“‘The allotted age of man,’ said the judge, ‘is three score years and ten; beyond that this court has no jurisdiction, and therefore sentence you to confinement at hard labour, in the State prison at Jackson, for a term of seventeen years.’
“So, on the 18th day of April, 1851, ‘Old Sile’ donned the striped suit of a convict for a second time, and served for fifteen years five months and twenty-six days, when, having gained several months ‘good time,’ he was discharged.
“‘Old Sile’ then went to Coldwater, in Branch county, but in a few months he was again arrested on a charge of horse-stealing, and upon the 27th of July, 1867, commenced a third term at the prison, having been sentenced for four years.
“Having, by meritorious conduct, gained about eight; months ‘good time,’ he was discharged on Tuesday morning for the third, and, it is to be hoped, for the last time.
“There are scores of incidents in relation to ‘Old Sile’ that might be related, and would be of public interest, but space forbids their enumeration.
“Mr. Doty left for Coldwater, Branch county, yesterday morning, and intended to reside with his children in that place, and to follow his trade of shoemaking. May success attend him, and may the world deal gently with one who has suffered this severe punishment for his misdeeds.
“Almost twenty-one years of this man’s life were spent within those prison walls, and now, an old grey-headed man whose days are almost numbered, he goes forth to start anew in the world, and to endeavour to lead an honest life. This case is a most peculiar one.
“‘Old Sile’ does not appear to be a bad man at heart; indeed, there are many men occupying important positions and moving in the higher walks of society who are more deserving of the convict’s stripes than ‘Old Sile Doty.’
“It seems to be impossible for him to refrain from the wrongful conversion of property, and it is a grave question with many as to whether he is morally responsible for his acts.”
Charles Peace, when he had engaged the cab, told the driver thereof to set him down at the “Elephant and Castle”—he, from prudential motives, not deeming it expedient to be conveyed to his residence in the Evalina-road. It was his practice at all times to make a sort of break in the journey, that he might thereby baffle any attempt on the part of the police and detectives to trace him to his own residence.