The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1907-05-11


Strachan, another employer OF
convict labor on a large scale
/ and a disciplinarian second only to DR.
i Sullivan himself. The two were close
1 friends and indispensable to each other
| in certain ways. Both. in fact, Were
magistrates, but no magistrate was
competent TO deal judicially with his
own offending convicts, and thus an
interchange Of mutual favors was kep'
up between the pair.
They would meet on Mondays at the
| courthouse situated midway between
/ their respective strongholds, and at
/ this courthouse DR.. Sullivan would
/ oblige Mr. Strachan by sentencing any
| servant of the latter to many lashes
| as his master liked, while Mr.. Strachan
was only too glad to do the same for
| DR. Sullivan. So great was the mu-
/ tuaI convenience that either potentate
| was delighted to hold special in
| quiry In any exceptional case TO ohlige
| the other. and one was held according
] ly in the forenoon following Toms as
sauIt upon his masters son.
A mounted messenger was dispatch
ed to Mr. Strachan, who sent back
word that he would be at the court
house as soon after II O'Clock as pos-
sible And he arrived within q few
minutes of DR.. Sullivan, his red beard
ed overseer and the culprit. who had
spent the night in heavy irons. which
he still wore.
The doctor led his brother magis
trate aside. and Tom. raising his lack
luster eyes for once. watched them
walking arm in arm in the sunlight
for several minutes before entering
the courthouse. Ginger stood by and
told the constabIes the kind OF man
Tom was. Tom heard him without
word or n look. The constables agreed
that, whatever else he was. he was
evidently sulky brute. Tom heard
them. too. but sat doggedly in the
strong sunlight. with sullen eyes upon
the two magistrates, whom he instinc-
lively knew to be deciding his fate
before the case began. Not a word
had he spoken since the irons had been
clamped upon his limbs and clasped
about his soul
Not word did he speak in the jus
tice room within. His attention, how
ever. was engaged at the outset by the
extremely moderate tone in which the
Sullivan, put on his oath, gave a per-
fectly true account of what he had
himself seen and heard in the small
hours of that morning. He even adj |
nitted. in response to question from |
the bench, his impression that his son |
was the first to raise a hand and add |
ed of his own accord a hope that that |
circumstance would be taken into due |
consideration on his servants behalf. |
Tom could hardly believe his ears. I
He was still lost in wonder at this ex- |
traordluaTy fntercession on the part of |
DR. sullivan. of all men, when Mr.. |
Strachan addressed him in a tone no |
less clement and benign.
You are charged" said he with a /
very grave offense, which you do not |
attempt to deny. In the ordinary
course / should feel compelled to COM
nit you to another court, and your
iightest punishment would be a term
in the chain gang. even it you were not
sent straight away to Norfolk island |
1t is your good fortune, however, to
have been assigned to a humane and
merciful master, who has spoken for
you as l am bound TO say l should not I
have done in his place. He has mag +
unanimously made the most of the one
slender point that might be urged in
your favor. He has begged me TO deal
with you here and now. He is gener-
ously anxious to give you another
of which. for your own good, Il
would exhort you to take grateful adj
vantage. Meanwhile You have not me
to thank. but DR.. Sullivan entirely. for
the ridiculously inadequate punish
ment which / am about to order you.
You viii he taken into the yard and
you Will receive fifty lashes with the
cat o. nine tails
st these words Tom turned very
white and opened his lips as If to
speak. but shut them tight without a
syllable. His logged eyes cleaned.
his handouts ratified and his leg irons
cianked together as the constahies took
him by either arm and led him with
out murmur from the room.
Did 1 say too n1uch:" asked Mr..
Straehan. biting at cheroot, when the
were left alone.
Not one word.'' replied the doctor
cordially Il am infinitely obliged TO
ron for saying what you did-for tho
benefit particularly. They
seemed to see nothing wrong
Mr.. Strachan shook his head.
1T was distinctly irregular. doctor.
A clearer case for quarter sessions I
have never heard
Perhaps not; but then I should
have lost q most competent groom.
and now, thanks to You. I shall keep
him.
Are You sure he viii be worth keep
ing after this?' asked the Angio-In-
liam. sucking az his cheroot. which
vas out a shade darker than his with /
ered face.
Worth keeping? He will be better :
worth it than before. Ii does them
good
THAT is not my invariable expert
~ az sefd S.rarhrn shakinv hsn