The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-05-10


 IrishmaL2. E-ho was convinced to
 the end that he was a martyr in
 a great cause.)
 From the date of his commIttaI un- til the morning of his execution, AU- gust 3, 1916, Roger Easement, the ex- British Consul who proved a. traitor to Britain, was under my care during my spells of duty.
 I found him by no-means difficult prisoner to deal with. have heard other wardens say that he gave them much trouble, and that they were glad to be free of duty with him. have heard also that he was a morose and surIy, refusing to answer the simplest questions and complaining repeatedly to the governor of Pen tonville of the wardens, but he never complained to me, and indeed from the first he showed an inclination for friendliness that I found somewhat embarra ssing.
 I was warned early in the case that the man was abnormal and likely to do himself injury if he were not closely watched. Usually when prisoner knows that he is being watched with more than usual strict mess he shows his resentment in some way, but Easement only took it as 8 l compliment which seemed to gratify his inordinate vanity
 An Audience of Women. "You are a good servant of the public, warden" he remarked to me as I stood beside him at the Old | Bailey. ''I wish we had met under different auspices I would have been | happy to recommend you for reward 1 for your zeal. You are certainly look | ing after me as well as anyone could. l The Government must think a great l deal of me as q State prisoner if they attach so much importance 10 my | safety now. You need not be afraid. I am not going to take my own life. It is not worth the exertion. Indeed I rather enjoy this farce"
 His voice must have reached the usher, though he spoke in low tones. l There was a command to be silent, and the Judge looked sternly in the ] direction of the prisoner. Easement fdgeted under the scrutiny, and ap- peared i'll at ease for some minutes. | Then he found relief in turning his | eyes towards the public art gallery, in | which there was number of women sitting.
 1 From that moment he seemed to | have the impression that he was on | the stage, and that these women alone | | towards them, and acknowledging the ] slightest movement which he fancied to be in sympathy with him az he stood
 in the dock. He listened listlessly to | the evidence, and several times smiled
 to the ladies in the gallery as though | asking them to agree with him about | the irrelevance of some of the evil | dence.
 What are they wasting all this time for?"' he asked me, and when
 the Judge looked again towards the prisoner he said in a lower tone I Why don't they read my statement
 and have done with it all?"
 Low as the words had been spoken
 they reached the sharp ears of the
 Judge, and he requested the prisoner
 to remain silent. Easement bowed
 with that courtly manner which was
 characteristic to him, a manner ac-
 quired in other days. For a time he
 was silent, following the evidence!
 with evident interest, but showing
 impatience as the points were brought
 out by the examining lawyers. ,I III at Ease.
 All through this examination Case
 ment was restless and fidgety Once ol twice he looked to the judge appeal.
 ingly, and I fancy that his LordshiI , read what was in his mind, for he iEtervened when counsel was press } ing a witness had an easier time, and ICasement bowed a silent acknowIedg- ment to the Judge.
 During the rest of the proceedings Easement was i'll at ease, and did not appear to take the least interest ir
 the evidence or the speeches of coun- sel until the Attorney General spoke of the enormity of the offence with which he was charged. Easement stretched himself to his full height
 and leaned over the rail as though he
 wished to speak to the Court, but he did not attempt to do so. When the proceedings were nearing } a close Basement showed signs of re- lief *. He developed an interest ir the ladies in the gallery, who had re- : mained through the case and once oI twice he turned towards one lady ir ? particular as though trying to speak l to her lip signs. She seemed to un. derstand for she smiled back, and fol l about ten minutes the two gazed in. | tently at each other. Easement seem.
 ed to lose all knowledge of where ht
 was.
 He gave a violent start when . touched him on the arm considering | the verdict. He looked around il
 some bewilderment at the empty cor
 ner of the court, and then to tn,
 staircase, and he disappeared be . low.
 Thank God, it is nearly over" wa his remark when we were below. e
 don't think could have stood anothe t day of it. If there had been an,
 hope of acquittal it might not hay,
 been so bad, but when you know fo
 certain what the result is going to b.
 it is only adding to the agony to keel
 on day after day"
 After that he became silent, and sa with his head resting on his hand un
 til I summoned him to go back to tn
 court. When we got back in the cour
 Easement turned his eyes towards tn 7 direction where his lady friend wa sitting. She was holding a handker
 chief to her face, and appeared to b. weeping.
 For the first time Easement shove, signs of emotion. He seemed to los ! control of himself, and his eyes be l came moist He rallied quickly. an, l 1 looked cheerfully in the direction O the lady, He did not appear to hay l | eyes for anybody but her until tn 3 Judge asked, after the jury had re l turned a verdict of Guilty if he ha. l anything to say why sentence of dea il