The Democratic advocate., 1907-01-25
Slew the Avengers.

by woman was the killing of two escaped
convicts by Miss Lucy M. Willard, an
English governess in the family Of an ex-
Governor of Texas. This is her own story
of the incident:
Il had been some four months with the
family, which consisted of the ex-Gover-
nor, his wife, mother and daughter, when
the southern part of Texas was thrown in
to furore of excitement over an extensive
jail delivery at the state penitentiary.
Twenty convicts managed to make good
their escape, among them several murder
ers undergoing life sentences, horse thieves
and other desperadoes.
The ringleader of the outbreak was
Bill Kelly, known throughout Texas as
Big Bill. Now, it happened that Kelly had
on several occasions while my employer was
occupying the Office of governor written
letters to him begging for clemency and
promising to turn over a new leaf if he
were liberated. To these the governor
paid no attention.
''Several days after the men broke Jail
letter was delivered to the ex- Governor
1t was from Kelly and bore the collection
mark of postofflce some sixty miles dis
tant.
:. You refused me the chance of reform
ing, it read. You laughed at me in
prison. Now I'll give you run for your
money.
Zone Sunday morning about three
weeks after the escape of the convicts my
employer drove with his wife out to his
farm. Most of the servants had gone with
those of the neighbors into town to church,
leaving me with the little girl and two ne
gro servants, man and wife, to look after
the house.
II was just stepping through the win
dow into thetveranda to join Elsie, my
charge, when heard a shot fired some
where behind the house.
"'Lock de do h, Miss Willard, quick !!
Robbers 7 shouted Sam, the negro.
Another shot followed, then scream.
grasped the little girl by the arm, pulled
her into the house and slammed the win
dow shut. Another rang out, and then
Sam ran from behind the house loading
his rifle He shouted something to me
which I could not make out, and in my
terror | ran to the next floor with Elsie
and, locking the door of the library behind
me, shrank into the farthest corner. This
room was on the left Of the house, and
from its window could see two men-one
standing, the other kneeling-beside the
fence nearest the barn.
Gone of the men was very tall and
thin. He was without a hat, wore blue
blouse, and his trousers were tucked into
his boots The other, who knelt, was the
most hideous looking creature | have ever
seen-red haired, with "a long scar across
his face, over his nose, almost from ear to
ear His rifle lay on the top rail OF the
fence as though aiming, while the taller
man was reloading. Suddenly crack
went Sans gun again, and simultaneously
the kneeing man fired. Then he got up
and laughed He had hit our noble de-
fender Suddenly there was loud ring
ing downstairs, which so unnerved me
that | fell into chair.
q THE telephone, Miss Willard, said
little Elsie, who until now had remained
remarkably COOL
"Heavens, what fool [ had been !
That was what Sam had been trying to
tell me to do-to telephone for assistance !
What was | to do? could not leave the
child alone, although she seemed braver
than I, and our only salvation lay in the
telephone. Now there was tramping on
the veranda, and with a crash window
was knocked in.
"sWhat's that noise? said a voice
Burglar alarm, eh Well, you can ring
as long as you like; there amt no one
| here.
''Evidently they thought the place de-
serted and that we had all gone.
1" why, it's the telephone ! said voice
No. 2, with a laugh. Lets see who 1t
| is
g Better not, old pal; they'll get tired
O ringin' and quit
sSuch proved to be the case. The
ringing ceased, and we could hear the men
walking down below.
''They came to the stairway, and just
as the first of the men started to ascend
Elsie screamed out in terror, Papa, papa!
" "sEh, what that?' cried one of the
strangers. why, there's someone here.
Look out, Bill y
s.There was hurried movement, then
shot was fired up at the ceiling. Turn
ing suddenly, my eye caught sight of
brace Of cavalry pistols hanging in their
holsters over the roll top desk. | took
them down, almost as much afraid OF the
things as | was of the men below, but they
seemed to give me courage. | did not
even know if they were loaded, but | no
longer felt my first terrible fear. Elsie was
crouched under the desk. stood in
front of it and was beginning to hope that
perhaps the men would not come up, after
all. when I heard the stairs creak and
knew someone was ascending. The library
was the second door on the left of the
staircase, and I heard stealthy footsteps
approaching from the top of the stairs. A
moment S stiffness, then the knob of my
door turned, but | had locked it. Elsie
moaned aloud in her terror, and the man
outside heard her.
% women folks, Ell? Well, the main
guy ain t here, SO I'll talk to you. Open
the door.
ssThen there was mighty heave, but
the door did not give. | involuntarily
raised the pistol in my right hand, which
shook very much, and pointed it toward
the door. Another heave, and still it did
not give Then there was muttered
curse, and, with crash, the door flew
open, and the tall man almost fell in.
81 pulled the trigger of the pistol.
Once, twice, thrice, each time it spoke,
and the man fell almost against my ex-
tended arm, so close was he when fired.
| was dizzy with fear and grasped the desk
for support, but the ordeal was not over.
Two steps at time came the other rufian