The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1908-10-23

IN A VISION He
Sees FREEDOM.
Romance Leading to Release
Of Prisoner.
A Good Luck Story of a Man
Who Had Been in Hoe
Eleven Years.


sentence because of dream-such Is
the romantic circumstance surround.
ing the release of George w. Jones
from the Texas state prison az Hunts
vile, where ne was incarceraJed eleven
years ago on the charge of murder
ing woman.
In many respects jones' Was a re-
markabe convict. The murder fci
which he was imprisoned was CON-
mitted in Williamson county. A wo-
man whose name mad been handled
more or less by local gossips Was
found dead. Certain circumstance
seemingly pointed to Jones rs the muir
derer. He Was tried and convicted
His wife showed ner devotion by re-
moving from her nome to Huntsville,
the penitentiary town, so that she
might visit him frequently. He fur
nished money for her support.
Jones maintained his innocence of tire
crime, setting forth tnat ne was at
ain hines devoted TO his wife and had
never associated with other women.
For about a year Mrs. Jones was a
frequent caller at the prison. II was
the one bright spot in Jones prison
life these visits from mis- wife.
But there came time when the WIS.,
its were not SO frequently. Jones pinned
but his wife explained that she
feared TO gain the displasure of the
prison officials. She felt that they
were annoyed by her calls.
One day after the visits had slack
ened there came a civil officer to the
prison with a divorce summons for
Jones.
Here is a paper for you,' said the
officer.
Jones' heart fluttered. Probably tina
faithful wife Of his had secured him
pardon.
He glanced at 1t hurridly. He real
lied its meaning.
Catching up the hatchet with which
he had been working, he severed his
right hand at the wrist, and with has
left he handed the amputsted member
to the deputy, saying:
Take this back to my wife and tel.
he 1t is my answer to her divorce pet
tion-my good right hand, a hand that
has never committed crime but mas
worked all these years for her sup
port"
The divorce was granted, and the
wife soon married again-married a
man wnom she met In Huntsville,
where she was living to be near her
convict husband.
Jones wounded arm healed after a
painful siege, but ne always mourned
for his wife and often in the night
the guards on their rounds would ksaS
him sobbing her name.
And now for the strange part OF the
story.
]. III. Waldrip, who lives at Chester,
Tex, and who ten years ago read
newspaper accounts of how Jones had
chopped his hand off, dreamed few
weeks ago OF the affair. He also saw
in his dream the murder Of the woman
saw the tragedy enacted, ne declares
as plainly as though he mad been an
actual eye witness. Waldrip was not
acquainted with Jones, had never even
seen him but he was familiar with his
description from hearsay, and the man
he saw in his dream-the man who
killed the woman-was of entirely dif-
ferent appearance.
Waldrip was so impressed with his
dream that ne felt called upon to
study the case. He neglected his own
business and delved into the records.
He interviewed the prosecuting attor-'
ney In the case. He sought the trial
judge, long since retired and begged
MIN for assistance in freeing Jones.
The man is not guilty. know 1t
l saw duOtner man COliiniL tudt nun
der, saw him in my dream" Waldrip
declared with earnestness.~
AT first Waldrip's dream was looked
upon as a joke. His friends feared
for his sanity. But ne kept persistent
ly at his task and all last attracted
more or less of following. Little
by little the tangled skein was I'M
wound, and now through the dream OF
Waldrip total stranger the governor
of Texas and the pardon board have
set free Convict Jones.
Bereft of the wife for whose love
he sacrificed his right hand, Jones has
sought seclusion on a ranch near San
Antonio where he says he shall re-
main.
OA9ToREA. .
80. <sIhs Kind You Have Always Bouct&