The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1907-12-26
The Anarchist


John Cunningham had been gov
ernor Of Dartmoor prison for thirteen
years, and during that long interval
not convict had succeeded in making
his escape Tie g-"ernor fattered
himself Oh this fact He Lived four
miles from the prison, and the less he
visited it the better things were run.
Governor Cunningham finally decid-
ed to write book GA criminology.
That was Il perfectly natural thing,
since he had 50 many specimens al
hand. He meant that book to be
standard and to contain matter to as
tonish the world. He was entirely ig~
norant OF his subject. but he went to
work like man who means business.
To get his data he had to have prison.
ers brought before him to be question
ed and to have their heads examined.
The governor had boosted more than
once that he could tell a predisposed
criminal ten rods away.
One Of the prisoners called before
the governor was James Broughton,
who had received a sentence OF five
years fol embezzlement. The family
was a respectable one, and this was
the first offense for a hundred years.
Broughton himself had anything but
criminal tendencies. He was well edu-
Gated, we'll appearing and was remark
ed for his intelligence. The governor
found in Broughton the acme for
which he sought. He put him down as
a man who was born with the in
stincts of a thief. He did not credit
him with ordinary intelligence. He
found him a victim of homicidal mania.
Broughton had entered prison de-
termined to make his escape If it was
within the possibilities. After years
good conduct he was named for the
agricultural gang the TRUSTEES who
moved the meadows and raised
share Of the fresh vegetables consumed
in the prison. He had friends outside
to aid him in so far as furnishing him
q suit Of citizens clothes and a small
sum Of money. He had made up his
mind to go to South America, and he
must have several hundred dollars.
The fact that he knew not where to
raise the money prevented his escape
for months. 1t was not until after the
governor had made him a choice speci-
men of criminology that brilliant idea
came to him. AS the agricultural gang
marched back to prison one evening
Bcoughton was missing, and the alarm
was given. He had found the suit, had
been met by friend with horse and
buggy, and by the time the guards
were securing the country for him the
convict was at the governors house.
A rather queer thing had happened
to the governor ten years before, and
as the incident had been published 1t
was common property in prison and
out He had made a trip to Russia,
aided an anarchist without knowing
what the man was, and after being
shut up In fortress for month he
had been given his liberty and escorted
to the frontier. This humiliation ran
killed. in his breast, and he was not
backward about saying to freeman or
convict that he would do most any
thing to get square with the Russian
government He had been so outspo-
his own government to moderate his
speech. He took warning by it, but he
still chafed. The telephone called the
governor up to inform him that a con-
Wet had escaped, and while he was
fussing about it the card of a stranger
was brought in. The name was that
Of a Russian, and the governor at once
thought Of anarchists and nihilists and
arbitrary measures and became hot.
There was a confab lasting an hour.
The Russian did not hesitate to confide
in the governor. He informed him
that plot was on foot to Overturn
the government and raise a republic
on its ruins. He was asked to assist
in the conspiracy. He knew that such
action would make him amenable to
the law, and yet he remembered the
dreary days and nights in that cell in
the fortress. He had never talked with
more intelligent man. He had never
met with another foreigner who spoke
the English language so correctly.
ne warning received ny the great
man was ringing in his ears, but he
thought of the miserable food, the wet
straw and the manner in which he had
been bounced out Of the cars domin-
ions and warned to stay out. The tele-
phone gave him the particulars of the
convict's escape and inquired about of
fering a reward, but he was too busy
to attend to such trif1es. He first said
no, but as the Russian rose to leave
the house the governor brought out a
bag containing $500 in gold and placed
it on the table and turned his back
and began to hum the air Of tune.
The Russian tumbled to the subscrip-
ton and murmured his thanks. With
the gold he picked up one of the gov
ernors cards. An hour later a train
was bearing him to Liverpool. He was
stopped on the way and stopped again
as he went aboard a steamer for South
America, but that card Of the governor
carried him through.
The search for Broughton was thor
oi1gh and long drawn out Az II was