nd place him
upon the ermined bench. I do not even know the name of this judge, but
I believe, if I am correctly informed in this case, that his judgment
is deficient somewhere. But I must say in this connection, when the
good people of Lyons County heard of this suicide, they immediately
thereafter petitioned the Board of Pardons for the release of these
prisoners, and the board at once reported favorably upon their cases,
and Governor Martin promptly granted their pardons and they were
released from the prison. If the pardon had not been granted, others of
them had resolved upon taking their lives as did their comrade. One of
these prisoners was for a time a companion of mine in one of my mining
rooms, and told me if he was required to remain in the coal mines
digging coal another three months he had made up his mind to follow the
example of his comrade, preferring death to the horrors of the mines.

For the further information of the reader, as to the dread of the
prisoners of work in the mines, I cite the following which I call to
recollection. The gentlemanly physician of the institution, Dr. Neeally,
told me that at four different times men had feigned death in the mines
and had been carried on stretchers to the hospital; the particulars in
one case is as follows: One of these men feigned death and was carried
to the hospital, and was reported by his comrades to be dead. He had
suppressed his breathing. The physician felt his pulse, and finding it
regular, of course knew he was simply endeavoring to deceive. In order
to experiment, the physician coincided with the statements of the
attending convicts who had carried him from the mines, and announced
that he would try electricity, and if he failed to restore him to life
he would then have to bury him in the regular way. The doctor retired
for the purpose of getting his electrical apparatus. In a few moments
he returned, bringing it with him, and placing the magnetic cups, one in
each hand, commenced generating the electricity by turning the generator
attached to the machine. After a few turns of the crank the prisoner
opened his eyes; one or two more and he sat up; a few more and he stood
on his feet; another turn or two and he commenced dancing around, and
exclaimed, "For God's sake, doctor, do quit, for I ain't dead, but
I can't let loose!" Reader, what do you suppose was the object this
convict had in view in thus feigning death? What did he hope to gain
thereby