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About The Plattsmouth journal. (Plattsmouth, Nebraska) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (April 24, 1911)
mm dcqhcc yQlARLES KLEIN C AMD AMD ARTHUR KORNBLOW ILLUSTRATIONS BY NAY MALTED CU'TKhJHT. 1909. Br O.W OltLlNuilArt COWJUT Tie banner made a posture of l:n pati -nee, aa If such considerations wen not important. - "I Uuti't know yet," he said, haught ily. "I shall think the matter over carefu'ly." Annie was fast losing patience. She nas willing to sacrifice herself and Five up everything she held dear In life to save the man she loved, hut the cold, deliberate, calculating atti tude of this unnatural father exas perated her. "But I want to know," she said, boldly. "I want to consider the mat ter carefully, too." . "You?" sneered Mr. Jeffries. "Yes, sir," she retorted. "I'm pay ing dearly for it with my with all I have. I want to know just what you're going to give him for it." He was lott in reflection for a mo ment, then he said, pompously: "1 shall furnish the money for the mployment of such legal talent as may be necessary. That's ad far as I wish to go in the case. It must not be known I cannot allow It to be known that I am helping him." "Must not be known?" cried Annie, hi astonishment "You mean you vpon't stand by him? You'll only Just pay for the lawyer?" The banker nodded: "That is all I can promise." She laughed hysterically. "Why," she exclaimed, "I I could do that myself If I I. tried hard onough." "I can promise nothing more," re plied Mr. Jeffries, coldly. . "But that Is not enough," she pro tested. "I want you to come forward and publicly declare your belief in your son's innocence. I want you to put your arms around him and say to the world: 'My boy Is innocent! I knew it and I'm going to stand by him.' You won't do that?" . Mr. Jeffries shook bis head. "It la impossible." The wife's pent-up feelings now ;ave way. The utter Indifference of this aristocratic father aroused her indignation to such a pitch that she teame reckless of the consequences. They wanted her to desert him, Just js they deserted him, but she wouldn't. She would show them the kind of woman she was. "So!" she cried in an outburst of mingled anger and grief. "So his fam tfy must desert blm and his wife must leave him! The poor boy must stand absolutely alone in the world and face a trial for hla life! Is that the idea?" The banker made no reply. Snap ping her fingers, she went on: "Well, It Isn't mine, Mr. Jeffries! I won't consent to a divorce! I won't leave America! And I'll see him Just as often as I can, even If I have to sit In the Tombs prison all day. As for his defense, I'll find some one. I'll go to Judge Brewster again and If he still refuses, I'll go to some one else. There must be some good, big-hearted lawyer in this great city who'll take Tp his case." Trembling with emotion, she read Justed her veil and with her handker chief dried her tear-stained face. Go ing toward the door, she said: "You needn't trouble yourself any more, Mr. Jeffries. We shan't need your help. Thank you very much for the interview. It was very kind of you to listen so patiently. Good after noon, sir." Before the astonished banker could stop her, she had thrown back the tapestry and disappeared through th door. CHAPTER XIII. In the very heart of Manhattan, right In the center of the city's most con gested district, an imposing edifice of gray stone, medieval In Its style of architecture, towered high above all the surrounding dingy ofllees and squalid tenements. Its massive con struction, steep walls, pointed turrets, raised parapets and long, narrow, slit like windows, heavily barred, gave It the aspect of a feudal fortress Incon gruously set down plumb In the midst of twentieth century New York. The dull roar of Broadway hummed a couple of blocks away; In the distance loompd the lofty, graceful spans of Brooklyn bridge, Jammed with Its op posing streams of busy lnterurban traffi. The adjacent streets were filled with the din of hurrying crowds, the rattle of vehicles, the cries of ven dors, the clang of street cars, the ugh! ugh! of speeding automobiles. The ac tive, pulsating life of the metropolis forged like a rising flood about the tall gray walls, yet there was no re sponse within. Grim, silent, sinister, the city prison, popularly known at "the Tombs," seemed to have nothing in common with the dally activities of the big town In which, notwithstand ing. It unhappily p'uyed an Important part. The present prison Is a vastly dlf- fprnnt ntnrn tn tho nlrf tall frr.ni which It got Its melancholy cagnomen. Today there Is not the slightest Justi flcaMon for the lugubrious epithet ap- piled to It. but In the old days, when man's Inhumanity to man was leg a form of speech than a cold, merciless fact, the "Tombs" inscribed an Intol erable and disgraceful condition fatrlr ! accurately. Formerly the cells in j which the unfortunate prisoners were J confined while awaiting trial were sit j uated deep under ground and had nei- ther lisrht nor ventilation. A man j might be guiltless of the offense with I which he was charged, yet while -.waiting an opportunity to prove his innocence he was condemned to;pend days, sometimes months, in what was little better than a grave. Literally, he was buried alive. A party of for eigner visiting the prison one day were startled at seeing human beings confined in such holes. "They look like tombs!" cried some one. New York was amuse! at. the singularly appropriate appellative and k!t has stuck to the prison ever since. But times change and institutions with them. As man becomes more civilized he treats the lawbreaker with more humanity. Probably soci ety will always need Its prisoners, but as we become more enlightened we insist on treating our criminals more from the physiological and psy chological standpoints than in the cruel, brutal, barbarous manner of the dark ages. In other words the sociol ogist insists that the lawbreaker has greater need of the physician than he has of the Jailer. To-day the city prison is a tomb In name only. It is admirably con structed, commodious, well ventilated. The cells are large and well lighted, with comfortable cots and all the modern sanitary arrangements. There are roomy corridors for daily exercise and luxurious shower baths can be ob tained free for the asking. There are chapels for the religiously Inclined and a library for the studious. The food is wholesome and well prepared in a large, scrupulously clean kitchen situated on the top floor. Carping critics have, Indeed, declared the Tombs to be too luxurious, declaring that habitual criminals enjoy a stay at the prison and actually 'commit crime so that they may enjoy some of its hotel-like comforts. It was with a sinking heart and a dull, gnawing sense of apprehension that Annie descended from a south bound Madison avenue car In Tenter street and approached the small por tal under the forbidding gray walls. She had visited a prison once before, I when her father died. She remem bered the depressing ride in the train to Sing Sing, the formidable steel doors and noiiHerona hnlta tha narrow cells, each with its involuntary occu pant in degrading stripes and closely cropped hair, and the uniformed guards armed with rifles. She remem bered how her mother wept and how she had wondered why tl-ey kept her poor da-da In such an ugly pla'-e. To think that after all these yorrs s-'ie was again to go through a Kir.;i!nr ex perience. She had nerved lurself for fh or deal. Anxious as she was to see How ard and learn from his lips all that had happened, she feared that she would never he able to see him behind the bars without breaking down. Yet she must he strong so she could work to set him free. So much had hap pened In the last two days. It seemed a month since the police had sent for her ot midnight to hurry down to the Astrurla, yet It was only two days ago. The morning following her try ing interview with Cnpt. Clinton In the dead man's apartment she had tried to see Howard, but without suc cess. The police held him a close prisoner, pretending that he might make an attempt upon his life. There wnB nothing for her to do but wait. Intuitively she renli.ed the neces sity of Immediately securing the ser vices of an able lawyer. There was no doubt of Howard's Innocence, but she recalled with a shiver that even ; Innocent persons have suffered capl j tal puni.hnient because they were tin able to establish tl elr Innocence, so overwhelming were tl.e appearances i against them. He must have the best lawyer to be had, regardless of ex- peine. Oiily one name occurred to ber. the name of a man of Interna tional reputation, the mere mention of whose name In a courtroom filled the hearts of the Innocent with hope and the guilty with dread. That man was Judge Brewster. She hurried downtown to his ofllce and waited an hour before he could , see her. Then he told her, politely but coldly, that he must decline to take her case. He knew well who she was and he eyed her with some curiosity, but his man ner was frigid and discouraging. There were plenty of lawyers In New York, he said. She must go else where. Politely he bowed her out. Half of a precious day was already lost. Judge Brewster refused the case. To whom could she turn now? In despair, almost desperate, she drove uptown to Riverside drive and forced an entrance Into the Jeffries home. Here, again, she was met with a rebuff. Still not discouraged, she returned to Judge Brewster's office. He was nut and she sat there an hour ' to. 8ef hlm' CRme nd. ne did not return. Almost prostrated i T"" fhT,.l1' "h' r.e,,,rned to their deserted little flat In Harlem. It was going to be a hard fight, she saw that. But she would keep right on, no matter at what cost. Howard could not be left alone to perUh with- Hi .i a nana 10 rr turn, .n.c.e Mew- ster must come to his rescue. He could not refuse. She would return Timlin to Ms ofllce this afternoon ami at there all tlay Ion . if nect'sstry, 1 1 - s 1 he promised to take the c:.-e Li'.iii'e could save him. P!-e w to tie lawyer a!il hen hitu on ! ; s if rcce- : ;iry. b'.t fir.-t sle : 'v iir.w.r.l ami bid him ta.-e rr, V l'-w I'oorway frori Certr ;iv(- n i e.s to the Rr.'v f.r :i ; I i: ho l;iy slei'l n:ie st' oil a pc. ;!!. ! ol-'x e ;.n rp oil with a big ley. I'a.-h time- before letting pool lo i'i "f ct he iiwrteii this key In a pon.lov.vis lock. The gate would not open mere ly by turning the handle. This whs to prevent the escape of prisoners, who might possibly succeed in reach ing so far as the door, but could not open the steel gate without the big key. When once any one entered the prison he was not permitted to go out again except on a signal from a keeper. When Annie entered she found the reception room filled with visitors, men and women of all ages and na tionalities, who, like herself, had come to see some relative or friend in trouble. It was a motley and interest ing crowd. There were fruit peddlers, sweat shoo workers, sporty looking men, negroes and flashy looking wo men. All seemed callous and Indif ftfont, aa if quite at home amid the sinister surroundings of a prison. One or two others appeared to belong to a more respectable class, their sobei manner and careworn faces reflecting silently the humiliation and shame they felt at their kinsman's disgrace The small barred windows did not permit of much ventilation and, as the day was warm, the odor was sick ening. Annie looked around fearfully and humbly took her place at the end of the long line which slowly worked its way to the narrow Inner grating I where credentials were closely scrutl nlzed. The horror of the place seized upon her. She wondered who all these poor people were and what the pris oners whom they came to see had done to offend the majesty of the law The prison was filled with policemen and keepers and running In and out with messages and packages were i number of men In neat linen suits She asked a woman who they were. "Them's trusties prisoners that has special privileges In return foi work they does about the prison." The credentials were passed upon slowly and Annie, being the twentieth in line, found it a tedious wait. In front of her was a bestial looking no gro, behind her a woman whose cheap Jewelry, rouged face and extravagant dress proclaimed her profession to be the most ancient In the world. But at last the gate was reached. As the doorkeeper examined her ticket he looked np at her with curiosity. A murderer Is rare enough even In the Tombs, to excite Interest, and as she passed on the attendants whispered ! among, themselves. She knew they Acre talking about her, but she "teeled herself not to rnre. If wm miy a foretaste of other humiliations hich she must expect. A keeper now took charge of her ,ir.d led her to a room where she was searched by a matron for concealed veopons, a humiliating ordeal, to 'vhich even the richest and most in fluential visitors must submit with as good grace ns posFihle. The matron was a hard looking woman of about TiO years. In whom every spark of hu man pity and sympathy had been killed during her many years of con stant Association with criminals. The word "prison" had lost its meaning to her. She saw nothing undesirable In Jail life, but looked upon the Tombs rather as a kind of boarding house In which people made short or long so journs, according to their luck. She treated Annie unceremoniously, yet not unkindly. "So you're the wife of Jeffries, whom they've got for murder, eh?" she said, as she rapidly ran her hands through the visitor's clothing. "Yes," faltered Annie, "but Its all a mistake, I assure you. My husband's perfectly Innocent. Ho wouldn't hurt a fly." The woman grinned. "They all say that, m'm." Lugubri ously she added: "I hope you'll he more lucky than some others were." Annie felt herself grow cold. Was this a sinister prophecy? She shud dered and, hastily taking a dollar from her purse, slipped it Into the matron's band. "May I go now?" she said. "Yes, my dear; I guess you've got nothing dangerous on you. We have to be very careful. I remember once when we had that Hohoken murderer here. He's the feller that cut his wife's head off and stuffed the body In a bnrrel. His mother came here to ."So You're the Wife of Jeffries, Whom They've Got for Murder, Eh?" see him one day and what did I find Inside her stocking but an innocent looRing time rwuno i:r., r.r.i .r please, it was nothing less than prus sic acid. He would have swallowed It and the electric chair would have been cheated. So you see how careful we has to be." Annie could not listen to any more. The horror of having Howard classed with (lends of that description sickened her. To the keeper she said quickly: 'Tlease- take me to my husband." Taking another dollar from her purse, she slipped the bill into the man's hand, feeling that, here as everywhere else, one must pay for privileges and courtesies. Her guide led the way and ushered her into an elevator, which, at a signal, started slowly upwards. The cells in the Tombs are arranged in rows in the form of an ellipse in the center of each of the six floors. There Is room to accommodate 900 prisoners of both sexes. The men are confined in the new prison; the wom en, fewer in number, In what remains of the old building. Only the centerof each floor being taken up with the rows of narrow cells, there remains a broad corridor, running all the way round and flanked on the right by high walla with small barred windows. An ob server from the street glancing up at the windows might conclude that they were those of the cella In which pris oners were confined. As a matter of fact, the cells have no windows, only a grating which looks directly out into the circular corridor. At the fourth floor the elevator Btopped and the heavy Iron door swung back. "This way," said the keeper, step ping out and quickly walking along the corridor. "He's In cell No. 456." A lump rose In Annie's throat. The place was well ventilated, yet she thought she would faint from a cho king feeling of restraint. All along the corridor to the left were Iron doors painted yellow. In the upper part of the door were half a dozen broad slits through which one could ee what was going on Inside. "ThoHe are the cells," volunteered ber guide. Annie shuddered as, mentally, she pictured Howard locked up In such a dreadful place. She peered through one of the silts and saw a narrow cell about ten feet long by six wide. The only furnishings were a folding cot with blanket, a wash bowl and lava tory. Each cell had its occupant, men and youths of all ages. Some were reading, some playing cards. Some were lying asleep on their cots, per haps dreaming of home, but most of them leaning dejectedly against the iron bars wondering when they would regain their liberty. "Where are the women?" asked Annie, trying to keep down the lump that rose chokingly In her throat. "They're in a separate part of the prison," replied the keeper. "Isn't It dreadful?" she murmured. "Not at all," he exclaimed cheer fully. "These prisoners fare better in prison tbaa ther do outvie. I ws"r some of them are sorry to leave." "But it's dreadful to be cooped up In those little cells, Isn't It?" she said. "Not so bad as it looks," he laughed. "They are allowed to come out In the corridor to exercise twice a day for an hour and there is a splendid shower bath they can take." "Where Is my husband's cell?" she whispered, alniOBt dreading to hear the reply. "There it Is." he said, pointing to a Hiwir "Kn 15ft" I Walking rapidly ahead of her and stopping at one of the cell doors, he rapped loudly on the Iron grating and cried: "Jeffries, here's a lady come to see you. Wake up there!" A white, drawn face approached the grating. Annie sprang forward. "Howard!" she sobbed. "Is It you, Annie?" came a weak voice through the bars. "Can't I go In to him?" she asked pleadingly. The keeper shook his head. "No, m'm, you must talk through the bars, but I won't disturb you." He walked away and the husband and wife were left facing each other. Tho tears were streuming down An nie's cheeks. It was dreadful to be standing there so close and yet not be able to throw her arms around him. Her heart ached as she saw the dis tress In his wan, pale face. "Why didn't you come before?" he asked. "I could not. They wouldn't let me. Oh, Howard," she gasped. "What a dreadful thing this is! Tell me how you got Into such a scrape!" He put his hand to his head as if It hurt hlm, and she noticed that his eyes looked queer. For a moment thej agony of a terrible suspicion crossed her mind. Was It possible that in a moment of drunken recklessness he had shot Underwood? Quickly, almost breathlessly, she whispered to him: "Tell me quickly, 'tis not true, Is it? Tou did not kill Robert Underwood." He shook his head. "No," he said. "Thank God for that!" she ex claimed. "But your confession what does that mean?" "I do not know. They told me I did It. They Insisted I did It. He was sure I did It. He told me he knew I did It. He showed me the pistol. He was so Insistent that I thought he was rliht that I bad done It." In a deep whisper he added earnestly: "But you know I didn't, don't you?" "Who Is he?" demanded Annie. "The police captain." "Oh. Capt. Clinton told you you did It?" Howard nodded. "Yes, he told me he knew I did It. He kept me stsndlng there six hours, questioning and questioning until I was ready to drop. I tried to sit down; he made me stand up. I did cot know what I was saying or dolnc. He tom me i Riueu Kuo.ri i'iu,er wood. He showed me the pistol under , the strong light. The reflection from the polished nickel flashed into my ' eyes, everything suddenly became a ' ' blank. A few moments later the cor oner came in and Capt. Clinton told , him I confessed. But it isn't true, An j i nte. You know I am as innocent ot j that murder as you are." "Thank God, thank God!" exclaimed! Annie. "I see It all now." I Her tears were dried. Her brain was beginning to work rapidly. She al ready saw a possible line of defense. "I don't know how It all happened," went on Howard. "I don't know any more about it than you do. I left you to go to I'nderwood's apartment. On the way I foolishly took a drink. When I got there I took more whisky. Be fore I knew it I was drunk. While talking I fell asleep. Suddenly I heard a woman's voice." "Ah!" interrupted Annie. "You, too, heard a woman's voice. Capt. Clinton said there was a woman in it." Thoughtfully, as If to herself, she added: "We must find that woman." i "When 1 woke up," continued How ard, "It was dark. Groping around for the electric light, I stumbled over KornetbitiB. It was Under wood's dead body. How he came by Ms deatn i have not the slightest Idea. I at once realized the dangerous position I was in and I tried to leave the apartment unobserved. Just aa I was going. Underwood's man servant arrivea ana he banded me over to the police. That's the whole story. I've been here since yeBterday and Ml be devil ish glad to get out." "You will get out," she cried. "I'm doing everything possible to get you free. I've been trying to get the best lawyer In the country Richard Brew ster." "Richard Brewster!" exclaimed How ard. "Ho's my father's lawyer." "I saw your father yesterday after noon," she said quietly. "You did!" he exclaimed, surprised. "Was he willing to receive you?" "He had to," she replied. "I gave him a piece of my mind." Howard looked at her In mingled amazement and admiration. That she should have dared to confront a man as proud and obstinate as his father astounded him. 'What did he say?" be asked eag erly. "I asked him to come publicly to your support and to give you legal assistance. He refused, saying he could not be placed in a position of condoning such a crime and that your behavior and your marriage had made him wash his hands of you forever." Tears filled Howard's eyes and bis mouth quivered. "Then my father believes me guilty of this horrible crime?" he exclaimed. , "He Insisted that you must be guilty, as you had confessed. He offered, though, to give you legal assistance, but only on one condition." "What was that condition?" he de manded. "That I consent to a divorce," re plied Annie quietly. "What did you say?" "I said I'd consent to anything If It would help you, but when he told me that even then he would not come per sonally to your support I told him we would worry along without his as sistance. On that I left hi in." "You're a brave little woman!" cried Howard. Noticing ber pale, anx ious face, he said: "You, too, must have suffered." "Oh, never mind me," she rejoined quickly. "What we must do now Is to get you out of this horrid place and clear your name before the world. We must show that your alleged confes- ; sion is untrue; that it was dragged from you Involuntarily. We must find that mysterious woman who came to Underwood's rooms while you lay on the couch asleep. Do you know what mv theory la. Howard?" "What?" demand d her husband. "I believe you were hypnotized Into making that confession. I've read of such things before. You know the boys In college often hypnotized you. You told me they made you do all klnda of things against your will. That big brute, Capt. Clinton, simply forced hla will on yours." "By Jove I never thought of that!" he exclaimed. "I know my head ached terribly after he got through all that questioning. When he made me look at that pistol I couldn't resist any more. But how are we going to break through the net which the. po lice have thrown around nio?" "By getting the beBt lawyer we can procure. I shall Insist on Judge Brew ster taking the case. He declines, but I shall go to his office again this after- noon- 1,8 niUHt " Howard shook his head. "You'll not be able to get Brewster, He would never dare offend my father by taking up my case without his per mission. He won't even see you." "We'll see," she said quietly. "He'll see me If I have to sit In his ofllce all day for weeks. I have decided to have Judge Brewster defend you be cause I believe It would mean ac quittal. He will build up a defense that will defeat all the lies that the police have concocted. The police have a strong case because of your alleged confession. It will take a strong law yer to fight them." Karnestly she added: "Howard, If your life Is to be saved we must get Judge Brewster." "All right, dear," he replied. "I can only leave It In your bands. I know that whatever you do will be for the best. Ml try to be aa patient as I can. My only comfort Is thinking of you, dear." A heavy step resounded In the corri dor. The keeper came up. "Time's up, m'm," he said civilly. Annie thrust ber hand through the bars; Howard carried it reverently to bis Hps. ..... "Good by. dear." she said. "Kee? up your courage. Youll know that t am working for your release event moment. I won't leave a stone no turned." "Good by, darling," he murmured. He looked at her longingly an4 there were tears in her eyes as sh turned away. "I'll be back very soon," she said. A few minutes later they were 1 the elevator and she passed through the big steel gate once more into the, suniignt street. (Continues! Next Issue.) STHE GREATEST GASOUNE Saves you from .30.00 to $300.00 and mure in gasoline every year you run a. Chopta Gasoline Engine. This is what you can do with Chopie, and got more power on one-half and less the gasoline, a? compared with oilier makes. The wise, money-making man now-a-days always profits by the. experience of others. NOW LISTEN! You arc paying 17 cents for your gasoline. , Sy you pay $150.00 or more for a eii horse power gasoline engine, other makes, and run it for 30( days, which is not very long. Th price of a 0 horso power Choplft is $275.00. The Chopie will savt you $175.00 lo $210.00 in gaso line every 300 days you run iL Now, you pay $150.00 for that cheap engine, add (lie saving ot $210.00, which the T.hopie wilt eavo you. which makes your cheap engine cost you $300.00 at the end of 300 days. NOW LISTEN! Say you are ia the dairy business, and you have two cows that give tho sam grade of milk, but one gives twio as much milk ns tho other. Now tell me which is Hie moneyniak for you or money in your pocket. Plain lo be seen. The Chopie engines are all con strucled of the best material obtainable ami built by the best workmanship to lie secured. Thj chilled cylinder, found only in tha Chopie, will outwear three or four ordinary cylinders, because other cylinders are soft iron and wilt not wear as long or stand up to the lest to which they are put. Now, (his is the proposition I have to make you: You lake a 2Vj, 4, 0 or 10 horaa. power Chopie engine, run it twen ty days free trial, and if it does not come up to these statements send it back and it will not cost you a cent. What could be a fairer guarantee? 1'uiihermore, I agree to replace, free of charge all defects in ma terial or workmanship for the period of one year. Also guar anlee them to develop the actual horse power ill which they are rated, and on one-half gallon gasoline lo the horse power used. I invite you lo visit the factory and see for yourself where all the parts are made. The Chopie (iasoline Engine Enrlory. Platlsinoulh, Neb. WAHN1XO. . lie careful, boys, and don't take up Cliopie's proposition on a, gasoline engine, as it will do more than Chopie claims for it, and the engine will be yours. News-Herald, Pribble Bros. Norman Bartcll, who lias been visiting the Crook home for a few weeks, left this morning for Oma ha, where he will find employ ment. DR. Herman Greodor, Graduate Veterinary Surgeon (Formerly with U. S. Department Agriculture) Licensed by Nebraska State Board Calls Answered Promptly Telephone 378 White, Plattsmouth SIR IN MI LD
