The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-08-21

CHAPTER XLH
There are some men who are con-
quered only by death. They will not
sleid even though life Is the penalty
Tor rebellion, Men OF this type can
no more survive in prison than a free
thinking private can in the army.
Ihey do not fit In with the crushing
discipline OF p"enttentiary life. They are
marked for a quick finish the moment
thelr ead are shaved and their chests
hlnE with a number, The man who
will not bend Is broken. 1t Is the in
eyitshle law Of prison life.
Inc prison guard will not endure de-
nance. II whips the beast In him TO
9 frenzy, In the Ohio pen they had a
way OF eliminating the unruly. The
Trip hammer at bolt contract was their
9 manner Of execution.
Foley the Goat was one Of these in
corrigibles. He was more hateful TO the
guards than leprosy. Then sent him to
the trip hammer. The man consigned
TO that labor is doomed. There Is no
reprleve for him. He cannot endure
the terrific grind more than three or
-FOUR m~onths-then he Ia carted 10 the
hospital TO rack out "a few breaths be-
fore going TO the trough.
Capital Sin Was Independence
Death was a mighty severe sentence
ior Foley, His capital sin was his
fearless independence. He would fling
back an angry retort to a guard even
though he knew that the flesh would be
stripped from his back In payment.
He was consistent in his defiance. No
one ever heard the Goat send up a yell
from the basement, II gave him an odd
reputation In the pen. To the other
a sort Of wichcraft.
Tie is possessed Of the devil" they
would whisper in awed admiration. 1T
amt In flesh and blood to stand II,
Hes thrown a spell about himself. He
don't feell'
Sure, he's in oohoots with the Old
Fellow another would volunteer. He
had ghosts rifling the purses of Co
lumbus for him after he cleaned out all
the pockets in Cincinnati"
The superstltious believed II, and II
ever there was a man about whom the
mantle OF mystery draped itself with a
natural grace II was Foley the Goat,
He was almost unbelievably lean and
hollow looking and his eye was the
most compelling and fiery thing | ever
looked upon.
| win never forget the quivering throb
Of interest that caught me the first
time l saw that smoldering red-hrown
eye flaming out It's def at the guard.
Malignant Curse in Eye.
! had stopped to give an order from
the warden. A tail, angular, unsuh-
stantial fellow came with nervous
swiftness toward us. He moved with
such rapidly he seemed to be wing
ing across the grass, The breath Of
an instant that hurried figure paused
In Its ardent walk and the man flashed
Fupon the guard the burning light OF hts
scornful eye, II was uncanny. II went
over the guard like a malignant curse,
No. - H. $500 - ~
teeth, Hell get his-Damn his be-
Who It is?"
who? Devil take him--the Goat,
of course. He murders men with his
looks. Who else would dare It? He's
got about three months TO live, damn
him.
Foley was the master pickpocket of
Ohio. His nimble fingers, with their
| ghostly l~ightness, had gathered a for
tune. A mean and paltry profession II
seemed to me until ! talked about IT
to Foley. He had as much pride in his
gift" as a musician, or a poet or a
train robber has In his. But Foley's
art was not in the accepted curriculum.
He was sent up for W years.
Work at Hammer Wrecks Man
They had been two years Of relent-
less punishment for Foley, He was
| carly initiated INTO inc HOITOlH VI luC
basement. Tn man was neither des-
perate nor vicious, but he did not know
how to crlnge when a guard demanded
groveling obedience. Foley was an In
domitable, angry sort. He could not be
subdued and so he was all hut muir
dered, He came into the pen weigh
ing 200 pounds. When ] saw him he
carried but l42 pounds on his six foot
frame. He looked more like a wrath
than q man.
He had been two months at the trip
hammer when his term expired. In the
bolt contracts this massive instrument
was operated by man power. 1t was a
cruel and driving job, For so days his
arms and legs had been In almost per-
petual motion. The big hammers were
pedaled by the feet, small ones by the
hand. Sixty days had finished the
wreck of Foley's constitution.
The end OF his term saved him from
death.
He was but a shadow when he came
into the warden's office for his dis
charge. I'm finished with the game"
there was no surrender In his intrepid
red-brown eyes, though his voice was
but a hoarse shocking whisper and his
hands were transparent,
I'm done in he said without a trace
Of self pity or regret. I'm going to
wind II up peacefully on the hill. where
I was born, I've got a few thousand
That'll pay for a funeral. I've had %
years on this p~lanet-that's enough. I'm
satisfied-my last breath will be a free
one!"
Fight Boycott.
Foley reckoned without Cal Grim, He
reckoned without the boycott. He for
got that he vas legitimate prey to be
hunted down as soon as his release be-
came known.
And so he went about his home city
as though he were IN truth a free nan
At the corner OF Fifth and Vine streets
he discovered his mistake.
Foley stood there one night, aimless
or 80 after his discharge. He stood
there with his hands In his pockets,
waiting, The ex-con was waiting for
a little old lady. He was going to take
her TO a vaudeville show,
The little old creature was his aunt,
out from the pen she took him back
to the little house where he was born.
Tonight they were going on a glorious
lark. She would be coming along in a
few moments. SO Foley waited.
A man saw him stand there, He
watched and after a while he slouched
up from behind and caught Foley by
Hello, Goat, when did you get back?'
Cal Grim, n big, rough neck bull In the
Cincinnati department. leered ut Foley.
Hello. Cal" Foley was not suspi-
cious. He had kept his resolution, He
had neither the wish nor the need to
steal. ~ got back last week"
Club of Giant Causes Tragedy
Been to headquarters YETI" Grim
frightened his clutch On Foley's skeleton
arm.
mot much, I'm through. I've given
up the old game"
Don't rib me, you damn thief. |
am a wise guy, ! am. Get long, you
sneak" he had Foley by the neck and
was pushing him forward. "Il take
you to headquarters"
The Goat knew what that meant. He
wouldn't have q chance at that last
free breath. Once at headquarters and
conviction was certain.
Get go. you skunk Grim. or III kill