davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-05-13

And then someone must have volunteered
to lead, for there was some cheering and
they began to move round toward the front
of the building.
Hey, Blackiev l heard that hard, jerky
voice again. "Dese bulls will just back up
an let dat gang take dem two geeks-same
as dey took dat coon out O. here an lynched
im.''
Blackie made no reply. l had heard of
the lynching of the negro. Had the police
made any special effort to prevent it-and
would they, even to the extent of firing into
the mob, if necessary, do everything pos
sible to save white man from the mob?
Mob Reaches Entrance
Then the noise told me the mob was at
the front entrance.
l was used to adventure in one form or
another. Since my seventeenth year I had
been among all the classes that made up
the old West, or rather the West as it then
was in its change from the old to the mod
ern.
l had worked and gambled with cow
punchers, miners, the toughest kind of rail-
road men; l had associated with Indians,
half-breeds, Mexicans and all manner of
renegade white men. Only three years be-
fore, had emerged from the Philippine
campaign, through which l had served as
an enlisted man, and had fallen in again
with the type of citizenry that lives on
chance, adventure and semi-lawlesness. l
had been trained in a school that can fight.
And there in the face of threatened death
at the hands of mob, my chief thought
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-05-13

'f1tII y.
happened" l concluded "but it was case
of kill or be killed"
With that l again took up the paper and
finished reading the account of my crime.
Ny partner in the meantime was sitting
half dressed. Suddenly he arose.
Its cold in here; I'm going back to bed"
he told me.
81 am too" And l put the paper aside
"After we take sleep we can think better
And don't you be afraid" l assured him;
"you haven't done any shooting and they
can't work you in on any of it if you'll keep
SILENT
"Silent's the word" he returned, and
moment later l switched out the light.
If my companion slept he did it noiseless-
ly. For my part lay wide-eyed, trying to
map out some course of procedure. Like all
other guilty men l had one main mental
inquiry: how am l to sidestep all hurtful
consequences of this act? But though that
question wholly or fragmentarily passed
again and again through my befuddled
brain, each time l was estopped from find
ing any kind of definite answer, and the
main reason of that estoppel was the man
there at my side. What, if anything, will
he do? That question invariably came
close in the wake of the other query. 1t was
my last thought before l dropped off into
troubled doze
When I awoke about eight o'clock on that
January morning of 1904, the same ques-
ton was facing me, and when, about five
o'clock that afternoon, I saw my partner
turn a corner half block distant and dis
apear l felt that the tormentng question
would soon be answered in some way
$4,000 Reward l'osted
By that time large posters were to be
seen upon every hand offering total re-
ward of $4,000 for information leading to
the arrest and conviction of the guilty par
ii s. At each turn, as / wandered about
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-05-13

GEL Il
think about telling the whole truth and
trying to help on the side of law and order
and that's your only hope of saving your
neck Lock him up" The last three words
were spoken to a uniformed policeman.
Two Locked Up Separately
l was taken to cell and for thirty min
utes was left alone. I knew by hearsay that
to lock two suspects up separately and play
upon each was an old trick of the police.
Yet l knew positively that my partner had
directed the officers to me: he was not only
making play to prevent his being tried as
an accomplice before the fact but perhaps
had in mind the reward money.
PROFESSIONALLY he had confessed his help
ing me to get rugged out for the robbery.
And there was the hat.
If l told the whole story just as it hap
pened-if 1 could cause others to under
sldHu anu KNOW, dS ola, tnaC L mad not
willfuly and cold-bloodedly killed the men
would that save me from execution?
AS matter of fact no old hand at crime
would begin to think that soon of making
clean breast. But my criminal career
proper had extended over less than year,
even though l had been going the line of
least resistance for four years. Being
novice, had taken no thought of penalties
did not know that while ordinarily muir
der in the first degree involves wilfulness,
deliberateness, malice aforethought and
specific intent to kill, yet where an attempt
at felony is proved, that Of itself supplies
al! the elements essential to a first-degree
conviction.
l little knew how idle it was to think of
helping myself by showing that the men
were killed in moment of great excite
ment and fear on my part because they
were trying to kill me. Yet there in my
cell, with what seemed to be mountains of
evidence piling up against me, l set about
trying hard to reason out the best course
l was walking back and forth when the
lever before the door shot back and the
barred door swung open. An officer ap-
peared and spoke to me:
Bring your hat and take walk around
the cell-block to another place."
Around the Other Way"
Cali right" answered, and stepped out
and started ahead Of him along the corridor
"Hey Billp called someone. "take him
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-05-13

n w. Kane
let No. 1866
out through basement and tear off
couple o. bars over window
"He caused you quite bit of trouble,
them"
Yes, but troubles part of our work,
l reckon-isnt it Bill?" He turned to an
other of my conductors.
ITS nearly all trouble" that one replied
And then, true to the tactics of the police
when they want confession he went on:
But that other chaps got big streak of
yellow in him. The thing I'm sorry about
Is, this man is just goin' to fool around and
let his partner get in on the safe side
while he will have to take the worst of it.
vi course, you know your own business,
cid mani knew he meant me-"but if I
were in your place I'd do little bit of talk
ing myself. Everybody knows you're guilty,
but we know, too, there might be circum-
stances about the matter that, if brought
out, would make it lot easier for you.'
l made no answer.
l had begun to wonder where we were
going but decided to wait and see. For ten
minutes more our carriage wheels creaked
over the frozen snow; then we came to .
STOP One of the officers got out and talked
with someone; moment later the door was
opened and stepped out in front of arge.
well-lighted building that had high stone
wall joining it the right and The left.
We were in front of the State prison.
Inside the front office l came face to
face with my partner again. He had ar
rived few minutes ahead of u.s. He would
not look at me. The handouts thas hal
been placed on my wrists as soon as we
were away from the mob were removed and
was told to occupy certain seat.
The officers on duty there seemed to ac-
cept it as a matter of course that we We're
brought to the penitentiary
S. w. Put After Name
Lets see-your name is Kane?" The
man at the desk by which was sitting ad-
dressed me. "What is your first name,
please?"
"John w. Kane" l answered surprised at
his manner. l had heard that State prison
officials were always gruff.
"And your age, Mr. Kane?" he went on,
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-05-13

|
answer, the events of that previous night
crowding rapidly before my minds eye.
81 thought I'd shot just one man-seems
beth were hit-give me the paper"
The letters no longer danced before my
eyes, and l read rapidly. The news article
told Of what apparently was an attempted
robbery of a street car crew at the ter
minal of the line; of how persons had heard
the shots, and later found two men, one
dead and the other MORALLY wounded and
also of the fact that hat had been found
at the scene of the crime carrying marks
that the police believed to be good clew.
The Clew in the Hat
My partner had changed his position on
the bed and was reading over my shoulder.
Glow about that hat?" he stopped to
inquire. Odd you lose it?"
eyes, lost it-one of the men knocked
down on the car floor once, and had gun
snapped in my face three times. l managed
to get up in spite of them, and when l saw
him again pointing the gun toward me, l
fired After that l jerked loose from the
other fellow, and in doing it my gun went
off accdentally-seems that shot hit the
other fellow"
81 cut the dealers brand out of the
sweatband of that hat" said my partner;
"what do they mean by certain marks'?"
was reading again and failed to answer.
Say, Curley,' he broke in, using my
briquet; we've got to get out of here. By
ten o'clock the bulls will have every idle
man in town in the can. What time is t?"
"a little after four, l told him. "But
how going to get away from such
country in zero weather, without cent?"
He was silent for moment; then:
you've played hell. I'm glad l wasn't
in on it,
l was not yet twenty-five years old but
for an uneducated youth had fair reasoning
powers. And when l glanced at him and
began to ponder his words, the look in his
eyes told me plainly that his thoughts did
not include one of loyalty to partner in
crime. l felt certain from that very mo-
ment that if we two should be arrested, he
would unburden himself of all he knew.
Something told me that l was then face to
r l.. L. q
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-05-13

By JOB
EX-Con0
of them out in the office. He told 'em you
had already been taken away. This is our
only chance.
glanced down at the clothes and caught
sight of large bright button. Then. quickly
came an understanding. 1 was to don a
police uniform.
slipped out of my own coat and vest.
"You fold these up" the plainclothes Of
ficer instructed that smaller mana trusty
prisoner "Take them and his hat to the
office after we're gone"
Am Told to Use My Wits
A moment later l was walking along that
corridor in the uniform of harness bull"
While in front and behind walked several
detectives.
"Listen now,' one of them addressed me
just before we entered the corridor leading
to the outer offices. eff you act with good
sense and follow along after the man in
front of you, We'll pass out right by that
crowd without any trouble but if you get
excited and think of making a getaway,
that will only attract attention to you, and
that gang might get you then in spite of all
we can do"
"Pd rather take my chances with the
law than with them," l returned. (Which
man am I to follow"
'"This man right here" He pointed to
the same rough-spoken fellow that had tried
to scare me into answering questions.
Gust walk along in an unconcerned man.
ner."
l had been handed regulation patrol
mans hat and with the full rig on I was
perhaps the very last person the lynchers
would suspect as the desired victim. We
filed out and down the corridor, passing
close by where members of the mob were
waiting.
"Step back a bit, you fellows" the man
in front of me said to the crowd. We've
got to get out of here on duty"
The crowd began giving way to one side.
them called out
mo, go ahead to your duty some place
else," interposed another, looking me
squarely in the face; "there'll be enough
here to watch the show
"What are they doin' in there?" inquired
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-05-13

Ia I'll
a moment. ri was calling on young lady"
'"Where does she live?" he inquired next.
II decline to tell you"
"You decline, eh?'
81 do"
Then got my first glimpse of one phase
of the so-called third degree.
you'll answer these questions!' roared
broad-faced fellow to my right front,
pointing grimy finger at me. IF We don't,
we'll try to find way of persuadin' ye top
The spirit of contest was aroused in me.
l felt calmness would be my best weapon
81 hope you'll give me chance to talk in
way of explanation" l returned. att is
with due respect for all the officers here
that l decline to give the young lady's name.
It would hardly"
Again Her Name Is Asked
eve don't care anything about your re-
spect-" broke in the broad-visaged one,
but Mr.. Robinson stopped him.
'Wait minute" And then to me: "Why
don't you want to tell us her name?"
"You wouldn't want your daughters
name dragged into such a case, would your"
I questioned in turn. 1.-THE girl was call
ing on belongs to one of the best middle
class families in this town.
He made no answer.
"Where is your home, Mr.. Kane?" came
next
missouri"
What place."
/ gave him my home address.
"Well, and he reached into desk and
brought forth the hat that I'd lost-"do
you know whose hat this isl"
81 do not
Then one of the arresting detectives
broke in:
'That's the hat you lost last night when
you shot those car men. And here" he
added, taking from his pocket newspaper,
sis the paper you bought at four this morn
ing. Your partner has told us all about it."
was not expecting to see the hat but had
not thought of the newspaper. The police
had been to our room.
81 know nothing about the hat or paper,
either" lied calmly. "And can't imagine
why my partner would come and tell you
things that involve me-
There was movement near the doorway
In walked the newsboy that had sold me the
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-05-13

IHe HdHie do uSeu III iio leSieoi' ~
is pseudonym, but all the rest
is truth.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-05-13

l)f +
WHO is JOHN w. KANE?
Author of Cup From the Death
CelP' Writes Only the Facts OF
His Own Life
Four years ago april 10, 1919
a murderer, serving life, applied
for parole under a new law whose
existence on the statute books of
the state was due to his own spirit
of regeneration and his own eff
forts with the knowledge of law
and affairs which he had won by
hard study in prison.
Today he is not paroled pris-
oner. but free man.
This is John w. Kane-that is
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-05-13
fI CeFldlH ITOm Ut

ment that if we two should be arrested, he
would unburden himself of all he knew.
Something told me that l was then face to
Evening star., 1923-03-09
Progressive Grief

Long years ago ! drove bus
composed of rusty tin: in motion
it kicked up a fuss that made by
ISLANDERS grin. The coaches Of the
idle rich whizzed by me every day,
and pushed my tumbril in the ditch.
and fogged the publ, sy. Now.
by St. Bride" useu TO think.
some day I hope 10 own linn
CUISINE all painted pink and gold
and brindled roam. All, then ex.
istence will be sweet. all wool and
three feet wide, when i so rolling
down the street in princely state
and pride ! have my Limousine at
last, it is q gorgeous boat, and 1t
can skip along SO fast it gets
the speed cops goat. But grIets
the end and lot OF man, the
sum Of his desires; and full cons
fentment never ran upon four rub
ber tires. ! worry so about my
vain it cuts out all the iun:I fear to
leave II in the rain. or park it III the
sun. ! dream OF schoolboys throw
ing bricks and missiles queer aud
quaint, and collide with. rech-
less hicks who scar my priceless
paint When other men. through
out the land. arc dreaming dreams
of peace. take my iant.iorn in my
hand. and hunt for spots OF grease.
And often when my spirits stack
some cuhits under par. wish I had
my Lizzie back, my old unpainted
car
(Copyright) WALT MASON.
Evening star., 1923-03-09

Son tto father buried In evening
paper what does Transatlantic
mean? - - - ''r'..
Father tiinpaticntly) 1T means
across tire Atlantic. :.
Son (later)-And what Goes trans
Father annoyed at second. interrupt
tion. replied: Gross continent; don't
After awhile boy looked up and said.
it means cross parent and, you're II.
B. Med.
. "Sedentary work" said the professor,
tends to lessen the endurance"
In other words" butted in the smart
a, eek student, the more one sits. the
lo3s one can Stand?
Exactly" retorted the lecturer; ''and
IL one lies a great deal, ones standing
is lost completely"
MISS CATHERINE CASEY,
The Stdnhope.
Eisito--I hear that ten OF your prls-
oners died last week; what was the
trouble:
Warden-Acu,e indigestion: they ate
Goodies made from radio recipe.
JOSEPH T. CREAMER.
i27 P street northwest.
"JuS now I am under the weather"
wrote Bill Boggins, Kansas settler; to
the folks back home as the raging. ele-
nentS devastated the region above. the
cyclone. cellar in which he had taken
refuge.
WILLIAM L. QUAD.
1850 Y street southeast.
Jack and Jill they built a still,
In mystery It was shrouded;
Synthetic gin they made therein;
Gosh, how the nlorgue is crowded.
~ NOSES.
1877 Quincy street northwest.
A little girl who had visited Wash
irrgton for the first time was relating
hesr Impressions. And when you get
on a street car" she said, you have
TO put tiddly-wiakS In an iron box
pat" GRAY,
90f esd street northwest.
Seeing the "unwritten law is so gen.
orally and differentially observed. would
i, not be a good plan for all our laws
"R."
Evening star., 1923-03-09
DR.. WILLIAM a. WHITE
WILL GIVE ADDRESS

Dr.. William A. White. superintend-
en-; OF ST. Elizabeth's. the goovern
Inent hospital for the insane, one Of
the most distinguished leaders in the
field of mental disorders.- will be the
speaker at the fifth lecture OF the
public health series held every other
week under the auspices Of the
Womaa'S Welfare Association. This
lecture is scheduled for $50 pm. next
Sunday in the auditorium Of the New
National Museum and. like all the
others. is open to the general public.
Dr. Whites subject is announced as
s'Hental Hygiene" and, owinsNto the
Increasing number of those afflicted
with mental diseases, his talk on
their prevention is considered TO be
of timely Importance.
Evening star., 1923-03-09
ToDAY,s ADJUSTMENTS.

NATIONAL Good Morning,
Dearie." performance At 500 pm.
PoLI's-."Blossom Time" at $50
GARRIcK-Garrick Players and
Jack Nofworth In Johnny Get Your
Gun." at $50 pm.
PREsIDENT-wand Lyon In "Cor.
nered." at $3.50 pm.
kEITH'SAFrank Tinney. vaude-
Vile. at 2:l5 and s:l6 pm.
COsMos-"A Quiet Evening at
Home. vaudeville at y, $3.50 and
sTRAND--"Tarzan." vaudeville. at
l'.:t5. $50 aad s:4s pm.
GAYETY-Mpilie williams. bur-
lesque. at 2:15 and s:l6 pm.
METRoROLITAN-Haroid. Lloyd in
"Dr. Jack" photoplay. at 1850 am.
l2:l5. l:45.. $3.50. sos. 6:3o. ano
10 pm.
CoLUMBIA-Kenne,h Harlan IN
Toll OF the Sea-" at 1880 m. l:lo
ESQ: $40. $50. 8 and s:55 pm.
PALACE-viola Dana In "Crinolins
and Romance" at lo:o5 am. l2:%o
ESQ. <:76. $40. 1853 and $3.50 pm.
RIALTO-Anna 9. Nilsson IN
Hearts Af,ame." at il:3o am. 1850
$3.50. $3.50. 1880 and $3.50 pm.
RAMS HEAD PLAYERs-"L'E Entant
Prologue" at S:i5 pm.
Evening star., 1923-03-09
ACCUSED OF STEALING
FROM CHUM OF FRIEND

Charged with housebreaking at the
home Of Miss Louise Barron. Gl6 F
street. John L. Manning, thirty three
Years old, seaman In the United States
Navy, stationed at Navy building, was
arrested Yesterday by Detectives Gull
li7ane and O'Dea.
Manning. it IS stated. had been
caller on roommate of Miss Barron
and following a disagreement be-
tween the couple, II is charged that he
returned TO the room and stole S45
belonging TO Miss Barron and several
pictures that adorned the walls OF the
room.
Tde enlisted man has been on duty
every day since the theft was reported
and was surprised when told of the
issuance OF t1e warrant for his ar
rest. He denied having taken the
money or pictures.
Evening star., 1923-03-09
HOUSE OWNER SUED.

Elisabeth NJ. Reilly has filed suit in
the District Supreme Court TO recover
$4,000 damages from william p. Gull
linsne for alleged breach Of contract
She charges that .iarch s. 1920. Mr.
Culllnane declined to carry out an
agreement made with her to sell
premises 1926 c2nd street northwest
for $1,000. She paid $500 as a deposit
sho declares. but the defendant re-
fused 10 close the deal. Attorneys l.
A. Bailey and J. william Shea appear
for the plaintiff.
Evening star., 1923-03-09
tests and eAng(e:s g
A pretty young girl in a fury :.
Took her case to q court and jury;
Trolley car 53.
Had injured her knee:
But the Jury said: We're from Mis-
souri,"
A. H.,

Had injured her knee:
But the Jury said: We're from Mis-
souri,"
a. H..
1915 Lon.ont street ,rorthDest.
The man ran up to where the excited
crowd had gathered on the bank OF the
rapid river to find out that his wife had
just fallen into the water. He rushed
upstream full speed. The crowd. think
ing that he had gone mad. cried: "The
other way. the other way"
He shouted back as he ran: You
don't know how contrary my wife Is"
C. II. STEPHENSON.
SS57 Legation. strcet.
A naeex-looking man at corner
table had been waiting long time for
his. order. FINALLY his waiter ap-
preached and with a flourish said !:
"Your fish will be coming In . minute
or two now, STR" The meek man looked
interested. Tell me-" he said. what
bait arc you 'using?'
HELEN BULLOCK,
Woodbridge. Va.
The slogan "A man may be- down.
but he's never out" Is particularly ap-
plicable to the man who has his cellar
full OF home brew.
FRANK N. BOILER,
$50 g street southuest.
An opulent-appesring man drove up
TO the curb In a not so opulent car. and
was accosted BY small boy:
Watch yer auto fer Z nickel. nnister?"
Beat It. kid, this rnach!pe won't run
away"
Nav. but l could holler to you when
it starts to fall apart"
RICHARD TETHERILL, Jr..
Loishdns, Nd.
Doctor-Id advise you to retire to
some quiet retreat where you VIII pc
cut Off from all communication with
the outside world. ~
Patient-I've 60, 1t, Doc-a telephone
O DOROTHY Z. FLETCHER.
1fIl Epcltd street northwest.
Teacher-If a farmer raised $500
bushels Of wheat and sells II at 50 per
bushel, what will lie get?
Little Boy-An automobile.
WILLIAM HAAEL,
RtpeTdolc, Md.
Right now Is the proper time for all
washingtonians 70 let the world know
that the D. c. after Washington does
not mean Dead Community"
p. F. DRYER,
900 Isth street.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-06-17
RANDOM NOTES

MT. L. E. Harrison and Miss Helen B. Harrison have gone to Villa Grove Ill.,, for a short visit to MT Harrison s brother-in-law and sister, pr. and Mrs. Phillip Herrin.
 Mrs. M. c. Van Devander secretary of the Chopin club. treasurer of the Music Study club of Mobile is visiting her sister. Mrs. Walker Burgess ol South Highlands. Mrs. Van Devander is very prominent in musical circles in Mobile.
 Friends of the attractive Mrs. A. C. Hopkins of Dallas. Tex, will be pleased to learn that she will arrive Monday to be the guest of Mrs. c. $. Simmons at the Tutwiler hotel.
 Herman B. waldrop spent Thurs day in Birmingham en route home from Florence, where he visited his sisters. who are students at the normal school
 MT. and Mrs Arthur Gaines have just returned from six weeks motor trip through Florida.
 Miss Euna Gassaway, formerly of this city, is back in Birmingham after years absence. Miss Gassa way will attend the Wheeler Busi- ness college.
 
 Mrs. H. Ebel will leave soon for points in Tennessee.
 MT. and Mrs. Harvey Lee Searcy arrived Friday to spend the week end with Mrs. Searcy's parents MT. and Mrs. L. D. Burdette. They will motor back to Tuscaloosa this aft ernoon. where MT. Searcy Is attend ing summer school at the university.
 MT. and Mrs. Henry Pyron and daughter, Mae. of Montgomery are the guests of MT. and Mrs. II. P. Pyron.
 Misses Peary Pyron, Evelyn Alex ander and Virlindia Clark will leave on July l for months visit to Kan sas City, Denver and other points in the west.
 Mrs. Fife Brown will spend the month of July visiting in Beaumont. Texas.
 J. B. Pyron of Montgomery is visiting relatives in the city.
 Miss Dorothy Kettig and her guest, Miss Katherine Houston of San An tonio. Tex. returned Thursday from . house party on the Warrior, at which Miss kettig entertained sev- eral friends in honor of Miss, Hous-