The Punta Gorda herald., 1919-05-08
A Grievous Error
A Labor Day Story
BY EDWARD MAcFARLAND


III 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 a run.
He was perfectly unaware that he
might he taken for suspicious chars
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 noxiing about it, for his mind
was OH his sick child. Suddenly the
pursuer clappcd hand on his shoul-
der and handouts OH his wrist.
whats this?' he asked, astonished
You're wanted" replied a policeman
LET me so. My child is sick. and J
must get doctor
'.Oh. the doctor racket has been
worried too often. It's no good
Swift was In agony, but could do
nothing. lie was taken to q 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 burglar and arrested.
During the day the tolls frightened
around Swift. The rogues' gallery was
ransacked for his picture, and the pho
tograph of 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 II
was the man she had caught opening
her bureau drawers and, on being dis.
covered, had run.
There was never clearer case
against man. Had he been 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 II
it had been believed, but it 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 way to avoid
such mistakesy
Il don't know. / suppose they can't"
maybe some day the union viii
have persons whose business it will
be to ferret out such cases as appear
among their members"
II hope it will"
well. Tom, keep up good heart.
v,if x.,o.,y- 4a,. fho nhildrar ~ \
The convict was too disheartened to
make any response to his wife's hope
fulness. All he said was If he'd been
let 20 on for the doctor the child might
be alive now.
Swift had served year in prison
when one night burglar was caught
red handel in 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 at
the desk looked at him in surprise.
Great Scott, man." he exclaimed, 81
hadn't heard OF your breaking jail!'
II haven't broken jail" said the man
sullenly.
You were sent up year ago. That
I'll swear to. What's your name?"
"Oh, I'm Patsy Wolff. might as
well own up. I've been before the
court so many times couldn't fool
The sergeant looked puzzled.
'sTake him in and lock him up." be
said. "I'll find out about the matter
in the morning"
The next day he learned tia, Them
as Swift. the man he supposed rnFs