The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-10-13
- A
Shrewd Ruse
By EVERETT 2. CLARKE

DT pRHSelEers IL hNO'- FN'@-
thai we become pretty sharp !
thought no one could pT up JOB on
ma Of auy rind that wouldn't see
through.
One day o man wearing Q sherl1
bndge rot aboard my train with
hnndcufred prisoner. Don't concInoe
from vhat have said that was beat
ep ont Of q fare. The sheriff paid fof
born himself and his prisoner. The!
ss. IL the same seat, and the prisoner
was nundcufed, though the sheriff d1o
nor Eaep D hold Oh the bra celet
After awhile Oh going through the
train for tickets noticed that the
sheriff was nodding The next time J
wei! through he was SOUND asleep II
did not seem 10 me, however, that ms
prisoner could ret away from KIN, Tor
the sheriff was sitting Oh the outside
seat and the mGu couldDT very well
re, uuuy from hiIn without awakening
hin
But when ] went through the train
third time noticed that the back of
the next seat il front Of these TWO
meu had been turned SO that il any
one sci ii i! ht would ride backward.
No one SAT there, for Il seat facing
mn IL handouts was not desirable.
Il struck me that the prisoner was
ppepuring for III escape Should !
wnken the sheriff and caution him? !
saw 40 reason why ! should do 50.
HE, not l, WIS responsible for his pris-
onar Besides, defy any person TO
nvoid gyIuph1hIzing with another il al
attempt 10 recover lis liberty.
The men were sitting in very con
venient place for the prisoner TO get
HWY They were IL the last car Of
the train not far from the rear door
There were Dot half dozen persons in
the car The train WAS local, stop
ping III every station.
When We reached Falkland ! was in
the baggage car got OUT on TO the
plnI, orn according 10 the rule for con
ductOrs, TOOK account Of what passen-
gers h0arded the train, signRled the
conductor 10 pull out got aboard at the
from, door Of the first passenger car
and went through taking tickets. When
] cEnle 10 the last car there was the
sheriff, snoring; the seat beside him
wRs vacant, and the rear door was
wade open The prisoner had gone.
] now thought II time TO awaken the
sheriff and inform him Of Ills loss He
reused himself, looked wildly about
him and seeing what had happened
give me curstng for not having
awakened him before We conductors
R,y used TO being blamed and don't
mind H. At any rate, We are expected
to Keep our tempers when abused The
mEn insisted on ny backing the train
To Falkland which, Of course, re-
fused 10 do, though ! offered TO stop
30 thRt he might get off He concluded.
however, 10 ', 10 the next station
When ne Jeff me he gave me another
curstng, declar tn; 4e would bring
IN action against me for favoring the
escape of his I'risontr by not having
awakened him while be slept and not
returning him 10 the citation where his
mRp had lit out But knew that this
was bluff; he was not likely TO bring
out my testimony as TO how his pris.
oner had escaped through his own neg.
ligsnce.
At the same time ! regretted that /
had NOT Weakened him when saw him
slumbertng. The man be had IN charge
wRs doubtless one who proved On So
c1ety. and il was my duty as citizen
Il not rs railroad Official to do auy.
thing IN my power TO prevent his 70.
ture depredations. Ny conscience is
not oFertcuch. and II seemed TO me
that by aiding criminal to ESCAPE /
had Abetted his crimes.
On The return trip Oh reaching Fslk-
land ] learned that the prisoner had
COT on on the side Of the car opposite
the station. which accounts fer nv not
wing seen him. When the train hsd
moved on be appealed to several men
lolter1ng on the platform TO help him
on with his bracelets. which they did
The last seen Of him he was depart.
1ng with one Of the men who had IS.
sisted him
Some months after this while taking
tickets on my train stopped before 3
vel dressed man whose face was IA.
uiliRr 10 NE.
You don't remember me, conductor
DO your be said
No, / don't
N the man from whom q prisoner /,
escaped On your train some time ago.
recognized him.
Thai business" he went on. was
game we put up on you. wss M
sheriff. and be was no prisoner. We
were detectives bent on getting in
With gang Of train robbers who were
1ad1ng near Falkland and coucoctea
nat scheme 10 gain their confidence
NJ colleague succeeded in becoming
NE Of them long enough TO arrange