Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1915-10-07
Keeper and
Convict
By JOHN Y. LARNED

ii OO4x v NJ
By JOHN Y. LARNED
Tommy Ruggles and Eddie Barnes
wesD schoolmates. Not only were they
schoolmates, but little chums. They
left the grammar school and entered
De high school at the Same time. From
the high school they went out into the
world to night the battle Of life. Rug
siss drtftsd into the political arena
and after an election, during which be
had done good work for his party, re.
ceivsd the appointment Of head of tbs
state psnitentiary.
Barnes became merchant in q
small way. He finally formed part
nersh1p with man who swindled him
out Of all he possessed. A quarrel en-
snsd that ended in q scufne, during
which Barnes threw his opponent,
whose head struck some hard sub.
stance, and his skull was fractured.
He died. and Barnes was sent to the
psnitentiary to serve . term Of ten
years.
When Ruggles and Barnes met, after
not having seen each other for several
ysars-the one as keeper, the other al
convict-both shed tears.
''Tom." said Barnes, "1'm sorry you
are my TALLER. cannot serve out my
term. and am bound to try to escape.
And wish to say to you now that
expect you to do your duty by the
state like an honorable man. You may
kill me while trying to capture me
when I try to escape"
Don't try the escape game, Ed. II
seldom, II ever, pays. And in this case
Il would be hard on US both. should
certainly do my duty, and you know
where that duty would lie. To me you
are only one Of hundreds Of prisoners
for whom am responsible"
Barnes made an effort to serve out
his sentence without any attempt ia
escape. But one day an excellent op
portunity offered itself. He was in the
yard Of the prison near a gateway
which was opened to admit cart. A
storm came up. and the gatekeeper was
blinded BY a cloud Of dust and light.
ming. Barnes slipped out and ran like
Q deer.
He ran into q house not far from the
prison. where he found woman. 1t
= difficult to repress sympathy with
one bounded for his life or his liberty,
and the woman furnished him with a
suit Of her husbands clothes, and
Barnes persuaded her to give him a
revolver. But Ruggles at the head Of a
force was after him. and the convict
was seen leaving the house. He had a
good start, and when they reached him
h was ON rising ground behind a stone
wall ready to defend himself. Rug.
sies ordered his men to keep back, tell.
ing them that he would 60 forward
and endeavor to persuade the prisoner
to surrender. He walked forward till
10 heard Barnes call out:
"Dont come any farther. Tom. I'm
desperate!'
"Give yourself up, Ed. I've got q
dozen men down ON, the road. II will
be suicide for you to resist, and to hurt
you would DO an awful thing for me. -
Il can't go back to that life. I'd
rather de-
There was grim silence between
them for q few moments; then Barnes
added:
"Go back ana send your men to take
me. don't want to hurt you, and I'm
going to use up the ak shots in my re-
volver"
II wouldn't send my men where l
can do all there is TO be done. II any
one is to be killed in your recapture !
prefer that 1t should be myself"
That's not right. I've got to die;
you haven't. Don't shoot your old
chum or compel him to shoot you.
You'll give me better chance for my
life by sending one of your men, or all
Of them for that matter"
you know I couldn't do that. l
AAN0hV 90 VIGIL kt5Cl6h POSL anu lO0C
myself in another country. But 1t isn't
my position that I'm thinking Of; it's
my honor. The state trusts me to car
~ out the will Of the people, and I'm
bound 10 do SO. II you were my own
brother or my own father / would be
obliged to take you all the same"
II see how 1t is, Tom. We're forced
by fate into this position. II you'll
agree to kill me I'll step out and give
you shot"
"No; you'll have to defend yourself.
I must do my duty to the state, but
I'm not the state executioner"
"Well, won't be captured, and you
won't accept my life. l don't see that
there's anything to be done but for us
to say 'Goodby.'"
you'd better surrender, Ed. With
time OF for good behavior you'll only
have about six years to serve"
"Six years of such life Is far worse
than DEATH"
III you won't surrender promise me
that you'll defend yourself to the best
OF your ability; that you won't spare
me. II you let me kill you you'll force
me to live 4 hfe of regret that would
be worse than your SIX years of i'm
prisonment."
II wish could stand it to do the
rest Of the time. 1t would save you"
Promise"
There was a delay, after which
Barnes promised that he would try to
bring himself to the scratch of firing
OH his old friend.