The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1912-02-03

~ AhSON Ntt.1I ~ '@-1t 10
M{Wj not often that the condemn
W& ed felon, hearing bolt shot
NIX behind him in the door of a
1SL9I death cell, hopes to feel and
9 breathe the open air again,
save for Il few terrible no
mcnts when he marches out TO the
scafIold, to die. Never does he dream
that he will again see the gayety Of
life and freedom expressed in scenes
Of strength and skill, or that he will
be permitted to participate in them,
writes Il special correspondent OF the
st. Louis Post-Dispatch. That is why,
in all the annals of baseball. there is
no record OF such an umpire as Casey
murderer Casey OF the Nevada state
pr2on-who went from death cell
to Judge Il baseball game b.tween two
teams Of his fellow cnnvicts.
Patrick c. Casey, whose wooden leg
and sobrlGuet of "Pegleg" tell one
chapter in the story Of his misfortunes'
was fan Of fans in tine gone past.
THAT was before he wandered into the
land where "six.shooters" and Bowie
l,nivcs set tho Dorwinian theory aside.
Thai was before Cold6rld had sprung
~, in the desert to lure men on to
hardships that might yield luxury or
death, and before Casey, in that tHrbH-
Lent and terrible GoldfeId summer Of
1ooq deliberately sauniered down a
street or fine mushroom civ, slew
,rre Thomas ueslip on her own door.
stcn and d,npermsly wounded Mrs.
,rhom.s Mann n guest AT the IIeslip
home @ h,5
po,wocr Casey the prIsnr umpire,
and casey tha boy wranrltnr with
thor Lovs nm CORNER lot where
"cominp champs" were wont to nut
+Loir bonos N teet = series of event.
mi vears had ip;erposed record
which was long and not loo good, and
m which casey had played the game
with load instead of tbe horsehide
s,t'roiG of thn diamond
Rut The yaars had not made Casey
rorqot and tbn wayword life of the
r,irin~ camps had no, STAMPED out Of
hi. sou inc shirt of snort and his
oId.tino love or our national game.
when he was led to the warden's Of.
Cce fax weeks AFRO and informed
ina, nj. Mon for 4 new trial had re.
Ic,scd him for 4 time at any rate,
from the death cell he had occupied
since Deccmbet :. 1909 his first re-
nrest WAS that ne might take some
rort in the baseball glmes then be.
Inc ulponed for prisoners whose sen.
tances sion short Of The gallows, And
when bn stood behind the bat to oficl
otn n, thn first of the prisoners
b,eeh,lI games there was no tremor
nv donbt in the voice that cried: Pat.
for mn. NAV ball,"
surely Remarkable Game.
In order 10 see the ball game,
Casey gave the warden his word Of
hrror trat he would abide by all lie
rules governing the prison yard. he
rromisnd thai he would act as q fair
and imn,rtiaI Judge He swore that
No would make no attempt to escaIe
ar in cheof me gallows BY destroyil 9
himself while he was at liberty in the
ward In a word, Casey. TIE GoldReld
murderer whose life was being de-
mapded by all the people of Neyala,
Was strictly ON his honor" to be
GOOD ope afternoon
SwreIr that was a unique and rer.
hans remarEabIe came of ball There
was m velvet green with soft brown
maths If earth. The diamond was
black strips Of paint laid on the hard
face of the prison yard, which Is
blasted and quarried out of solid
rock. in the heart Of which the exca.
yators found mastodon tracks and foot
prints Of prehistoric men.
one team was composed Of shines"
and thp other Wnltn men WHOSE crimes