ACCUSED OF MURDER.
I thought of the other wrong accusation of murder. Now, perhaps, it would
happen again. I finally decided to call for help. An officer stepped up.
When he saw his fellow-officer lying as I have said, apparently dead, he
at once accused me.
“What have you done to this man?”
“I am innocent of any harm to that man. I did not even see him fall.”
“What were you doing that you did not see him fall?”
“I, sir, was doing what he told me to do—loading those pieces of iron on
the truck. I heard deep breathing and turned to look, and found him as
you see him now.”
“Well, I do not believe one word you have told me, and more, no sane man
would ask another to do what it would require three or four strong men to
do.”
“I was not only asked to do so, but I was doing it. I had moved the iron
to the distance you see, from the remainder.”
“Now you come along. I will send the hospital word about him.”
Again I was taken to the office. I wondered what would be done now. As I
had no way of proving that I did not commit the deed, I could not make
them understand that I had not harmed the guard.
The officer said: “I will tell you. I found the guard lying on the floor.
I do not know if he is dead or in a faint. I do know that he looks very
much like a dead man.”
“What! Do you mean to tell me that this man has committed another murder?”
“I am not a murderer, and I did not harm this man. I did not, I say, and
God is my judge.”
“We shall have to take some unusual proceedings with you. I am sure that
when we find out the truth, which I hope and pray to do, and we will if
this man is not dead and he tells the story of how he was harmed, we will
be able to at least see what and why so much mystery surrounds you.”
“I hope he may live and be able to tell the story, for I am anxious to
find out how he happened to be in the condition found.”
“Are you quite sure that you do not already know?”
“I do not, sir.”
“I am at a loss to know what to do with you and where next to place you.
Do you think that you could prove to us that you did move the iron?”
“I do not know, sir. I am quite sure that it moved, and I did not see
anyone near, and that is why I stopped when I heard the moaning—to see
what was wrong, and I saw my guard lying on the floor.”
“You tell a very plain story, but can we believe it? I can not, and will
try you out again on the same work.”
To the other guard he said: “You may take him back and see if what he has
been telling is true.”
“Oh! I beg you not to try my strength on what would require three times
the amount of strength I have, and perhaps cause another circumstantial
evidence of murder, if the guard should be found dead, after reaching the
hospital.”
“I shall not expect you to do so much. I want you to substantiate the
story you are telling us. And now you may go back to the shipping
quarters.”
I was taken, this time accompanied by the officer to whom I was talking
and who was giving orders to place me where I should be given the work.
I thought, on the way back, that I should fall with fear and weakness. I
could not see how I could have courage to try to move the unreasonable
load again.
We are shown no mercy in prison—at least, I was not. Instead, I was
bidden to do work which it was impossible for me to do, outside of prison
walls. We accomplish a great many feats through fear. I am sure that I
could not accomplish many which I did except through fear.
“Now, sir,” said the officer, “you say that you moved that iron that
distance?”
“I did, sir.”
“Well, you may now show if you can move it as far, again, and I shall
see that while you are moving it you do not move me too, as you did the
other, to the hospital.”
At that moment I could not speak. Instead I could hear someone speak to
me, and the words were:
“_I will help you. Take hold._”
I did so. As I bent over I could see several trying to get hold of the
anvils. I felt that my strength was greater than ever before, and I
could see the anvils move along, apparently with ease. After I had moved
them to where we wished them to be, I raised up and found that I was all
alone. I looked around for the officer and guard, but they were not to be
seen.
As I was standing meditating as to what I should do, a prisoner all alone
with no guard in sight, I wondered if I should call for a guard, or try
to move another mass of iron.
At that moment a voice called to me. Turning to look, I was confronted
by a new guard, whom I had never before seen. We could readily tell the
guards by their uniforms.
“How does it come,” he said, “that you are outside of your rank and here
doing nothing with no guard near?”
“Sir, I am here working and had a guard with me.”
“Well, where is he now?”
“I do not know, sir. While I was lifting these anvils and placing them
where we could load them for shipment, he disappeared.”
“Go on! What are you giving me? You alone lifting these anvils?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Do you know that you are not strong enough to lift one end of any one of
them, not even the smallest-sized one there?”
“Well, I do not understand, myself, how I did it, but I did.”
“I think that I shall have to take you to ‘the carpet.’ You are astray
from work in some part of this prison.”
Dear, oh, dear! Back to “the carpet”! On the way I could hear a hearty
laughing, and I felt that I was being ridiculed by my fellow-men, because
I was taken so often to the so-called “carpet.” As we knew, usually when
an officer was taking a prisoner to the office many times, he was sent
for as a punishment for disobeying. In another moment I thought I could
not have heard the prisoners laugh, as that was against the rules. Then
what did I hear?
We at last reached the office, only to find the superintendent gone, the
door locked, and no way of getting in, as the door of the office leads
inside of the prison walls. Therefore it is necessary to have locked
doors at all times.
The next thing to do with me was to lock me in my cell, as I could not
make the officer believe that I was working when he found me.
After some time in my cell I was again sent for, this time by a new
guard, and was told to go to the office with him.
As we entered I saw several men whom I had never before seen in the
office. I noticed that they were officers of the prison. They seemed to
be very much excited, and I must say that I too was excited. I did not
know what next they would or could do with me.