The Irish standard., 1907-10-19

Is not a good thing for her to care for
me. She is growing up now, and some
day she will learn that l am here for
killing Comiskey. and the shock will
be bad thing. What had I better
do about it?"
why, Casey" replied the physician,
Il don't know what to say. know
the child is great comfort to you and
that you are part Of her life. Perhaps
We can let her understand some way"
Several days after this, while Irene
was sitting beside him. Casey began to
stroke her hair. He tried to talk of
other things. but he blurted cut:
here?"
well, Paddy. maybe it's because
some bad people had you put here"
she said. Il don't know"
Listen. child. dear" he said huskily.
I'm telling you this so you will know
the difference between me and such
men as your father. so you will know
why he lives up there on the hill and
why l have to stay here and wear. this
suit"
1T was a great many years ago.
Seven years before you were born.
was policeman in New York, and one
Of my friends was named Comiskey
We foolishly got to be bad friends. and
started drinking heavily. He was a
sergeant and I was afraid of him, so
one night, while was so drunk that
I did not know what l was doing,
made up my mind to do something to
him. I went to the station house and
shot poor Comiskey. do not feel that
was guilty, because some one else
loaded the revolver, and didn't know
what horrible thing 1 was doing.
Nevertheless, l killed a man, and
people look upon me as a murderer.
I want you to keep this in mind so
that while you are growing up, you
may know me for just what am"
The child was sobbing by the time
Casey finished, and then she turned
her face up to him, smiling through
her tears.
Paddy, don't care" she said. IT
know it wasn't you. 1t was the drink.
I've heard papa talk about such things.
know my dear Paddy could not kill
a man, and remember what 4. told
you ever so long ago. When I'm old
enough, 1 am going to try to ket you
out of here" 80 -. -
And that was the ten-year- old girls
view of Paddy's case. She began is in
quire about it's every detail and the more
she heard the more she became cor.
WINGED that Patrick Casey in his right
mind was one of the mildest of men.
She never. could associate his smile
with that of deliberate criminal
While her baby fear of tho other pris.
oners never left her mind the attach
ment for Casey grew stronger.
1t was about five years ago, when
Miss Irvine was fourteen years of age,
that she began her first effort to deal
with the situation in legal way. What
she had done for him during the twelve
years preceding can never be told CONF
pletely. Only Casey and she know
that, and 1t is SO much part Of their
lives that it has burned in too deeply
to be told, except as incidents come to
their minds at random moments.
One morning Irene came downstairs
In her home with long piece of paper
which she imperiously commanded her
father and mother to sign. 1t was an
appeal to the Governor Of the State to
pardon Casey Meanwhile Irene had
become acquainted with Casey's rela-
tives and arranged with them to have
a similar petition circulated through
Long Island City. Hundreds of names
were secured and the petition was sent
to Albany. When it failed Irene was
broken and at first she was
ashamed to go near Paddy.
For a couple of years she mado; a.
careful study of all conditions under
which pardons could be secured. ind
there is scarcely a lawyer in Ossing
who has not been told all about Casey's
case at least a dozen times and asked
for advice. Every new official who en-
tered Sing Sing prison was quickly
confronted by her and pleaded in Cas-
ey's behalf
Irene began to repay Casey for some
of the childhood Incidents. He was
getting weak and old. Every time she
paid him a visit she took him a cake
o. pie, a glass Of jelly or some other
delicacy that she herself had prepared
Tor him. Several times. while he was
Ill in the hospital. she went to see him