Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-05-15

"N ON was thrust into condemn
81 ed cell measuring but 9ls by
III feet and in height a foot less
than its length. Yet even this
hole he was to share with a cOmrade
in like calamity. And in Il dribble of
summer twilight. as the massive door
changed behind him, he found himself
shut up with a young ruffian, con-
demned for murder, with whom he had
had an alteration over trifling mat
ter in chapel yard.
The recognition was mutual. and
Tom held out his hand
His hand was taken with an evil
grace. In a little, however. the other
loosened not unfriendly tongue. but
| one so blasphemous and so foul that
Tom half regretted his advance. He
could not regret it altogether. The
vilest conversation was better just
then than none at all. That of Toms
whilOm enemy was vile enough. with
| its horrid levity, its coarse swagger
| and q forced but bloodcurdling con-
| tempt of death. Still, it was some
! thing to listen to, something new to
| think about and shudder over, and the
creature. having been alone at night
since his conviction on the opening
day Of the sessions, hardly paused till
the small hours of the morning.
| His name was Creasey. He had
been convicted of stabbing his wife Che
was twenty years of age, but had new
| er done 1t; twas pack of lies. But
| he boosted to Tom of many a thing he
| had done in his short life, and they
were such things as Tom never forgot
in his. He lay listening and shudder-
ing upon his bed. Yet when the other
seemed to have talked himself out his
own torrents only began, and he was
grateful when the brute broke out
afresh. So the night wore on until 1
or 2 in the morning. Then there was a
long, unbroken silence, then a sobbing
and a shaking and a burst of frantic
prayer from Creasey's bed; then quiet,
then snoring, and the bell of St Sepul-
cher's marking the weary milestones
Of the night.
Tom never slept wink.
Next morning in the bottom day
room. which the condemned prisoners
|
bed shoulders with q third convict I'M
der recent sentence of death. but this
was heavy, sullen, middle aged man
of the name of Carter, who sat all day
with his huge head between his cruel
hands and spoke to nobody, nor did
either youth venture to speak to him.
Overhead there was another day
room and eleven more prisoners under
sentence nominally capital, but these
We're morally certain of reprieve and
could be heard playing leap frog and
larking and singing from morning till
night
Il wish we were up there said
Creasey mournfully. But wait bit
the yards for us the same as fol
them when it's exercise time, and Their
there'Il be bit O. fun for us allv'
The bit of fun essayed by Creasey
was openly to incite the eleven jovia
spirits from upstairs to badger Ton
and put him in a rage. But by thi!
time Erichsen's reputation in Newgat,
was such that the plot fell through fo
want of supporters. Tom shrugged
his shoulders at the petty treacher.
and was treated by -Creasey with 81,
servility when they were locked up to
gether once more. Meanwhile the bur
den of the day had been hghtened b.
several visitors and as many privat'
interviews.
Mr.. Macmurdo. the surgeon, and MI
Cotton, the ordinary of Newgate. hat
both shown Tom the .kindest atten
j tons. He could see. however tina