Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1917-10-05
A Grievous Error
ALabor Day Story
Bv EDWARD MCFARLAND

Little Mamie Swift was taken very
i'll in the night, and her father was
called up to go for the doctor. Swift
feared the child would die and began
to trot. From trotting he increased his
pace to run.
He was perfectly unaware that he
might be len for a suspicious char
acter, tearing along at night, cutting
corners to make short cuts and his gen
eral appearance, to say the least, di-
Sheveled.
He heard footsteps behind him, and
they were gaining on him. But he
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.
whats this?" he asked, astonished.
You're wanted" replied policeman.
LET me go. My child is sick, and I
must get IA doctor"
ooh. the doctor racket has been
worked too often! It's no good
Swift was in agony, but could do
nothing. He was taken to a 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 a burglar and arrested.
During the day the tolls frightened
around Swift. The rogues' gallery was
ransacked for his picture, and the pho
tOgraph of a criminal named Jack
DOwlen, who was the image of Swift,
was found. The woman who had
identified the prisoner the night before
looked at him again and was sure it
was the man she had caught opening
her bureau drawers and, on being dis
covered, had run.
There was never a clearer case
against a man. Had he been a gentle
man he could have proved that bur
glary was not in his line, but 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 burglary
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 a
doctor to attend their sick child. The
story would have elected sympathy If
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 itY
Eyes, Mary. it is
"Why don't they find way to avoid
such mistakes|
II don't know. | suppose they can't. .
Maybe some day the union will
have persons whose business it will
be to ferret out such cases as appear
among their members"
II hope it will"
"We!l, Tom, keep up a good heart
I'll work for the children"
The convict was too disheartened tC
make any response to his wife's hope
fitness. All he said was if 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 burglar was caugh
red handed in a burglary. He hap
pened to be taken to the same station
Swift had been taken to when arrested
on his way for the doctor. The man al
the desk looked at him in surprise.
Great Scott. man." he exclaimed, :"
hadn't heard Of your breaking JAIL
Il haven't broken Jail" said the MAJ
sullenly.
you were sent up year ago. Tha
I'll swear to. What's your name?"
ooh, I'm Patsy Wolff I might a.
we'll own up. I've been before the
court so many times l couldn't foo
anybody"
The sergeant looked puzzled.
Take him in and lock him up" HI
said. "IlI find out about the matte
in the morning"
The next day he learned that Thorn
as Swift, the man he supposed Pats!
Wolff to be, was in the penitentiary
The picture in the rogues' gallery wa
examined, and it was found that
might be the likeness Of either one 0