Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1907-09-13
The Ex-cOnvict.

! The tx-Convict. &
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IOriginall
was walking one morning in the
country near the bank of river when
4 young man of twenty-five or twenty
three rose out Of some bushes. He was
dressed In convict stripes.
'"Say, mister" he said. pleading with
his eyes as well as his voice, won't
you help me? I've served three years
for a crime didn't commit. Some
young fellers fell in with told me
one night that they were going to
crack a crib asked them what that
meant. They laughed at me and told
me they'd show me. On my word.
didn't know what they were going tol
do. They started to break into
house and were nabbed before l had
time to get away. was taken win
them; convicted and sent up for ten
years"
II ever there was truth written In q
mans face it was In this mans. am
one who believes that there are many
convictions Of innocent persons, and !
resolved to help him. At my instance
he took Of his stripes, tied stone to
them, then sank them In the river.
Then he Jumped In the water, came
out at once, and l lent him as much OF
my clothing as l could spare. At a
house near by he told the 4tory that
he was bathing and tramp had stolen
his clothes. We readily obtained more
clothing, and, going on to 2 stable, ]
hired a closed vehicle, and we were
driven to railway station eighteen
miles away. There l parted with my
man, first giving him what money
had in my pocket my name and ad-
dress and asking him to Communicate
with me.
He did so for eight years. l sent
him enough money to start a news
paper stand, at which he was success
full. To the sale of papers he added
other articles, gradually increasing his
stock till he had quite four1shlng
store under the name Of Nathan Ky
der Falling In with young woman
Of thrifty habits, he married her, first
telling her his story. Several ros!
checked children came to the pair.
and there was a happy home. True,
a sword hung over them all, but the
children were ignorant Of it, and after
| years had passed and the secret was
; not divulged the father and mother
| began to think that they were immune.
One day a man came into the store
and asked for some tobacco. Looking
up from the case, he fixed his gaze on
Ryder.
"Hello, mattel" he exclaimed.
| Ryder turned pale.
"You's the man that escaped way
back when I'd served two years OF
my time. I'm Hardy. ! had the next
| cell to yours"
! The secret was out. The man who
had told it, seeing Ryder's prosperity
| resolved to take advantage of 1t and
| asked for money. Ryder refused to be
blackmailed, but offered to help the
ex-convict, who had served his term
to make an. honest living The ofe,
! was declined. There Is reward fol
information that will lead to the cap
ture of an escaped prisoner, and Hardy
threatened to inform and secure It
Ryder asked for time, telling Hardy t.
come to see him the next day. Their
he went home, put his arms about his
wife and told her that the sword hat
fallen.
j Thriftiness brings self control, ant
self control brings the habit of thrash
ing out important questions as the!
arise Ryder and his wife talked late
into the night of this the most impor
! tant problem of their lives. Should
they permit their savings to pass t
the rascal who would bleed them
Should they live continually under thu
harrow, with a prospect of the secre
being divulged to the authorities il
the end despite all they could do
Seven years of the sentence were ye
to be served. Could the wife keep tn
family In condition for so long a time
Before the couple retired for the nigh
they had decided. Hardy was to b.
permitted to carry the information
But before they slept Ryder wrote ~
Of the facts.
AS soon as l received the letter
telegraphed Ryder to temporize witt
Hardy, and at once took a train TO
Ryder's home. found him and hi
wife together, the picture of despair
Meanwhile l had formed plan b
which l had hope Of Tightening til
blow. On receipt of my telegram r.
der had given Hardy $40, !ntimatin
that he might get more. My pla
might require considerable time, an
I advised him to put aside 500 to
doled out to the threatening inforlne
only as necessary. This done. presse
the couple warmly by the hand an
departed for the state capital.
told the story to the governor, COZ
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