Evening star., 1928-02-26

TT is the story of two men. and i
would have been hard to find tWt
men less alike. Dave Heppertol
was a farmer, a substantial. solie
man. whose word had weight viii
his neighbors. No man can cultivate
the rocky hillsides around Fraternity
unless there is some iron in him. Hep
perton was not lacking in this quality
There is field on his farmland his
son showed 1t TO mc-that the mal,
himself had cleared, Around TINS nelo
runs stone wall, three or Tour 1ce'
high, and. III some places, AS many as
e;eht feet across. This wall is built ot
stones that Heppcrton removed from
the field: it is monument to his
certiuscity, has a symbolic quality. as
though il expressed the spirit OF the
man himself My back aclled III SYM
rathy when I locked at 1t.
I saw his photograph: saw large,
SQUARE head with side whiskers that
sccentuated this effect OF squareneSs,
and wide eyes beneath heavy brows
The clean-sllaven mouth and chin were
set and strong: the nose aStonishingly
straight and lean. for so broad a
counteuance I said he had the look OF
a determined man. and his son nodded
and said. Yes, he'd usually do what
he set out TO do.
This man. by the mere fact Of his
en.inence il his own community. found
himself involved III politics. The Suf-
f-accs Of his ne,ghbors IN Liberty and
the surrounding towns sent him to tn,
LEGISLATURE in Augusta for term or
tvc,
White he was there. man named
Rhodes vas appointed warden Of the
State prison at Thomaston; and
Rhodes. knowing Eepperton and re-
spec:iag him. asked him to serve as
deputy. Old Dave accepted. He lett
his family in Liberty and took up his
duties within the prison walls.
That was in September. Late IN
December Jake Penny was brought to
the prison to await execution, and de-
livered into Hepperton's charge. Penny
vas. beyond all peradventure. an evil
man. lie was born on farm near
Bath, and. from the period Of early
manhood. his ways had been dark.
L is still related Of him that when.
on one occasion. he was on trial. ne
sought to bring character witnesses in
his own behalf and found but one
and that one OF notorious ill-repute.
He served a prison term on that oc-
casion; 10 years later he went behind
the bars again because of the cir
cuuls.anccs surrounding the burning o.
his house ana barn.
In his forty-frSt year, for reasons OF
his own. he broke into a house where
a woman ard her four-year-old child
lived alone. and. when their poor
bodies were discovered. the officers
we're able 10 fasten his guilt upon him
Ea was tried and convicted and SEN
fenced to be hanged Manacled be-
tween TWO strong men. he made the
journey to Thomaston, and there
awaited the coming Of the last week
In January. which was his appointed
time.
He was not OF powerful build, ar1
the prison guards perhaps took their
tasks too lightly Because he was So
still, 50 mild. so submissive, they grew
careless and relaxed their watchful-
ness. Routine becomes a drug, lulline
the senses The man whose duty it was
20 carry his food to Penny became so
accustomed TO seeing the murdered
that he forgot to be afraid OF him. The
corridor guard sometimes neglected to
take his stand outside the barred door
when his comrade went in to Penny.
So. one Gay toward the middle o.
January. Penny found his opportunity
While the guard was depositing hi
tray of food on the low stool that
served the prisoner as table. the muir
cercr eaped on him from behind ane
garrotted him with leather thong that
had served him as shoe-string. The