Page:History of Oregon Newspapers.pdf/475

466 Hart as a Perjured Witness and States That He Was to Get a Thousand Dollars for His Evidence."

After a red-hot heading like that one would expect some fire works pretty early in the story, but here is the way it started.

"On a hot day the Tombs Prison is not a relief to the eye. The fiery sun glaring on the granite walls reflects the heat, and it strikes the faces of the passers-by with ten-fold effect. To get into the Tombs you must apply at the entrance in Franklin street. Mark Finley, the keeper, is one of the best fellows in the world, and when a reporter calls he unbends himself and takes the visitor all around to see the sights. The lion of the Tombs just now is Edward S. Stokes. His trial, which has lasted for so many days; has made him famous, and the defense made by John McKeon has been traversed by all the journals in the land.

"Ask Mr. Finley for a ticket and then I'll bring Stokes out in the room to see you," said the good-looking and even-tempered man at the gate, who does not look like a human being who has been confined in prison walls: His face is too jolly looking for that. "You can't see him in his cell, but you can see him in the room right back here." An old man, with a white beard, went back in the prison yard to look for Stokes, and the reporter for a few moments sat down.

Stokes came out in his shirt sleeves, wearing white striped trousers. His mustache was shaved off. This made a great difference in his appearance. Stokes looked like an actor with his clean shaven face, and people who saw him said, "He looks like John Mortimer."

He shook hands with the Herald reporter and sat down to make his statement. Paper and a pencil having been produced, Stokes spoke in his peculiar manner, full of earnestness and vigor. He was in excellent spirits and talked freely.

He said, "Mr.—, there is one thing I wish to say to you. I shall not give any interview to any person but a Herald reporter. Some people come in here and say that they are reporters, and endeavor to speak to me, but still I do not desire to talk to them. I have been misrepresented so much that I have to be careful. Therefore, what I tell you is the only true statement that will be made; all the rest is false.""

Having finally done full justice to himself and the Herald, the 1872 interviewer proceeds with the matter in hand. Reporter's questions include: "What is your opinion of the jury which tried you?" "What do you think of Mr. Garvin, the District Attorney?" "What