The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-06-06
By ROBERT CARLTON BROWN
THE BURDEN OF PROOF

He could hear them moving about in
their cells, grunt1ng and walking around
in their hard prison shoes with a rough
For the first time Convict No. 1881
realized that a man must work in
states prison They had all come back
from the many buildings he had seen.
Some were grimy with dust, others had
clothes.
Across the corridor one man threw
himself on has bunk as though utterly
spent with his days toll, and lay there
Wheezlns as If afflicted with some dis
1t was all horrible. Phil could not
longer He turned to his dinner and
tried to eat But in five minutes he had
pushed the food away.
There came a sudden clang through
the place. A stFident bell had rung.
Immediately there was a rush of heavy
shoes, and then mechanical lock was
thrown back.
Iron hinges grated throughout that
wing Of the building, and Ehil looked up
TO see that the cell doors had all been
oIened, and that the men were silently
falling into line along the hallway.
Two energetic little guards were pae-
ing up and down, cooking with light
nlnS-hke swiftness into the faces Of
tho prisoners.
A solid line formed and the men
marched out to dinner
Phil was left aloEN.
The lock on his door had clicked open
when the others had and Phil realized
pushing on IT,
He thought OF the possibility in a
dreamy sort of way. Even If he were
in the yard below and the front door
to the prison unlocked. he would not
dare attempt TO escape.
A curiosity about his cell door possess
ed him. He began to wonder If il real
~ were unlocked. Thoughtiessly he
Mr.wr- Il - 81.
the bars In a second the door had
swung open.
Phil stepped back in surprise.
Here! Better me- try that again, -
came Kissing voice close in front OF
Phil looked up. There stood the bath
trusty, with an ugly leer on MS face
7 didn't intend to go out" protested
PM I just wondered If the door was
well, you'd better not wonder OF
course you didn't intend to get out,
was the sarcastic reply.
The bath trusty stood looking at him
a hendish smile lurking at the corner
Come here Nc. SSH he said abrupt
Phil made no move. He was not vet
accustomed to the MURDER that he bore
come here, 1 say repeated the lit
lie convict, approach lg the door with
a snarl.
VI mean me tluHFIeQ RnU, start
ing from his place.
Yes, and be quick about It,"
Phil approached The door and the
bath trusty swung 1t open for him.
Then he silently led the way to a win
dow at the end OF the corridor overlook
ing the prison yard.
Phil followed the direction OF the
trusfys finger, and made out several
lines OF Quivering humanity, waverfng
back and forth across the yard They
were all headed toward one building
The lines were long and serpenffne
From that height il looked to Phil as
though each line wes some huge sea
serpent; II was difficult to make out the
units that composed IL
That's the I0cksteE,' explained No
III. The only time you aren't watched
when you are here is when you're Ia
lockstep- Then the line Is watched. II
there's a break in it-weH see those
men with guns on the waII?''
Phil understood and accepted the les
son.
That's ALL" said No. III. abruptIv
turning from the window and leading
the way back TO Phirs cell
When the prisoner entered the door
was closed. but IL was not locked PHI
expressed no curiosity as to whether or
not the bolt had been thrown. He
began to see that II was far safer for
convict 70 lock himself in. If the guards
were lax In their duty