Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-03-26
mAHRAY HIDES HIS TEARS.
Forces Jests As He Begins Two-Year
Prison Term.

Forces Jests As He Begins Two -Year
Prison Term.
Leavenworth, Kan. March 26.-1t
wasn't a desire to be funny that led
John C. Mabray. to Jest with his guards
at the gates Of the federal prison at
Fort Leavenworth.
The guards and the visitors knew 1t.
There are times in life when laughter
hides tears, and those who knew Ma
bray best said that when he. stepped
inside the cell assigned to him and
looked about it's cheerless walls his re-
mark that 1T resembles the parlor in
city fiat" was the sorriest sort Of
pathos. Men like Mabray seldom COM
plan at hard knocks. They are ready
to tackle anything. Their faces tell no
tales. Four aces or a royal flush send
no rush of blood to their cheeks
"Some class to this structure" one
of the twelve prisoners said as the par
ty stood at the gates waiting to be re-
ceived by the federal officers.
''wen, SIR Mabray observed,
thoughtfully, 'T don't believe I quite
like the design. 1t doesn't seem high
enough. Think I'll add a story or two
while I'm here"
He held his hands palms up and then
IelI LlGlr SOllHtSS, IuDDlAG tAIClIl ~
gether as if specializing over their
and plump and the nails showed evil
dences of care.
"'Poor little hands," he quoted. as a
man talks to himself "tPoor little
hands, so soft and white; they've been
such friends to me- We're facing hard
times, now, tho"
InfJ1 - a
friend said, trying to offer a bit Of
comfort. "Good behavior means some-
thing off. You'll get thru"
mot thru just in" Mabray said.
"This is two-year course I'm going
to take. Lordy, what men will do for
money! And / started on a farm"
"The yield wasn't large enough; you
went in for intensive methods" one of
the party suggested.
Down in Mississippi, 1t was" Ma
bray went on. "All my people are there
what's left Of them. Eight dollars a
month was the pay. What self-respect-
ing boy of American blood would stand
for that? Eight dollars! I've Apent
that much in day for cigars. How'd
like to be back there today on. the
farm! I made the mistake that many
farm boy makes. I thought money
and life under the lights were the sum
total OF desirable existence. 1t was
years before I got into tine running.
Gambling-,s square games at first. where
everyone had a chance and then the
games where lead pipe cinch' was
the thing. No man can defy the law, for
long, tho, and I'm going to get mine
now"
There's one regret in this for me-.
one of the eleven companions in mis-
cry said. "And that is that all. the
Mikes who tried to beat the game
aren't here with US. They were just as
crooked"
'They were," said Mabray. "They
had graft in their white hearts when
they fell for 1t. Respectable business
men, and church members and hon
est farmers and worthy capitalists
willing to sneak few thousands If
no one caught them. I'd be glad to
serve an extra two years to have some
of them here with me-"
They were Mabray's only hard
words. When he entered the prison his
record was written In a big book by q
gray-haired man who had been a bank
er In an eastern city, a sad-faced man
whose eyes were dull. The magazine
and newspaper the warden let him
have were handed him by an aged man,
We.k nnder the Burden Of years ana
remorse-another ex-banker. His pic
ture was takan by q man who had
defyaudsd a1ehdD end Assoc1Ata9 IA ~
=