The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1859-02-04
- 2 =
The First Atatc Prinen
NJ GRANT 7nespuks.

I landed 10 New Yors, jane, lisa, BY trade
rongh naslmaker, 10 thu y year OF ray sss lo
October following, {ss that tine the Park was cut
Of town, ard eBiy 10000 inhabiiants.} Win ten
Thousand fools, some bigger aud BONA smaller
than ms self. we stood watching tho vibfaitons
Of the rope and iron hook, dnring TWO long
hours Then the sheriff stood on the scahoid aud
rad a reprieve. | confess was much disappoins'
! &c; expcctei to see a hanging, bnt no hanging
was there. -
! shoe store in New York; be committed forgery,
| wbich. at that time, was death, by the lave CT
| these United states. The State prison of New
/ York was in the course Of erection at this tine;
this was the fIst prison erected Ia tho world for
reform, instead OF hanging The Society Of
Friends we're the chief promoters of The humane
system. 0ne room in the prison was near ready to
| receive criminals. The Friends procured from the
| Govornor a communication from death to the State
| prison for life
/ gsing shoemaker by trade, they gave him a
| s'coi, wax, lasts, and avis, aud here commenced
/ the State prison shoe mandatory. Next court,
! six vagabonds were sent 10 keep him company,
| whom he learned TO make shoes. I visited the
prison three yeats after this. In one large room
/ sat three hundred shoemakers-NOah was provost
marshal, walking through tho rank with cane in
! hand, Furnishing evil doors aud prasing them thst
! did well. Seven years having passed over hin, the
/ Friends waited on the Governor. "Frieli," said
| they, seven years ago you would have hung the
| fnan--now here is q reformed member sared 10 SO
oisty.'
| he received an unconditional pardon, aud came
oat. The Friends feuud him store on Pearl
street, FUND him money. endorsed his notes, and
gave him their custom. Imme liltely he was IN q
thriving way He joined the Society Of Friends,
and said thes aud Ihou with The beet OF them -
He had eife ard children, arrived al maturity.
| His jaurutymcn were chiefly men Of family. and
wroua ht at their own houses Oue day h" gave TO
"a man IL pair of boots. "No" friend, said be,
'ihee must bring home these boots on tho even
ing If the fourth day" says he, You shall have
| them"
The boots did not come home until the evening
of the fifth day. Ncah WAS wroih Ha gave the
aan 4 long lecture on the evils IF disappointment
and want of pUictuality. y hen he drew up t.
breathe, the man replied:
"str, am poor msu-bave three children
the youug-s. forty sigh, lonrs old. had TO tend
TO my wife aad cook fox my children. Ii Was not
IL my power to fni.h tho boots sooner" Noah
skill continued 10 magnify the horrors OF d'ssps
pujntuent. The man grew angry; 'he Scotch
blood boiled IN Lis veins; hs struck the counter
w.' ti- tiss IKE sI,d se hammer, aud answered :;
~ know saii l.. '.lts d.. terrible thing - To
disappointed. ! remember gciEs up to tire Park
30 sec YEA hung. a1d never was - disappointed
in my life rs when sa- n" seprieye.'
Now this was : knock aasn argument, ss an
/ Irshmaa would say. IL VAS q case 10 poiut, AS
.hty would say Ia c2Cri; and fact beyond all
| controversy, as they sag "a Cjugtas7 Noah was
dumb, he opened not bis month. lie gave the
man another pair r. maize, Kept him In his
! Eioyneut, treated him kILd!y; but TIE u4Ia
! sal, he never head tho word cPa; poiutuient
drop from his lips thereafter.
Noah went 90 prospecting ard 10 proper. O1e
daY lie borrowed vsr!,us sumo Uf money, rad II.
! tanned a number Of endorsements. The bills ns
cha ed for goId the euI Jtsemen he 20. shaved
! ia Wal a:Ie-t That Ui.ht he sas fl for pzrts
unkno%n, taxing with L!tg dear sistrr the wits
# 4 yoUaz friend T. cnet. him Oh the way. the
.to!y true 10 the letter ana being the first sUJ-
icct Of state prison reform, the day dreamaTs Ct
! iLe prceoHt time may settle the question, wheth-
/ er k,ug state ~ isou reform is the surest
way of curiog Il ,usulaI mate Villain. lis family
! and friends never heard from him.