The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-04-07
Feline and August Palm Join
Jail Gloomy" Colony.
Tommy" Jailbird Kitten, For.
merry Pet of Murderer.
THE JAIL lis, FLOODED.
Mrs. Matte Troy's Attorney sAd.
vised Shamming Insanity.
Jailer blank" Bayless Worried
by Trouble With Prisoners.

| Even the cat at the county Jail has
| gone crazy and Under Sheriff Bayless,
who is in charge of the Jail doesn' t
| know whether to resign or jump in
the river. The cat and August Palm,
erstwhile evangelist, but better known
for his activity along other lines, are
the latest addition to the '1oony''
| colony at the jail. Add to this that
Mrs. Troy broke the faucet off the
water pipe in the third floor of the
Jail last night and flooded the build
ing and the fact that it is now alleged
| the woman's attorney is responsible
| for her faxed" insanity and you
have a fair idea of what is driving
| officers at the county prison almost
mad. a
But the cat. There is quite story
connected with the cat. Several
months ago when it was a poor, hun
cry little thing it made its way into
the Jail. Through the corridors it
crept looking for a sign of welcome
from some of the men imprisoned
there. But none of the prisoners paid
any attention to it until it reached the
end of the cell row on the lower floor.
There a man beckoned to it and
it made it's way to him.
The man was Charles O'Neil now
awaiting the infection of the death
penalty for the murder of q French
woman upon the Fort LeavenWorth
kitten and cuddled it close to him.
In a few minutes dinner was served
at the Jail and the poor starved kitten
was given a portion of that dinner.
after that.
Cleaned Jail of Rats.
Sleeping on the foot of O'Neifs bed
or rubbing against his legs by day
and catching rats in the corridor by
night Tommy grew up inside the
CT other T0riS0narS liked
him and he was the comfort of
O'Nei's life. Soon he become too
large to crawl through the narrow
openings in the steel cages and his
life was spent inside. Tommy was
a Jail bird. Not long until there was
not a rat in the jail. And Tommy"
waxed fat and grew to the size of
the usual Tommy"
When O'Neil was taken. away he
nearly shed tears at the thought of
parting from his feline friend. But
Tommy couldn't understand that
farewell caress and rubbed and purred
went away and Tommy saw him no
more. He was not forgotten how
ever, as once each week a letter is
received at the jail from O'Neil and
he urges everyone in the Jail to take
good care of the cat.
But of late there has been some
thing wrong at the county. jail In
sanity or trouble has been in the air.
And .TOmmy got l. Ills
when the prisoners were taking their
morning visit in the corridor, the cat
went mad He dashed back and
forth, here and there, kissing, splitting
and showing all the symptoms of an
ger that a cat can show. The pris-
oners set up a howl and demanded
that the cat be removed. A trusty at
last caught Tommy by the back of
the neck and carried him outside the
jail.
Ran for n Tree
If Tommy remembers the outside
world it must be dimly. For a mo-
ment he gazed about him in surprise.
Then true to the instinct which is no
ticeable even in some men he dashed
to the nearest tree. Up high among
the branches he climbed until he
reached the top. Then he perched
himself and looked, his tail as big as a
mans arm, weaving back and forth
and his eyes blazing out indignation
at everything he could see. Tommy"
couldn't understand it. g
Down he finally came and almost
ran himself to death, chasing back
and forth across the street, around the
building and up and down the tree. |
ton on the porch of the jail, from
where he spat and Missed at eNeIS
passerby.
Some were for shooting the cat, but
not so with Mrs. Bayless, wife of the |
She walked to the cat, |
wrapped her apron around him and |
took Tommy into the residence por- |
ton of the Jail with her. And Tom |
N.Y. was happy. He was back in jail. |