The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1854-06-03
STATE PRISON E!STORY.
Laurie Todd rc.atcS the fnl,owinc:

I-tilic Iutiti rti,.ttS itip fultOTlnV:
In l7?i man nln",! Noah. who kept an
extensive shoe store in Maiden Lane. forced
"o'r. WIS tried to- 50 doin-. and sentenced
I" hr hung. limv memory lc correct, the
@I!lnwS WIS erected in the Park where now
stands the Snrro-atc's Office. Th"rc were
present on that occasion some ten Thousand
persons. We stood Cor two hours wa.chinr
In" vibrations OF th" rope. As is iron hook
SWING ror'.l with NE breeze. when at last
the sheriff mounted the scailold and announ-
cr'! rcprlrvc. | must confess was sOrclv
disappointed. having never seen M ,xcru.;"n
and had com" 10 see how matters were ar
ranged. had lost quarter of d,v's
time: : went home. veXol with the Governor
for interfering with The sheriff. and hancnlan
tor not carving ont The sentence. and will,
mv>ct for hrin. 30 foolish an! wicked a>you
viii see in the sequel.
.tt that time the Gr>, State Prison was be-
ing built. at what Is now the foot of Canal
>'rc"t TIE society Of Friends were the fr>,
promoters Of humane system. and it WI,
through the influence OF the Governor that
Noah was rescued from The callowS. and his
sentence altered to State Prison for life
Thus Noah was the first State prisoner in the
world. lIavi"- learned The art OF >hocrak-
ine. .l"y gave h!m a stool. lasts. and avis:
Tie next sentence day m acquisition was made
10 his live stock. and 10 them he u.ht Tie
same trade. Thus commenced the manuiac-
turc of boots and shoes in the STATE Prison
Ahout three ycar> after. was permitted to
:icw The interior. There stood Noah. cane
IN hand. rciroNing some. ii.>;rUc,irg others,
AMI laying the ROD on the >louldc,s ui the slu,-
gard. Ai:cr ha,iu. served faithful, seven
years in prison. the Friends finally obtained
from the Governor an unconditional pardon ::
and he was discharged (a> his friends >a;.i) a
rcfoTmrd man tn.icr that impression tie
men who h al saved his Bic, advanced him
money, and he opcncd s!oc store in
Pearl street. They endorsed his noics, and
scores o, them became his cash cus.omcrs.-
lie was soon IN thriving wav-coining
money as the saving is and Joined the Soce-
ty OF Friends. from gratitude, suppose. lie
donncd the drab-coorc,! Goa. and said M,..
and ho" ON all proper occa sions.
Most OF his work was done bv men who
worked in their own dwellings. One ,lay he
gave .lourncynlan pair OF boots. all cut out
to make. Now. friend" said Noah, '.thce
will finish those boots and return them to me
on the fourth day evening; have promised
them to a customer at that time" The boots
were not brought to him until the fifth day
evening. Noah was very angry, and COM
mcnced long cNordium on the high crime
and nii>dcmcanor OF disappointment. Noah
at last drew in his breath when the workman
replied. Sir, an a poor man. with a wife
and three children, one of them but two DAYS
old: had to act the part OF nurse to my wife
and cook for the children therefore as YOU
will perceive, it was impossible for me to fin
iSh them sooner Noah refused TO accent a.
ny excuse, and continued to point out the E.
vii consequences of disappointment. The
man became angry, the Scotch blood boiled
in his veins and Drbcarancc ceased To tc a
virtue. The joarncyrIan replied, Il know,
sir. it is sore thing 10 bc disappointed: re-
member about ten years ago. going up 10 TIE
Park to see vou hu,,y and | never was SO
disappointed in all NY life as when the sheriff
announced a rcpricvc.'
Noah was dumb, h" opened not his mouth;
he pad the man Tor :iianin. the boots. and
gave hi,m another pair 10 make but from
that day forward the word disappointment
WAS never heard 10 pro 'ccd from bis lips.
Noah went or pro~perinr and 70 prosper:
hc vas he'd up as 4 gazing-stotl 70 France.
England an! Spain. Is fine specimen OF r.
fotn.. Cnc ID, he oh'aincl few .xtsa on
.!.}.- e-..;i:-, aHl Is ac.cs v..c ,ia;.I ~