The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1859-04-21
Grant ThOrnbarR's Account of the
First state Prisoner in New York.

4 landed in New York, Jane, 1884, by trade
rough nail maker, in the 23i year of my
age IN October following al the time the
Park was out Of town, and only 81, 600 in
habitants) with ten thousand fools, some
bigger and some smaller than myself, We
stood watching the vibration of the rope aud
iron book, during two long hours Then the
Sheriff stood on the scafold. and read re
priese, | confess got much disappointed
l expected to see a hanging, but no hanging
was there.
That man was Noah Gardner. He kept a
large shoe store in New York, had committed
forgery, which, al that time, was death. By
the laws OF the United States. The State
prison Of New York was in course OF erection
al that time; this was the first prison erected
in the world for reform instead OF hanging =
The Society Of Friends were the chief promo
ters Of this humane system. One room in the
prison was nearly ready 10 receive criminals.
The Friends procured from the Governor
Communication from death to the State Prison
for life.
Being shoemaker by trade, they gave
/ him a stool, wax. lasts and avis. and here
commenced the State Prison shoe manufac-
tory. Next court, six vagaoonds were sent
to keep him company. whom he learned to
make shoes | visited the prison three times
-
dred shoem akerS; Noah was provost marshal
walking through the ranks with cane in hand.
furnishing evil doers and praising that did
well. Seven years having passed over him,
the Friends waited on the GJyernor.-
.Frieud," said they, "seyen years ago you
would have hung this man-now here Is a re-
formed member saved to society,"
/ He received an unconditional pardon, and
came out The Friends found him a store
on Pearl street, found him money, endorsed
his notes, and gave him their custom. I'M
mediatey he was in a thriving way. He
Joined the Society of Friends, and said thee
and thou with the best of them. He had a
wife, and children arrived at maturity.
His iourneyman were chiefly men of fam
ily and wrou ght al their own houses. Oae
day he ave to a man pair OF boots "Now,
friend" said he, thee must bring home
these boots on the evening OF the fourth day"
Says he, you shall have them
The boots did not come home until the even
ing of the fifth day. Noah was wroth He
gave the man a long lecture on the evils of
disappointment and wan. of punctuaity. =
When he drew up to breathe, the man re-
piled:
''Sr am spoor msa-have three children
the youngest forty eight hours old. had
to tend my wife and cook for my children,
1t wa, not il my power TO finish the boots
sooner"
+ Noah still continued to magnify the horrors
of disappointing The man grew angry,
the Scotch blood boiled in his veins he struck
the counter with his fist like sledge ham
mer. and answered:
II know" he said otis a terrible thing o
be disappointed. | re member going up to
the Park to see YOU hung, and was never 50
disappointed in my lille when [ saw the re-
prieye.'
Now this was 4 knock down argument. as
an Irish aan would say. 1t was a case in
point, as they would say in courts; Il fact be-
vond ali controversy. rs they would say in
Congress. Noah was dumb, he opened not
his mouth He gave the mGn another pair to
make, kept him in his employment, treated
him kindly, but, as the maa said, lie never
heard the word disappointment drop from
his lips thereafter.
Noah went oa prospering and to prosper.
One div he borrowed various sums of money,
and obtained number OF endorsements. The
bills he changed for Id; the endorsements
he got shaved il Wall street. That night
he was off 10 paris uaNnown, taking with him
a dear sister, the wife OF a young friend, to
cheer him on the way. The story is true to
the letter, and being the first subject of the
State Prison reform, IS the surest way of kill
ling a consummate william. His family and
friends never heard from him.