Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-04-08
The Daily Story
Shrewd Ruse-By Everett p Clarke.

am a railroad conductor. We con-
ductors see so many rackets worked
by passengers to avoid paying fare
that we become pretty sharp. 1
thought no one could put up Job on
me Of any kind that I wouldn't see
through.
One day a man wearing a sheriff's
badge got aboard my train with
handcuffed prisoner. Don't conclude
from what I have said that was beat
en- out Of a fare. The sheriff paid for
both himself and his prisoner. They
sat in the same seat, and the prisoner
was handcuffed, though the sheriff did
not keep a hold on the bracelet.
After awhile on going through the
train for tickets l noticed that the
sheriff was nodding. The next time
went through he was sound asleep. 1t
did not seem to me, however, that his
prisoner could get away from him, for
the sheriff was sitting on the outside
seat, and the man couldn't very we'll
get away from him without awakening
him.
But when I went through the train
third time noticed that the back Of
the next seat in front of these two
men had been turned, so that If any
one sat in 1t he would ride backward.
No one sat there, for a seat facing a
man in handouts was not desirable.
1t struck me that the prisoner was
| preparing for an escape. Should
waken the sheriff and caution him? l
saw no reason why I should do so.
He, not I, was responsible for his pris-
oner. Besides, 1 defy any person to
avoid sympathizing with another in an
attempt to recover his liberty.
The men were sitting in a very con-
yenient place for the prisoner to get
away. They were In the last car of
| the train not far from the rear door.
There were not half dozen persons in
the car. The train was local, stop.
ping at every station.
| When we reached Falkland I was In
the baggage car. I got out ON to the
platform, according to the rule for con.
ductors. took account of what passen.
gers boarded the train, signaled the
| conductor to pull out, got aboard at the
| front door Of the first passenger car
and went through taking tickets. When
came to the last car there was the
| sheriff, snoring; the seat beside him
| was vacant, and the rear door wal
wide open. The prisoner had gone.
l now thought it time to awaken the
sheriff and inform him of his loss. He
reused himself, looked wildly abou,
him and seeing what had happened
gave me cursing for not having
awakened him before. We conductor.
are used to being blamed and DOM
mind it. At any rate. we are expected
to keep our tempers when abused. Tht
man insisted on my backing the tralr
to Falkland, which, of course, l re
fused TO do. though I offered to stoI
so that he might get of. He concluded
| When he left me he gave me anothe
cursing, declaring that he would brin,
an action against me for favoring tn,
escape of his prisoner by not havin.
awakened him while he slept and no
returning him to the station where hi
man had lit out. But knew that thi
was BLUM: he was not likely to brin;
out my testimony as to how his pris
oner had escaped through his own neg
| ligenCe
AT the same time I regretted that
mad not Weakened him when | saw hin
slumbering. The man he had in charg,
was doubtless one who preyed on so
ciety. and 1t was my duty as a citize,
II not as railroad official 10 do any
thing In my power to prevent his ia
ture depredations. My conscience 4
not overtough, and 1t seemed to m,
that by aiding a criminal 10 ESCAPE
had abetted his crimes.
! On the return trip on reaching Fals