Evening journal., 1912-06-27
A CAN OF
PEACHES
BY EDWARD L. HICKS

ibCntihA9 young Auhu WIS sent up 10
the institution to serve a term for
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 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 / 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 a couple OF rogues
who intended TO "crack a crib"
Working on the young mans sympa
thles by telling him a yarn about
girl held In a certain house against
her will, they proposed rescue.
Thompson-that was his name-yield-
ed to their solicitations 10 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 balcony TO give the alarm II any
one came. Then. raising a window
with q Jimmy, they entered the house
and got away with lot OF valuables,
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 II not been, as have said. for
his honest expressions for a knowl
edge Of his character. which was child
like and sympathetic. Convinced Of
his innocence, felt sorry for him
and for the girl. who was devoted to
him.
One day Agnes-she was Agnes
Brown-came to me with a can Of pre-
served peaches that she asked to be
permitted TO give her lover. j 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 be
couldn't eat them all at once and beg
ged that he might be permitted to re
ceive them as she had brought them.
She would open them before me to
show me that the can continued moth
ing but what she claimed 1t contained.
l didn't see what prisoner could dc
to effect an escape with tin can II
there were no instruments inside 10
enable him to do so. / brought a 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 aftei
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 l scrutinized t. There we're
preserved peaches. can and label-that
was all The label bore the name OF
the concern that canned the goods and
a picture Of fine ripe peach. A man
might make a saw out Of the tin to cut
wood. but he could not get out OF his
cell without cutting iron. Besides, he
could not make saw even out Of tin
without a file.
mention these minutiae as the rea.
sons why | permitted a tin can to 40
into a prisoner and to show that there
did not appear to be any harm in my
doing So I soon had occasion to state
\them TO my superiors as have stated
them here. for that can OF peaches was
the first and main feature In one OF
the most ingenious and well carried
out plans Of escape have ever known
OF heard Of. on the morning after the
gift had been given Thompson his eel
was found empty and two bars at his
window sawed through. He had fol-
some time been making rope OF his
bedclothing. by which he let himself
to the ground. A confederate. prob
ably Agnes Brown. who had by fire.
quent visits become familiar with the
premises, had thrown a rope over the
wall, by which he had climbed to the
top, where he found a ladder on which
to 60 down on the other side. There
he had found a bicycle and on thi:
scorched away.
lost my position as warden of the
prison, though those who deprived me
OF it could not explain how can Of
peaches had anything to do with .
prisoners escape. But. on the whole
was glad he had regained his liberty
being assured that he was innocent o.
the crime for which he had been i'm
prisoned. There was no evidence b,
which Miss Brown could be convicted
OF assisting him TO escape, and since
she did not go away with him sough
her, and on my promise TO take no ac
ton against her she told me the secret
She had removed the label on the car
Of peaches. put several very thin high
ly tempered saws under it. the ends at
tached 10 the can by bits OF solder. pu
strips OF paper In position TO bring thu
whole 10 the same level and replaced
the label She must have done he
work very deity.
Some months after the episode re
ceived cards 70 the wedding. Since
was not now IN the government serv
l ice I accaDfad I not only accented