The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1908-07-23
AF TER SEVEN
YEARS FREE
MAN RETURNS
A Convict From Escambia
County Voluntarily Re-
turned to Florida to Serve
Out Sentence After Seven
Years of Liberty.

Special correspondence from ITALIA
hassee says: In 1899 S. T MiIsteG
was sent to a phosphate mine TO
serve a ten-year sentence He es-
capped and after seven years of free
dom has voluntarily returned to the
mines to finish his term
MilSted nine years ago was farm
er in Escambia county, twenty-nine
years old. married, and the father of
four children 1t was during his wild
DAYS that he incurred the i'll will Of
some of his neighbors to such 4 pitch
that the gun-toting habit had come to
be constant.
Eventually the clash came with
two neighbOrS. There was a cross
fire, Milsted receiving two flesh
wounds, and one of his advers2r1es,
James O'FaFrel, getting a load OF
squirrel shot in the thigh. Milsted
was indicted Cor assault with intent
to commit murder, was tried before
Judge Blount and sentenced to ten
years in the penitentiary-
One month after entering upon his
sentence he was made truSty and
assigned to duty as camp cook When
Unlisted became a convict Cicero Neel
was in charge of the camp as super
intendent- Milstead remembers him
as a kindly man, conducting his
trust with a firm hand, but one which
had no sting of cruelty.
Resented New Masters Rule.
After a time Neel resigned and
went into business for himself Then
followed a new regime in the convict
life which kept the prisoners in a
state of revolt. This condition work
ed upon the resentful nature Of Mil
laid his plans to taat end secretly and
carefully. so that when the opPortun-
ity presented itself he was ready to
seize it. He got away with a gun,
several rounds of ammunition and
suit of citizens clothing
II was the custom at the camp
when the convicts arrived to nave
them stripped of their clothing out
side of the stockade and dressed in
stripes. 1t usually happened that the
new arrivals came in at night, and
this transfer was made in the dark,
the clothing taken from the new ones
being left on the ground with orders
to the TRUSTEES TO burn IL the morn
ing following. Unlisted had often
helped in the disposition of the new
mems garb of citizenship, and as the
guards were not particularly watcafuI
IL
to appropriate a suit of citizens
get il when needed
For months he began saving his
pennies, and at the time of his es-
cape he had the sum of $3.50. Being
trTsty he had the freedom of the
camp. and one night as storm was
brewing he was sent outside the
StOckade to close the windows of the
guards quarters Slipping out one OF
the guns of the guards, he went out
side and kept going. The storm came
on and he was in it At the first
resting place he changed his stripes
for the suit which he had hidden
away, and for days walked, hardly
stopping at night for rest until he
was miles from the camp. Little by
little his store of cash increased as
he picked up odd jobs of work
Stranger in a Strange Land.
1t is a matter of pride to him now
that he didn't beg single meal on
this trying journey and finally the
day came when he had money enough
to pay his way to Texas No sooner
was this hope realized than il was
acted upon, and he went to a strange
land, without money, friends or a
past that he could refer to.
Milsted had been in Texas leading
the life of a fugitive seven years.
During that time he had not seen a
familiar face or any one from whom
he had cause to expect arrest or re-
capture, but he was haunted night
and day with the paIpitating presence
CO wrongdoing, rendering his life a
burden.
He never went to church. but the
Salvation Army held services on the
streets of the little Texas town every
night and by some force he was led
to attend the meetings As ne listen
ed to the simple confessions of faith
night after night the burden that
Milsted carried grew heavier and by
degrees he came to the conclusion
that he must seek relief from the
gnawing trouble.
All these years he had been sepa-
rated from his family. Not until two
years ago did his wife know of his
whereabouts, and after she did know
communication was not frequent The