The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-05-31

and dressed. We wore boots in those days, and in putting on my footwear the tongue of one chafed my instep, so much so that I limped in coming downstairs l felt bad that morning. I rarely drank but that morning I felt the need of a cocktail Not wishing to drink alone l asked the clerk to join me. He did so and we enjoyed two or three.
 Then I took walk up to Washington street From there I walked out to the canal, and crossing the water, strolled by a rough shack by the side of the road. The house was built like barn, the boards running up and down and the cracks covered with laths. As passed the house a woman came out and stood in the doorway l recognized her as Mrs. Cox. Of course, 1 wanted to see her, and I placed my hand on the gate post to walk in the yard. The wood of the post was rotten and as it crumbled in my hand a nail in the wood pricked my hand. I jumped with the pain and woke up.
 My foot was hurting me as lay in bed just as it had in my dream. The bed had scratched my hand. But I took the hint and also the walk in my dream. Crossing the canal I saw two houses instead of enc, but they did not face the road. walked past several times, hesitating as to what to do. As I passed the larger house the last time man walked out.
 well, Captain Halls, what are you do- ing here+'
 q had known the man in Danville.
 "I guess there's some one you know next door," he said Remember old Mrs. Cox?' She lives there I piled him with questions and he said that man had been stying tn ere. but never ventured out doors except at night. In town I secured an old army uniform=the war was just over. you know-and thus disguised paid visit to Mrs. Cox. I had supposed that she would know me- but she didn't. She sold drinks there and I bought several times.
 Finally she confded in me that her son had committed a crime in Illinois and that "Old Tom Halls was on his trail: so he had enlisted at the arsena, two days ago. Up to the arsenal I went but not before I had obtained a letter from Governor Oliver P. Morton to the captain of the arsenal, explain ing my business and commanding that my requests be granted.
 I introduced myself to the captain and told him my business. He sum- moned a guard and said: Take six men. arrest Private Griffin, disarm him and strip him of his buttons and place him in the guard house. Don't fail to arrest him.
 In the guardh ouse I went to Grf- fin His bad eye fared and he fought like demon He cursed me. He was. sentenced to 25 years in the peniten tiary by the Illinois judge. But that's not the end.
 During the trial Griffin sprang to his feet. You may put me in the pen lf you want to-" he screamed, but I'll ger that man who arrested me yet" And he shook his fist at me.
 Some years later I had occasion to arrest an escaping convict, and because treated him so well he told me some thing.
 T cell with Cal Griffin" he said, and every night before he goes to bed he curses you. He mutters your name continually and will get you sure, if you don't look out"
 This made me inquire of the prison officials the date of Griffin's future lib eration for I knew that Griffin was T desperate character and would not hesi- tate to kill me on sight at any place and time. The warden replied that he was extremely ssorry-he evidenly thought l wanted to arrest him again but Griffin had been killed the day be- fore. He had become engaged in quarrel with a fellow convict in the shoe shop and with a cobbler's knife the man had literally disemboweled him.
 Retributive justice that he should be thus killed, was it not? He was per haps the most diabolically brutal man ever arrested. And l might neve. have arrested him had not my dream came true.
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