The Washington herald., 1911-08-13

place Of my trial, to Louisville, where !
was to be placed in Jail Sitting in the
car, with handouts on my wrists, I had
| time for reflection. My brother John
had left the country-a fugitive from
justice. the people said He was gone, II
is true, but he was not guilty of any
wrong. I thought of him. of my Chris
ttan parents, alone in their mountain
home. and of my own hard struggle for
an honorable place in politics and my
profession.
LAS evening came on, felt very
wretched. I had tried to climb upward,
| and now I was a felon, scorned and
abominated. Passengers came and went.
some looking at me in hate, and others
with compassion. which was worse Like
wild beast, I was being hauled in
chains. and those who did not pity me alb
horred me and hoped for my destruction.
That was the blackest hour OF my life.
In the twilight, I looked at my soul and
found 1t dead.
AT my second trial the Judge said
and I can hear his voice yet: I now
sentence you to confinement for the re-
mainder of your natural life at hard
labor, in the State penitentiary at Frank
in my ears, 1 was handcuffed and taken
through the streets of Georgetown. three
guards in front of me, three guards be-
hind me, and a guard on either side
again to be pitied or openly cursed by
those whom we passed.
Just before the third trial my father
died. He had mortgaged his farm for
my defense. I offered to give a bond of
$50, 900 that might go back to the noun
tains for a few days and be with my
mother. The bond was refused. That
hour of my life is also very dark. My
mother was alone, her husband dead in
her little home, one son hiding in a dis
tant State, and another son in prison.
Was ever woman more affiicted?"
did you lose heart at any timer
Fortunately. I did not. Shut away
from the world for so many years, denied
fresh air and the sunlight, thrown among
criminals of all descriptions, might
have gone to pieces had / not kept
steadily at work and had not believed
that some day my guiltlessness would be
established. Thus hoped on and toiled
on. Had I sat in corner of my cell
and brooded. would have gone mad"
Did your Imprisonment in any way
change your views Of life?"
Women Were His Interest Enemies.
IT am not the same" Mr.. Powers an
swered Perhaps am older. Possibly
the changes realize from day to day
would have come anyway. I am bound
to say, however, that the ordeal I went
through has giver me different atti-
tude toward women. Men of the South
sanctify women. bow down and worship
them. We compare their purity. beauty.
and fragrance with the flowers that
bloom in our gardens. They are full
of compassion, we say. and healing fol-
lows their soothing touch and presence
So I thought. with the rest Of the men
of my race.
But women were my cruelest and
most relentless ei enies. They came to
my trials. took seats among my foes.
gazed at me through opera glasses, and
manifested their satisfaction at each
point made against me by the prosecu-
tion. Every step that seemed 10 take
me nearer to the galIows brought smiles
to their faces. and I heard their whisper
ed words Of jubilation. Somehow. II
don't look on women as I did long ago.
My conviction now 10 that they ara very,
very human, We part with old ideals
with : psng. am sorry that the beau