The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-08-16
A Griievous Error
A Labor Day Story
By EDWARD MCFARLAND

Q Little Mamie Swift was taken verJ
III in the night, and her father was
e rallied up TO go for the doctor. Swift
T feared the child would die and began
to trot From trotting he increased his
, pace to run.
He was perfectly unaware that be
might be taken 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 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 l
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 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." ans
went away.
Meanwhile the mother waited for
the return of her husband with the
doctor. Morning came, but neither
Swift nor fhe 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 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 Mt him again and was sure ii
was the man she had caught opening
her bureau drawers and, on being dis
covered, had run.
There was never 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
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 IL |
1t had been believed. but 1t was not.
What was the testimony of burglars
wife worth? Nothing.
well. Tom" she said to him, 'this
Is hard, isn't it?'
Eyes. Mary, it is"
why don't they find a way to avoid
such mistaken
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"
II hope il win"
well. 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
illness. All he said was II he'd been
ct 20 on for the doctor the child might
,e alive now.
Swift had served a year in prison
when one night a burglar was caught
ed handed On a burglary. He hap
,ened TO be taken to the same station
'wift had been taken TO when arrested
N his way for the doctor. The man at
he desk looked at him in surprise.
Great Scott. man." he exclaimed, Il
adn't heard Of your breaking jailr'
Il haven't broken jail. said the man
ullenly.
You were sent MP a year ago That
II swear 10. What's your nameT
~Oh. I'm Patsy WOLF. might IS
reu own up. I've been before the
curt 50 many times i couldn't fool
nybody.~
The sergeant looked puzzled.