WhileJessehadfoughtawinningbattleuptothispointhewasattheendofhisresourcessofarastheextraditionoftheprisonerwasconcerned，forDodgewasnowatliberty，pendingthedecisionsuponthehabeascorpusproceedingsoftheUnitedStatesCircuitCourtofAppealsatFortWorth，andtheUnitedStatesSupremeCourtatWashington。ButhisordersweretoBRINGDODGEBACKTONewYork。Hence，withtheaidofsomenewmensenthimfromtheNorth，hecommencedanevenclosersurveillanceoftheprisonerthaneverbeforebybothdayandnight。
MeantimeKaffenburghdepartedforNewYork，fleeingfromthewrathofJudgeBurns，whohadissuedasummonsforhimforcontemptoftheFederalCourtonthegroundthathehadinducedDodgetoattempttojumphisbond。InplaceoftheblusteringKaffenburghwassentanothermemberofthefamouslawfirmofHoweandHummel，DavidMay，anentirelydifferenttypeofman。MaywasasmildasadayinJune——asurbaneasKaffenburghhadbeeninsolent。HeflutteredintoHoustonlikeawhitedoveofpeacewiththeproverbialolivebranchinhismouth。FromnowonthetacticsemployedbytherepresentativesofHummelwereconciliatoryintheextreme。Mr。May，however，didnotlongremaininHouston，asitwasapparentthattherewasnothingtobedonebyeithersidependingtheactionofthecourts，andinanyeventDodgewasabundantlysuppliedwithlocalcounsel。ThetimehadnowcomewhenHummelmusthavebeguntofeelthatthefateswereagainsthimandthatatwenty-yearterminstateprisonwasaconcretepossibilityevenforhim。
Inthemeantime，DodgeandBrackenhadtakenuptheirheadquartersattheRiceHotelinthemostexpensivesuiteofroomsinthehouse，anewschemeforgettingtheprisonerbeyondthereachoftheNewYorkcourtsapparentlyhavingbeenconcocted。Dodgewasnowindulgedineveryconceivableluxuryandvice。Hewasplungedintoeverysortofexcess，therewasnodebaucherywhichBrackencouldsupplythatwasnothisandtheirrapidmethodofexistencewassoonthetalkofthecountyandcontinuedtobesofortenlongmonths。Thereismorethanonewaytokillacatandmorethanonemethodofwipingouttheonlyexistingwitnessagainstadesperatemanstrivingtoescapetheconsequencesofcrime。
Dodge’sdailyroutinewassomewhatasfollows：Heneversleptathisownhotel，butaroseinthemorningbetweentenandeleveno’clock，whenhewasatoncevisitedbyBrackenandsuppliedwithnumerousdrinksinlieuofthebreakfastforwhichheneverhadanydesire。Atnoonthetwowouldhaveluncheonwithmoredrinks。Intheafternoontheywouldretiretothepoolroomsandplaytheraces，and，whentheraceswereover，theywouldthenvisitthefarobanksandgambleuntilmidnightorlater。LaterontheywouldproceedtoanotherresortonLouisianaStreetwhereDodgereallylived。Herehisdaymaybesaidtohavebegunandherehespentmostofhismoney，frequentlypayingoutasmuchasfiftydollarsanightforwineandinvariablyendinginabeastlystateofintoxication。ItisquiteprobablethatneverinthehistoryofdebaucheryhasanyonemaneverbeensoindulgedinexcessesofeverysortforthesameperiodoftimeasDodgewasduringthesummerandfallof1904。Thefugitiveneverplacedhisfootonmotherearth。Iftheyweregoingonlyablock，Brackencalledforacab，andthetwoseemedtotakeaspecialdelightinmakingJesse，asJerome’srepresentative，spendasmuchmoneyincabhireaspossible。TheHoustonjehusneveragainexperiencedsoprofitableatimeastheydidduringDodge’swetseason；andthelifeofdissipationwascontinueduntil，fromtimetotime，theprisonerbecamesoweakfromitseffectsthathewasforcedtogounderthecareofaphysician。Afewdaysofabstinencealwaysrestoredhisvitalityandhewouldthenstartoutuponanotherroundofpleasure。
DuringthisperiodJessemaintainedacloseandvigilantpersonalespionageovertheprisoner。Forovertenmonthshesleptlessthanfourhourseachday，hisfatiguebeingincreasedbytheconstantapprehensionoftreacheryamonghisownmen，andthenecessityofbeingeveronthealerttopreventsomemoveonthepartofthedefensetospirittheprisoneraway。DuringthesummerattemptswererepeatedlymadetoevadethevigilanceofJesseandhismenandseveraldesperatedasheswerefrustratedbythem，includingoneoccasionwhenBrackensucceededinrushingDodgeasfarasGalveston，wheretheywereforcedtoabandontheirdesign。