The Kennewick courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1905-1914, 1912-07-05
A CAN OF
PEACHES
By EDWARD l. HICKS

the l0SClCuClOu W serve q tSEW AOs
burglary. To look at him No one
would take him for a burglar, for he
had as honest a face as any man
ever saw. and l believe that can tell
an honest man from his expression.
A young girl came to see him soon
after his Imprisonment who seemed
completely broken down on his ac-
count. She asked me to let her see
him. and when l inquired as to their
relationship she said she was his be-
trothed.
Those who call to see prisoners al.
ways assume that the latter are inno-
cent. but from the story this girl told
me about her lover l made up my
mind that he had been victimized. He
had fallen in with couple of rogues
who Intended to "crack crib"
Working on the young mans sympa.
thies by telling him yarn about a
her will. they proposed a rescue
was his name-yield
ed to their solicitations to assist them
and consented to watch while they
effected an entrance into the house
for the purpose
On the night when they proposed to
do the job they stationed Thompson
on a balcony to give the alarm II any
one came Then raising window
with a Jimmy. they entered the house
~, wit laf nf 20 I'm q hloS
leaving Thompson to be caught OF
course the story he had been told
about the rescue had no weight with
the jury. and despite this being his
first offense he was convicted.
would not have believed the young
man capable of being thus victimized
had it not been. as have said. for
his honest expression and for knowl
edge Of his character. which was child
like and sympathetic. Convinced of
his innocence. J felt sorry for him
and for the girl. who was devoted to
him.
One day Agnes-she was Agnes
Brown-came to me with q can of pre-
served peaches that she asked to be
permitted to give her lover. told her
that all could do in the premises
would be to have the can opened. take
out the peaches and let him have them
in that way But she said that he
couldn't eat them all at once and beg
ged that he might be permitted to re-
ceive them as she had brought them
hn RI
show me that the can continued moth
ing but what she claimed it contained.
| didn't see what prisoner could do
to effect an escape with tin can II
there were no instruments inside to
enable him to do so. | brought can
opener. cut the top of the can and
poured the contents out into a dish.
proposed to the girl to let the prisoner
have them In the dish but she said
she had brought some wax with her
with which he could seal the lid after
using a part of the preserves. and
well. did something ! never did be
fore or since consented that he
should have the peaches in the can.
But before sending the gift to the
prisoner | scrutiniZed 1t. There were
preserved peaches. can and label-that
was all The label bore the name of
the concern that canned the g""ds and
a picture of fine ripe peach A man
might make 8 saw out of the tin to cut
wood, but he could not get out of bis
cell without cutting iron Besides, he
could not make a saw even out of tin
without file.
sons why ! permitted a tin can to 90
into q prisoner and to show that there
did not appear to be any harm In my
doing so. ] 5000 had occasion to state
them to my superiors as have stated
them here. for that can of peaches was
the most ingenious and we'll carried
out plans Of escape have ever known
or heard OF. On the morning after the
gift had been given Thompson his cell
was found empty and two bars at bis
window sawed through. He bad for
bedclothing. by which he let himself
to the ground A confederate. prob
ably Agnes Brown. who had by fire.,
uuent visits become familiar with the
premises, had thrown rope over the
wall. by which he had climbed to the
top. where be found LADDER on which
to go down on the other side. There
he had found II bicycle and on this
scorched away
lost my position as warden OF the
prison, though those who deprived me
of it conld not explain how can of
peaches had anything to do with
escape But. on the whole.
| was glad he had regained his liberty.
being assured that he was innocent Of
the crime for which be had beer i'm
prisoned There was no evidence by
which Miss Brown could be convicted
Of assisting him to escape. and since
she did not 80 away with him | socght
her, and ON my promise to take no &C.
ton against her she told me the secret
She had removed the label on the can
of peaches. put several very thin nigh.
~ tempered saws under it. the ends at
iached TO the can ny bits OF solder, out
strips OF paper in position to bring the
" hOl6s fO tho mo tpvot oDH cGantooo6