Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1913-09-10
A MISTAKE
A Story For Labor Day
BY DORETHA HALE


called up to go for the doctor. Swift
feared the child would die and began
TO tret. From trotting he increased
his pace to a run.
He heard footsteps behind him, and
they were gaining on him. But be
thought nothing ABOUT it. for his mind
was on his sick child. Suddenly the
pursuer clapped a hand ON his shout
der and handouts on his wrist
What's thisg'' he asked. astonished-
You're wanted" replied a police
man.
Let me go. My child is sick, and
must get doctor"
"Oh, the doctor racket has been
worked too often. It's no good"
Swift was in agony. but could do
nothing. He was taken to police
station. where a complaint of burglary
was entered against him. A woman
came to the station. looked at the pris-
oner and said, That's the man." and
went away.
Meanwhile the mother waited for
the return of her husband with the
doctor. Morning came. but neither
Swift nor the doctor came AS the
sun rose the child died. Then to COM
plete the mothers agony word came
from her husband that while running
for the doctor he had been mistaken
for burglar and arrested.
During the day the tolls frightened
around Swift. The rogues' gallery was
ransacked for his picture. and the
photograph of a criminal named Jack
Dowlen, who was the image of Swift.
was found. The woman who had
identified the prisoner the night be-
fore looked at him again and was
sure it was the man she had caught
opening her bureau drawers and. on
being discovered. had run
There was never clearer case
against a man. Had he been gentle
man he could have proved that bur-
glary was not in his line. bat he was
a plain workingman and could only
prove that his name was on the rolls
of the Carpenters union In good and
regular standing. But this did not
save him. He was convicted of bur
giary and sentenced to six years In
state prison.
The day he was sent up his wife
came to see him. She knew he was
innocent and had sworn that he had
been with her five minutes before the
alleged burglary had been committed
and that he had left her to go for
90 Y-t.
story would have elected sympathy
II it had been believed, but It was
not What was the testimony of a
burglars wife worth? Nothing.
"well, Tom she said to him. this
is hard, isn't IT."
Eyes. Mary, il is"
why don't they find way to avoid
such mistakes?"
81 don't know. suppose they
can't"
Maybe some day the union will
have persons whose business 1t will
be to ferret out such cases as appear
among their members"
81 hope 1t Will"
We'll. Tom. keep up a good heart
I'll work for the children"
The convict was too disheartened to
make any response TO his wife's hope
fitness. All he said was II he'd been
let go on for the doctor the child might
be alive now.
Swift had served a year In prison
when one night a burglar was caught
red handed in a burglary. He hap
pened to be taken to the same station
Swift had been taken when arrested
on his way for the doctor. The man
at the desk looked at him In sur
prise.
Great Scott. man." he exclaimed.
II hadn't heard OF your breaking jailr'
Il haven't broken JAIL" said the
man sullenly.
you We're sent up year ago-that
I'll swear to. What's your nameT
"Oh. I'm Patsy Wolff. | might as
well own up. I've been before the
court so many times / couldn't fool
anybody. Besides. my mug is In the
gallery"
The sergeant looked puzzled
Take him in and lock him up" he
said I'm find out about the matter in
the morning"
The next day he learned that Thomas
Swift. the man he supposed Patsy
Wolff to be. was at the penitentiary.
The picture in the rogues' gallery was
examined. and it was found that 1t
might be the likeness of either one Of
the men. Ii began TO dawn on the po-
lice that they had made a mistake
A month later. after great deal Of
red tape had been united. on the morn
ing of Labor day. Tom Swift was dis
charged from prison. and. having
reached the city where he had left his
family. he saw his companion labor
ers marching. He stood for moment
watching them, muttering to himself:
You've lots to do. boys besides get
ring better wages. You've got to see
that when one of your number gets