Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-10-13
Rv a Stu6 Correspondent

house at 10 Richardson street. for Gift.
ford Hayes is home. And more than
that--he is free of the technical charge
Of numbering the Rev. Edward Hall and
Mrs. Eleanor Mils--a charge rcfuted
in his mothers tears. his fathers trust
and the faith Of the entire town. which,
with one voice, demanded the boys re =
lease.
He is only boy--shy and quiet, this
dark eyed lad who pushed his way
thrugh the crowd of 600 persons who
shortly before O'Clock yesterday after
noon and rushed straight into the arms
of his mother. He did not speak.
MY boy-my baby" the mother
cried. Still Clifford was silent. He
huggcd his mother tighter and tenderly
smoothed back the gray locks of hair
which clung to his rough coat sleeve,
hi, dark eyes shining down into the
tear filled ones. strained with watch
ing and waiting and haunting fears, yet
brave with faith and now aight with
love and JOY unexpected.
From a CHEEKY. comfortable. capable
matron. busy with her household tasks.
TO n broken. bent. aged woman, crushed
under the burden of disgrace and shame
Of having her son in prison-ill. Mt the
loint of death. and then in one hour
brought back to health and happiness by
the release of her boy--this is the meta :
morphosis Mrs. Jennie Hayes has been
through in four days.
When the news Of her sons release
was brought to her soon after "
o'clock Yesterday afternoon, Mrs. Hayes
was still brooding over the short visit
she had had with Cliff "Wednesday att
ernoon in the county Jail at SomervilIe,;;
lie is well and brave and strong :,
She sobbed. He is innocent. We all
know that. He has plenty OF good
,hings 10 ent--that basket ] took him
yostcrday--he'll be all right. Hell! soon
be with mo again, the tortured
thoughts of the mother ran on.
And then-thc message came. 1t was
John p. Wall. who brought 1t.
Dazed at frst-almost unbeieving,
Mrs. Hayes listened to what he had to
tell.
"lIe is free" she cried. "Frco--my
boy il free. Thank heaven for that.
My prayers are answered" She turned
to the many friends and ncighbors who
were already crowding the room. as if
to include them in her JOY.
Kisses Reporters
Grasping the hands Of two reporters
who stood near her, she kissed them
again and again.
at is YOU who have helped do this,
she half sobbcd. half laughed. Il can
never forget it. My debt is so great
/ that | can never repay YOU. but my
gratitude Is yours forever. The latch
string Of my house is always out to
yol-all | can ever do for you ! will. y
! Just then Joe Hayes dashed through
l., Jo,, f,,p,i,nll, obau,iny tho ,pfif
| stub Of a cigar he had in his mouth.
Mother" he cried. is true.
! Cliff is on his way home"
1t was hardly half an hour later that
! Cliff did come and the waiting crowd
held its breath.
There were many who wanted 10
! shake his hand, who wanted to share the
! family's joy.
| There was sixteen year.old Betty
Fourctte. who lives on the same stree,
! dark haired. pale and almost as
happy as Mrs. Hayes, whom she had
hardly left since Clifford was taken
away.
There was ninety-y year-Old Owen
McGow0n. the boys great uncle, who
came. leaning on his cane. to visit his
J hobbing slowly away. when the news
.
family in their great hour.
There were the small boys who
crowded shyly near the door peeking
in and grinning and calling awk :
wardly. " 'Lo, Cliff, :" Scraping their
toes on the floor and pulling at their
caps as Cliff called back, Hello, boys.
Come right in called Mrs. Hayes.
Don't be afraid. boys and they slowly
/ filed in, pulling down their red and
/ black striped sweaters which seemed to
I have climbed up their backs. several
pulling at the ears of the dogs which
( sidlcd along with them.
Elder Schneider Calls
There was Mr.. Schneider, father Of
the boy on whose testimony Clifford
was imprisoned. and on whose confas &.
sion that his testimony was false that
Clifford was freed, who came TO con-
gratulate him
Holding one Of the boys hands IN
both of his. in a broken voice, weeping,
he said to Clifford:
Every night and every day since you
and my son were taken 10 prison !
have prayed that God would give him
courage to confess that his testimony
was not true. | knew he was forced
into giving it and that you were inno-
cent.
Schneider soon went back to his wife
who was waiting. listening and watch e
ing for the arrival Of her own SoN,
taking with him the best wishes of Mrs
HAYES and Cliffs assurance that he bore
no III. will to the boy 10 whom he bad
hcru n friend for eleven years ana VIII,
is still in prison.
There were the children Of the noigl
borhood, who focked in with their
parents TO stand around looking with
bewlldered eyes at I he jubilant throng-
little girls in frOcks soiled with The
one of whom climbed on Clifford = IaI
and sat regarding him gravey as he
united her tangled ClrlS.
There were men with muddy boots
and unshaven faces who came to shake
hands Men who climbed out Of littI,
cars and mon who drove un in big ones
Eiks and knights Present
There were groups Of Elk~ on,
Knights of Columbus who filed in
, Others with flags in their hands, VIII,
had had come from the Columbus Da,
norado and who waved their banners
gailS ms they went into the house.
And there was Joe Hayes, who hal
( heen the comfort and director Of th,
| family these four troubled days .Joc
. who could not stay in the same plac,
two minutes and who rushed arount
= shaking every one Ivy the hand. A;il
ohewing on the stub Of n cigar. sm,l,
ing clapping people on the back, lean.
inc over the low hedge in his imDa
ticnce 10 get out Of the house and tail
# over with particular friend. anr
then Ieaping back again in his i'm.