The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1906-02-06
One Chance In a
Hundred For Life
SOriginal.l

1t was the old story of murder,
eircumstantial evidence, a legal duel
between the state attorney and coun-
sci for the defense, with a defeat for
the latter and an innocent man sen
fenced to death.
How few days before the sentence
was to nave been carried out he got
out of Jail was never certainly known,
though it was admitted at the prison
that his wife was admitted to see him,
and when she went away keeper re-
marked that she looked taller than
when she went in, and another, seeing
her get on to a trolley car, noticed that
she wore heavy boots. The rest of the
story goes that the wife was found
locked In the prisoners cell alone.
He had been hiding during the day
and had heard them beating the bush
all about him. Several times he be-
Heved that in a few minutes he would
be dragged from his hiding place. But
while men are much more intelligent
than dogs there are cases where dogs
may throw men into a contrast OF stu
pidity. His pursuers could not smell
him.
Night came, and under its friendly
cover he left region where he was
known to be. and must certainly be
discovered on the morrow, IL not dur
ing the night Crawling under bushes
between two men set to watch for him,
he stole through their line and ran
with all the strength he had left after
house. There, knowing that he must
have food for strength to struggle fur
Their, he went boldly in, asked for
supper and ate his fill. Then he start
ed on with one, and only one, advan-
tage-streng h. But his chances were
growing less.
Suddenly he stumbled into depres..
sion and fell. His hands struck
smooth iron and he knew he was on
a railroad. He got up and walked on
the track, soon coming to point where
he could sec a station a few hundred
yards from him. 1t was lighted, and
a single man walked back and forth
on the platform. The fugitive watched
him, suspecting that he was there to
prevent his escape by train. If he
could only get aboard without the
man seeing him he would have fur
Their and better chance than before
to escape. A way train came along
and stopped at the station, but it was
closely watched, and he did not dare
try to get on. The watcher went
through it, and when it had gone left
the station. Doubtless there could be
no other train for some time.
Two hours passed. A man drove up
to the station in a buggy and dragged
a big bag to a post beside the track
a short distance from the station and
attached 1t to beam projecting from
the post. 1t was the mail bag placed
in position to be caught by an express
train.
as self preservation. All that man is
today may be traced to his one in
stinct. The hunted man knew that by
and by an express train would pass,
an iron hook on the mail car would
be adjusted and catch the bag around
swung into the car.
The idea flashed into the fugitive's
brain, Can be swung on to the train
with this bag?" He calculated the
chances, and concluded that they were
about as follows: Death, ninety;
hn fpo nh al,
taken in alive and recovering from
wounds, one.
While he was celebrating there came
from distance the bark of a dog, fol-
lowed by another and another till their
number was lost in a confusion of bay
ing.
His pursuers had secured blood
hounds and his capture was now GER
tain.
Hark-the distant rattle of a train.
1t must be the express. The mans
mind is made up. He will take the
one chance in a hundred.
When his wife had taken his place
in prison she had brought him a rope
and knife These were all the ar
tlcles he had asked for and he had had
as yet no use for them Taking the
rope from his pocket he went to the
post, stood on platform beneath it
and began to lash himself to the bag.
He first tied a part of the rope around
the bottom of the bag, then dashed his
body under his arms to the upper part
of the bag and, lastly, wormed his feet
into the rope about the bottom. This
left his middle free.
The barking of the dogs and the
rattle of the train came nearer, though
6iffaronf no