were sent to every officer in the state; and all
the sheriffs in the eastern part of Nebraska immediately organized
posses and took up the trail. At the prison telephone inquiries
kept coming in till after midnight. At two o'clock I went to
bed, but was too downhearted to sleep and several times I had
to get up and walk the floor.
|
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
OUR MARTYRED WARDEN
James
Delahunty was born in Peoria, Illinois, March 14, 1857, and the tragic feature
of the killing was the fact that the day was the fifty-fifth anniversary of
his birth; and on the same hour of the day as occurred his birth also occurred
his death. He came to Clay county, Nebraska, about twenty-eight years ago
with his parents, settling on a farm now occupied by his family
two miles northeast of Clay Center. Jim, as he was universally
known, was an honorable, upright, good and true man and was respected
and beloved by all with whom he came in contact. He was well
educated, and was fitted for any position in life. For two years
he served as deputy county clerk of Clay county, and about ten
years at the prison in various positions. He served under five
governors and rose from steward to deputy warden and afterwards
to warden.
|