Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-10-19
WHEN NERVE COUNTED.
How a Penitentiary Warden Escaped
Death by keepina Cool.

How a Penitentiary Warden Eseapec
| Death by Keeping Cool.
Early on a certain morning many
years ago. the warden of penitentiary
an elderly. gray-bearded man, was al
his desk On a sudden he heard 9
panther-like tread In the room and he
OWNED q presence behind him thai
would have made less fearless man
faint away.
| The presence was that Of one Patricb
Burns, desperado, who was doing life
service for murder. This man held ar
ugly looking dirk in his hand. The
warden knew he was alone with the
most dangerous prisoner in the pen
itentiary.
Pretending ignorance of Burns's
proximity, the warden went on with
his writing as IL the criminal were not
in existence. But his brain, remote
from the papers that lay on his desk
before him, was calculating with the
swiftness and the accuracy peculiar to
brains when the owners Of them are In
danger Of their lives.
| First Of all, the warden wondered
how Burns had managed to slip past
the guards and how he had come into
the possession of the long, ugly dirk
Then he reflected that the murderer
had grown gray in the prison, that he
knew all the ins and outs Of 1t, and
that he had been studying nights and
days year after year how he could ac-
complish this very feat
In a little drawer just over the war
den's gray head. in easy reach Of his
hand, his revolver was locked. To Sc
cure 1t would mean his salvation, to
be seen making the attempt would cost
him his life.
There were four or five guards In
range of his voice, but had he spoken
above a whisper to summon one OF
them the dirk would have severed him
from existence.
He wrote on, as II undisturbed, his
heart humping, his hand steady.
t'Mr. Warden, it's me that's here, y
said Burns. finally, "and it's mighty
cool you are about 1t"
81 know you are there" replied the
waredn, coolly. why did you come?
Il come because I'm tired Of this.
ain't going to stand it no longer"
You're not?"
t"No, I'm not. l have been in here
twenty years, and that's enough for any
man. I'd rather be dead than stay
longer. I've had enough. I'm going
to- kill you and get out"
How long did you say you had been
here?"
Twenty years" The mans eyes
blinked. Its a cool way you have OF
facing death, Mr.. Warden. But I've
had enough Of this. I'm going to leave
this hell hole. don't know that I've
got anything ag'in you particularly
but I'm going to get out, do you hear?
He raised the dirk.
What do you mean by getting out
Burns? Don't you know that you
eouldn't get a yard beyond the wall
before the sentinels filled you full OF
bullets?" The warden sparring with
time, turned his keen gray eyes toward
the little drawer that held his revolver
'Tll take chances. It's enough I've
had of 1t and I'm going to run chances
and get out of here, alive or dead"
We'll, I wouldn't get excited about
this, Burns: let's talk 1t over coolly."
81 don't want to talk 1t over"
Don't you think you are foolish
Burns? You've been serving long
time, your conduct has been good and
was just thinking of asking the par
don board to consider your case"
"Well, Mr.. Warden, L"
Burns faced the barrel of a revolver
aimed by the surest Of hands. The
warden was on his feet. "If you move
that knife an inch to the right or the
left you drop. Now turn and march to
your CELL"
81 amt going back. l said / was
going to get out of here, alive or dead
and I'm going to keep my word"
"Tll have to shoot, them"
you kin shoot" He watched the
warden unfiinchingly. the knife tight
ened in his grasp. He was waiting a
propitious second to drive its blade
home.
You are a fool, Burns" said the
warden, ito ruin your chances Of par
dom"
do you promise me a pardon, If
II don't promise anything. I simply
say you go back and behave yourself
I'll see what can be DONE"
The prisoner reflected second. But
said l was going to do this and 1t Is
nagging me to death they will be II
come back. Il don't want them to
know lost my nerve"
go back, Burns; nobody but you and
me will know about It,"
"Very well, then"
He dropped his dirk on the floor and
marched off the way he had come
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