Bridgeton pioneer., 1917-03-01
The Man Who
Was Fixed
BY ALAN HINSDALE

Kentucky. Kentucky had been a slave
state, and there were a number of
negroes who had been freed. These
were thrown on their own resources,
and many of them had a hard time to
make living.
One day missed some clothing from
my room, and the janitor of the build
ing in which l lodged disappeared at
the same time. The police were set In
motion to find the janitor-Pete Mar
tin. They succeeded, and he was
brought to trial, l being his accuser.
He was convicted and sent to state
prison for two years.
Soon after his conviction received a
call from his former master, who said
that 1t had been reported to him by
Pete's associates that as soon as he got
out of prison he would fix me for
having sent him up. The gentleman
also told me that the convict was the
only slave he had ever owned of whom
he was AFRAID. Misery loves company,
and my misery was lightened by being
told that Pete had threatened to fix"
the judge who sentenced him as well
as his accuser. l thanked the gentle
man for his warning and told him that
] would be on my guard.
Nevertheless when the time of dan
ger came forgot all about the matter.
I had made a memorandum of the date
of expiration Of the convict's term;
but, learning that they all get time off
hOh oxyiA II ho 4 4
the memorandum worthless and put 1t
away, forgetting it. 1t happened that
in looking over some old memoranda l
kept in pigeonhole Of my desk l hit
upon the date of Pete's release on the
very day his full time expired.
Throwing it into a wastebasket, /
put the matter out of my mind. But
1t came back again that night when l
was in bed about to go to sleep. Sup
pose l should awaken In the middle of
the night and see the powerful figure
OF the negro standing over me. could
not get rid of this dread and the next
day purchased revolver, loaded it
and placed it under my pillow.
One morning on taking up nv paper
Il saw that Judge Montague, who had
sentenced Pete, had been called to his
door at 10 o'clock at night and shot
through the heart by a man who had
disappeared without having been seen
by any one except his victim. The ac
count given indicated that not the
slightest clew to the murderer was in
< the hands of the police.
Il went to the states attorney and
told him my story. He at once in
quired of the warden of the prison In
which Pete had been confined and
learned that the convict had gained no
time for good behavior, but had been
released on the expiration of the term
for which he had been sentenced. 1t
was considered probable by the attor
ney and by me that Pete was the
Judges murderer and equally probable
that he would carry out his threat to
'"fx'' me as well.
The police were instructed to look
TOr Pete, but not to give publicity to
the fact that he was wanted or that
there was any clew to Judge Monta-
gue's murderer. AS for me, l was to
sake every possible means to be ready
FOR Pete should he carry out his threat
concerning me. The chief of police
wished to send man to sleep in my
house, but | concluded that this would
be more trouble than it was worth. ]
got out my revolver, which | had dis
carded, saw that it was in order and
loaded and had telephone apparatus
placed on q table beside my bed.
One night after all in the house were
asleep there came a ring at my door.
bell. | telephoned the police-by pre-.
vtOus arrangement-that | was being
called up late at night, then went to
window and called out that l would
come down as soon as l could get OF
some clothes. A few minutes after
my telephone message the policeman
near my house was at my door, But
whoever had rung had disappeared.
II my visitor was Pete he did not
come again. Several months passed
without my being molested, and l was
beginning to think that Pete had con,
eluded that it would be wiser for him
to forego his revenge upon me when
one night | was awakened by the fash
of dark lantern in my eyes. be-
leved there were burglars in the
house. Taking the telephone instru.
ment under the cover to deaden the
sound, l called "Policew giving my
street and number.
j knew that there would be no waste
ct time by the police and l hoped by
remaining quiet the burglars would &C
1on doing their work. At the same
time, seizing my revolver, slid noise.
Elessly out of bed and, feeling my way
to q closet, left the door ajar so that
could see out. l had not been there
long before heard tread in the hall
then footsteps approaching my bed.
saw figure pass window. Whoever
was in the room must have gone to the
bed, felt for the occupant and, finding
~lA nxNa %V,A,,A II