The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-01-03
eSN JOUR mans late. Francie." re-


marked Tredways.
He may not turn up" I
answered.
II hope he will When did he leave
Chains Prlson2"
Two weeks ago. Since then"
At that moment the bell trilled in
the hail.
"spelIsl" chuckled. Tredways. HE
has come"
And as william Spells had just
climbed out OF the neither deeps OF
prison existence you will admit that his
visit had the interest of the uncon-
ventional.
Twenty seconds later he was blink
ing in the electric sheen of Tredways'
sitting
''Sit down, Spells" invited our host
cheerily. What do you say to a drop
Of Scotch and a cigar?"
The visitor looked at me as much as
to say: us this a joker" 7 nodded
encouragingly and pushed a chair for
ward. Tredways produced the COM
forts mentioned. placed them on the
table, and sat on a corner of it, swing
ing a leg. He began eersely:
You know why you are asked
here?"
The other lifted his depressed head
and turned it toward me slowly. He
said to me drearily. You told me it
might be for my good, SIR
Precisely" cut in our host with
briskness. This gentleman, who is my
friend, the Reverend Horace F'rancie,
Chaplain of the prison called Chains,
wishes to be Of use to you. See here,
Spells. I'll tell you just how the land
lies. This interview is the outcome of
an interesting chat between Mr..
Francie and myself. Possibly he has
told you that 1 am keenly conversant
with matters criminal; that the psy-
chology of crime is with me a passion:
that 1 experience a satisfaction not
displeasing in threading a way through
those woven and interviewer 1abyrinths
of the underworld. In brief, I am a
criminologist, Hogg .Tredways, not I'M
consulted by the police. Enough of
that. The chat to which I alluded
hinged on the fact that not every man
who hears the prison gate clang be-
hind him is necessarily guilty. A Ger
. tain roportion-though possibly a
minute one-there must be of men con-
victed who were blameless. These poor
wretches plead not guilty in the dock.
In jail they try to keep up their heads.
They emerge defiant or broken; venge-
full or bled white Of virility; democrat
lied by contact with felons, or deter
mined to reassune their niche in a
respectable society,""
That but a poor spark OF interest
glimmered in his visitors gloomy eyes
did not disturb Tredways' equanimity.
He got off the table and poked the fire
slowly.
"Fascinatingi" said he with grim
relish. There's drama in it. I like to
think of those few souls coming out
of the flame. Above all, would like
to help them. Is it possible to take
up their case after the lapse Of many
years, perhaps, and clear them? A
hard, hard matter. In many instances
a eonundrum never to be solved. YET
1t has a pull, an appeal most powerful
asked our friend, the chaplain here
II he had encountered at Chains Prison
any cases of the kind have described
His answer was in the Affirmative.
said would like him to produce one
OF them to make a start with, at any
rate. He produced-you, Mr.. Spells
The guest looked from one to tbs
other of us with a dull. with an ex-
hausted expression. He slipped a httls
spirit and shook his head.
you were convicted of murder" wen
the murder Of Howard Pendrill. YoI
face of the most damning evidence
Now. between US. Spells, man to man
your so-called guilt purged, tell m'
frankly: did you xiii PendriHP'
mo, 1 didn't" answered the othei
sullenly.
Then tell us Just what happened
\ The man from the Beneath shook hi
head again, and his brows came to
gether. mo. won't. You wouldn'
believe me. Who would? No one!
He shot out fist and gripped a hand
full Of the table-cover. upsetting hi
glass. And yet I didn't murde
PendriIl, and that's as sure as there
a God in Heaven or as sure as Their
isn't!"
well, then, tell us about It," soothe'
Tredways. 1--WE more than half be
ueve you. or you wouldn't be here
Come, make a start. You owned. an
told a secondhand bookshop in Tim
Der Street, near the East India Docl
Road. Tt was in cellar below thi
bookshop that one OF your customers
Howard Pendrill, was found with
bullet in his brain. You were arrested
and some Of his property was foun
upon you"
''That's simple enough, and~the bar
truth" answered our guest, his hea
again dropping deJectedly. "The gentle
man came into the shop in the lat
afternoon and walked round among tn
cases and shelves, looking at tn
books. Everyone was asked to do tina
so didn't speak to him."
II understand you had never see
him before?"
mot that could remember. AIte
a while he asked me II that was al IN
books had. said there were piehe
more I,pstairs. and showed him tw
roon,s full. on the first floor, one Q
the front. the other at the back. II
went into the back one first wa
wondering II I'd leave nin alone tner
,r NOT when he cried out: That's