The true Democrat., 1856-01-08
FrOm the UhlO SJateSH Sentenced for Life,

An old convict in the Ohio penitentiary has been confined therein for thirty years, and was sentenced for life. He sent from Butler county, for murder in the 2d degree-and was in jail some two years before the final convc- tion and sentence. He is about sixty years of age, large frame and very portly. He has been man of powerful nerve and sinew. Perhaps the strongest man ever in the prison. But for the last ten years he has been suffered to remain idle, and amuse himself in taking care of bear deer peacock and other fowls about the yard. He has been, up to this time, avery hard work ing man-chopped wood in the fields adj jacent to the prison-and carried stone during all the time of building the new penitentiary-and claims to have bossed the job. For several years his mind has been faiing-he claims that the State owes him for all the work he has done and says he will never leave the prison until it is paid-.amounting by his estimate, to S4,- IA. He insists that the State shall board him until every cent is pad and refused to leave his old quarters
 He has occupied the same cell for many years, has it fixed up to suit himself, with all manner of traps-including an old fashioned suit of clothes, which he sometimes puts on, struts about the yard in grand style with cane, de- manding settlement of his accounts He makes toothpicks of very fine appearance, and is permitted to sell them to visitors. His hat is of the old fashioned bellcrown, high top and when he gets on the citizens coat and pants-the latter being quite too short and close ftting-he presents ludicrous appearapce- ,.One day quail had got into the yard and was 1caught by him-and he started to the office to show it to the warden-having never seen one for thirty years; 1t was great curiosity to him. While in the office, the warden whispered to Ouard hat thp should hear him, to lock the door and keep him out, so that the State would get clear of paying the debt In twinkling the old man was on his feet, and fleet a deer he fled through the door to his cell, before the officer was aware of his intention; saying as he went of, that he never made house that he could be locked out of 1t.
 lie came to the prison under the name of John Phillips, but for number of years has called himself Aaron Crouder, and flies into passion the moment Phillips is mentioned. He is very healthy, though growing feeble, never is sick, never troubles the pital--pretends to be doctor, and oftens feels the pulse of the officers to see if they are well, and prescribes some simple remedy for them. During the cholera, brandy was prescribed in small quanti ties for the convicts, but he would never taste drop, and says he never will.
 He gives an account of his arrest and convic- ton. He says it was all about woman. Her man abused her-he took her and her things into wagon to take her to her peoples her man overlook them in the woods and fight ensued, in which her man was killed. Crouder says he could not help 1t, he would fight, and he was the strongest. That's all.
 He knows of no relative living-and has no accurate idea of his state after death. He is kind, doce, and rather inclined to be sociable, but has been sometimes hard case to manage. Sometimes now. he gets little wild and scolds bitterly but an offer to buy toothpick, or trade for anything, puts him in good hu- nor.
 His case is a lamentabe one, and it is ques- tionable, if he becomes better prepared for death than when sentenced-though he has suffered more than death in his thirty years of dying. If turned out fifteen years ago. he would no doubt have behaved himself--been some comfort to himself, and thought more about the future.