The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1911-06-01


nor to pardon you?"
mo; l wish her to tell me how to
escape" ms ~ '.~::-as-- -v,-ssr.,
The jailer looked at John again. this
time with melancholy expression.
He considered that man who would
send such message by one whose
business 1t would be to thwart any
plan that might be adopted must be
losing his mind.
"All right" he said humoring the
poor man; "I'll give her your message"
The jailer went the next day to the
town where the woman lived and, hav
ing transacted the business he had to
do, went TO see her,
"How is my poor husbands" she
asked at once.
"Have you the courage to hear some
bad news?" inquired the jailer in lieu
Of reply. t..-
Eyes; tell me at once" she asked
eagerly.
"Well. I fear the confinement and
the attendant misfortunes have at.
fected his BRAIN"
The woman was very much over.
come BY this and begged the TALLER to
tell her what had brought him to such
q conclusion. whereupon the latter
gave her her husbands message. Az
soon as she heard 1t she set up such
wall that many Of the neighbors
rushed in to know what was the mat.
ter. Mrs. Bounce told them that the
imprisonment her husband was SUI.
fering for an offense Of which he was
innocent had affected his mind; he
had gone daft. They advised her to
secure the services Of a lawyer to
have John brought before a commits.
sion to determine the facts. II one Of
unsound mind had been convicted an
injustice had been done which should
be righted. The prisoner had always
been much liked in the town. and
great deal Of sympathy was mani
tested for him. When the TALLER left
them he promised the wife that he
would observe her husband closely
and when he came again would bring
her another message-that Is. II John
had any to send.
The next message the TALLER brought
Mrs. Bounce was: my TALLER thinks
me insane. he never was more mis-.
taken In his life. Wings are now
growing on my shoulders. By the
first day of the month they will be
fully grown. and then I shall 6y up
the chimney and return to you and
our children"
When Mrs. Bounce received this
message she walled louder than ever.
declaring that the cruel treatment her
husband was receiving. he being in.
generated in cell. was making his
condition worse every day. The jailer
assured her that her husband was not
In cell, but In room by himself, In
which there was an old fashioned
large chimney giving fine ventilation.
But she refused to be comforted.
As soon as the Taller had departed
Mrs. Bounce went out and bought sew.
eral ladders. besides afty feet of stout
rope. and put them In her cellar. On
the night Of the last day Of the month
she hitched the family horse to the
wagon. put the ladders and the rope
in 1t and set out for the jail. She
timed her starting to reach her desh:
nation at midnight. and, stopping q
short distance from the building that
stood by itself. she carried the ladders
to the wall that surrounded 1t. Placing
one ladder against the wall. she mount.
ed It, and. selecting another that would
reach from the wall to the roof Of the
jail. with the coil Of rope on her arm
she climbed on to the roof and, going
to large chimney. let one end Of the
rope fall with a thud on the hearth
below. John. who was on the watch.
heard It and. selling It, tied 1t around
his body under his arms. Then, Jerk.
ing 1t for signal, Mrs.. Bounce began
to pull.
The chimney was not large enough
to enable John to help himself, but
bis wife was strong as we'll a.
shrewd woman. and by dint Of hard
pulling she got him up. and. scram.
bling to the wall and to the ground
outside. they took the ladders and the
rope with them and drove away.
The next morning Mrs. Bounce told
the neighbors that her poor deluded
husband had appeared at home during
the night, declaring that be had wings
on bis shoulders and had flown up; the
chimney. They were all very much
puzzled. but swore that the half witted
fellow should not go back to Jail.
When the TALLER learned what had hap,
pened he knew De had been outwitted,
but, he dare not tell the story to the
authorities. So he made feint at re-
capturing John. but was driven OF by
the neighbors and, finally reported that
It would be impossible to take the luna.
tic back to jail without a large sherfff'ss
posse. So theImatter went by default,
and John remained at liberty.
It Is needless to say that he soon
recovered bis sanity. EIsf