Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1911-02-24

!
l. Handler glowered darkly at
4 = the door that closed behind
him and through VIII ch No. 1889 was
to be unwillinsly brought. He would
show this man who had dared to talk
to the lieutenant governor that Billy
| Handler was the boss Of Sing Sing
prison and no one else. even lieutenant
governors to the contrary. Discipline
| INST be preserved. Yes, that was it
A, e old explanation that always held
sd when a prisoner who offended
| lie warden in any way was meted
out the vengeance that the warden
would not be denied. Once there was
a thin chested, cough rackcd little
election inspector doing three" for
crooked work ut the polls who had
had his front teeth kicked down his
throat because he would not shine the
warden's Shoes AS for this slick Mr..
Valentine. he was altogether too inde-
pendent, too. and the warden would
give him the lesson of his life. He
would
The door opened. and in came Smith,
holding Jimmy Valentine by the arm.
The warden stood at his desk.
Bring him over here:' he cried
hoarsely, pointing to the space in front
of bis desk
The secretary slipped his hand up
behind the prisoners neck and with Il
violent heave flung Valentine forward
so that he was barely able to prevent
himself from falling flat on his face.
Gritting his teeth, No. 1859 straighten-
ed himself and finally succeeded i'll
suppressing the impulse that surged
within him to spring ut his cowardly
assailant's throat. Probably it was
the realization of the fact that he
knew himself to be more than an
equal for Smith in hand to hand
conflict that enabled him to restrain
himself--the contempt of Il strong.
confident man for an iSnoble inferior.
but the man who had hip locked the
burglar Cotton and had thrown him
headlong to his death from the win
dow of rushing rail way train was
not one to be trifled with. Besides. no
less a parsonage than George Bothner,
the worlds lightweight wrestling cham
pion. had taught Valentine the mys
teries of the grapevine" the "cross
buttock," the "Cornwall heave." the
flying mare" the back heel" the rib
crushing Scissors" the waist and
crotch holds and even the fortunes of
the deadly strange holds. front and
rear
Handler bent over his desk, resting
both his hands upon it, and sneered
at Valentine.
"Why didn't you smash him when
he hit you. you coward?" he asked
the helpless prisoner in purposely ag-
gravating tones. You're losing your
nerve in this little boarding house Of
mine; that's what's the matter with
YOU. You haven't any manhood left
in you. And. say, Valentine, when we
have had you here as our guest two
years more you'll be whining around
like a puppy with the pink eye; that's
what you're coming to. It's bound to |
get youths life-just like it gets all |
the rest of you. thin skinned guys.
Only a bum can live this life and keep
his mind and his manhood"
The cruel words of the warden sank |
deeply into Valentines soul, as Han
der we'll knew they would. But the
prisoner was determined that he would
show no signs of weakening before the
two men who hated him.
Il didn't hit him because I'll square
myself when get out" answered Val
nntine detiantly. land there are a few