pranks
with as much assurance as if you had
never been mp before"
Il am not Jim Boise, | am not
crook. and | never robbed any one
| The inspector certainly did not cx-
| pect the man to acknowledge his guilt
lie sent him away and forgot him the
next moment in the next case.
AT the trial the inspector was as
| good as his word The state produced
nine women who testified that they
had at different times and in different
ways been robbed by the accused.
| Boise had been convicted before on
| their testimony. had been sent to the
| pcnitcntiary and had escaped. 1t was
| only necessary for the state attorney
| to prove that he was the same man,
and, this being done concluSively by
| the women he had robbed and a COM
| parSon of his features with his pic
turc in the rogues' gallery, he was sent
to prison. With the added term. he
would serve twelve years. The prison
gate changed behind him. and the
world forgot him.
Seven years passed. One morning q
man was brought in charged with pick
| ing Il lady's pocket. He was caught
before he could get away or got rid of
! the plumber, IL pockctbook with the Ia
| dy'S initials on it and 500 in bills in it.
| "Who are yout" asked the inspector.
"What'll you do for me if | save the
state expense by owning up and plead
ing guilty."
I'm cutie sure The judge will take
off the usual time
".All right. I'm Jim Boise
! The prisoner was sent away, but the
ncXl day he was brought up again.
whats your game asked the in
spect5.
Haven't any game except to get
short term"
YOU'RE not Jim Boise. Jim Boise is
serving II term now. Got telegram
this morning from the warden that
he's where he was put seven years
ago"
Cant help that. I'm jim Boise"
The inspector took up a photograph
| lying on the desk before him and look
ed from it to the prisoner.
at might have been your picture
seven or eight years ago. Singular case
this. / must look into It,"
/ He did look into it and found that
seven years before John Joslin, owing
! to his resemblance to Jim Boise, had
gone to serve q twelve years term in
prison.
One morning John Joslin emerged
from his cell. put on the clothes he had
taken off seven years before and pass
| ed down Il corridor of cells amid
shower Of congratulations.
| "Pardoncd"'
Good luck to you. hope you won't
! get caught next time
| These were some of the remarks
made to the man whD had under a mis-
take served Il seven years sentence.
The next morning he alightcl from
train and walked over ii road he ha!
often walked before. The birds were
singing in the trees, the dew glistened
in the sun, the air was laden with
/ fresh country odor. The man walked
till he came to a cottage. Its paint had
worn away, the fence had rotted, but
| in the windows were neat white cur
tains. AS the gate clicked behind him
pale. overworkcd woman appeared
at the door. With cry she rushed
| forward and fell into his arms. Sew
eral half starved children gathered
round, looking up at the man and won.
Ipripu who hp was