Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1859-07-05

II
enjoying the largest liberty Of which the day is
capable, the convIcts at the Penitentary were al
lowed somewhat enlarged privileges, aud the eel
ebraton there was decidedly unique as well as in
/ tefesting. Ii seems that the convicts previouslv
sent an exceedingly -weil-drawn-up request 10 the
Warden; asking the privilege Of comsemoratfng
| the day In some sort; and permission was granted
| them to spend it In such manner as would not
| eonnlct With the wholesome dsci pline Of the
| prison.
The convics had made all their little prepara-
mons Tor the observance Of the day with an eager
interest OF which those whose :. area Of freedom
| Is somewhat larger would hardly be susceptible
when a sad damp was thrown over the whole
arrangements by the sudden death Of one Of their
| number, Thomas Croggin, who died on Sunday
night, Of congestion Of the brain. They subse-
quently sent the following address to Mr.. Seng-
stack: ..H
To the Warden--Respeeted Sir: BY the dispen-
| saton of Divine Providence one of our number
has been summoned from the stage of action and
called upon to try the realities OF another world
The deceased was one among the most anxious
expectants Of our Fourth Of July celebration
His most intimate friends believe that II he had
been in possession Of his faculties at the time of
his death he would have requested that the cele-
9railon should have taken place, and his uncle
desired that IL should not be suspended Be-
lieving that it would have been our deceased
friends desire, We respectfully ask that the eyer
cises may take place after the funeral and propose
| that mourning be added TO the DECORATIONS of tbe
| chapel, and that our speaker introduce some an
propriate remarks to snow respect for the de-
ceased Believing, sir, that the most fastidious
would not nnd FAULT with this arrangement, we
respectfully prefer this request. The prisoners
who are TO take part in the exercises of the Fourth
have taken particular pains to prepare themselves
to perform their parts with credit to the insttu-
| ton and to themselves. Or IL this do not meet
your views may we be bold enough to ask that il
may take place on another day.
Humbly and respectfully, THE PRISONERS
| 1t was decided, In accordance with this earnest
Il Tn al bp lehr finn 10
FUNERAL OF cRoGGIN
On the assembling Of the convicts in the chanel
| an affecting funeral discourse was delivered over
the remains by Rev. George w. Dorrance, the
body enclosed in a handsome walnut cotfin) was
| tLken charge Of by the relatives Of the deceased
and conveyed to the Methodist Burying Ground
Much interest attaches to the name 81 Crogg1n
| In this community from his having been one OF
the NEST daring members Of the celebrated s.Nay-
ior gang Of burglars, and from his escape from
Jail and his subsequent adventures while con-
cealed prior to his rearrest by the police He was
about "a years Of age.
THE CELEBRATION
Between IL and - O'Clock In the forenoon the
| convich were assembled in the chapel and en-
tered upon the exercises Of the day in the presence
| OF quite number Of ladies and gentlemen from
| the city. The room was decked with flowers and
evergreens, and at the eastern end, fronting fhe
| audience. appeared in handsome letters on a blue
grond the motto: We Still Lore Or Countyv ~
In the rear Of the visitors Were the male convicts
In Their prison uniform of part-colored white and
blue clothes, and separated from them by a 81 rec
(punctured, however. with numerous q mem
holes, showing the strength of feminine curl
osity) Were the female cOnvicts. Copies of
| on the margin, bearing the names Of WASHING
ton, ~ Lafayette, - Montgomery - :Koscinsko >,
Were distributed among the audience, and were
carefully preserved and taken away by the re-
cipients. 1t ran thus
| Programme for Independence Day, 1859.
l. National Hymn. Choir
g. song: The Invitation, chaplain an,
!. Song" My Native Land'' .............. Choir.
3. Reading the Declaration. NC H. Barrett
o Song-' Star sPangled Banner''. ...... Choir
5 Song Columbia the Gem Of the
Song DO they Mis-: me at :cRoI.
song"s' The Flas Of the Free cpis M chsi
~. Song-"The Glorious Fourth Of July''.. All.
IL; Prayer and Benedietion.. Chaplain.
John Jones, Benjamin Ogle
The Declaration Of Independence was read by
Barrett In clear voice, and his appearance rather
iayoraoiy impressed the audie nee, being thai of
| frank, kindly young man; and ii was not easy
to realize that the crime for which he is incarce-
rated was that OF murder, 49,
The address Of the day, by r. Smith, W. an
enort 10 occasion yet more interest in the speaker
young man with fine expansive brow and a
quick, lnteillSent eye. The address was well
conceived, and was delivered with appropriate
gesture and Evolutionary effect, showing scholar
ship and cultivation the part of the unfortunate
| criminal. We forbear giving his name i'm full at
his earnest request lest il should come TO the
knowledge Of his aged mother thus far kept in
ignorance OF the fact that her only son is within
The walls Of a prison. His crime, we believe, was
forgery. :
In bis address he spoke of the celebration as a
novel one; but outcasts though they were the lire
OF patriotism still glOwed in their bosolns God
for6ld that their msforunes should entirely crush
Out thelr inner feelings For himself he felt keenly
The degradation which attached to him but his
nxed resolve was to hereafter redeem his good
name -
Proceeding to recite, En vivid language. the
leadlny events In the history OF the country, and
Of the war OF Independence he went on to detict
the material progress Of the country, closing with
an appeal to his fellow prisoners TO aspire to a
nlghei position, and urging upon them that to
this ehd there was no surer means than tn.
| cultivation OF true patriotism. Altogether we
have heard infinitely worse, and not many better,
specimens OF Fourth Of July sPread-eagleism ont
sids the penitentiary.
This address was warmly applauded upon its
conclusion not only by the spec tatOrs but by the
cOnyicts who seemed to take little pride In the
creditable effort Of one of their number
An address Of thanks to the Warden the Deputy
Warden, lMr. c. p. Sengstack, Jr., to the Chap
lain and the Board Of Inspectors for kindnesses
rendered and to the ladies for gi Of CONNECTION
cry, was delivered in good language, but with
rather hurried delivery, by convict Willard He
attributed the fall Of himself and his fellows to
bad associations, brought about by the use of the
intoxicating cup, and in feeling terms urged upon
bis fellow prisoners to behave well and on their
dismissal from these walls to endeavor to regain
the regard of their fellow-men
The singing of the convicts was generally ex-
ceedingly good, and one piece, 'Do they miss me
| at home" was sufficiently touching to draw tears
from eyes ''unusued to the melting mood
The spectators, we believe, Were one and all
| exceedingly gratifed with the exercises of the
day, so novel and interesting; and moreover with
the appearance generally of the prisoners and
their cells, cook room, kitchen, bakery, &c.
| TO the question, whether prisoners should be
allowed the privilege Of so spending the day. it
may be answered, yes, il they TO be reformed ,
made better men, and II they not to be cut of
from all human sympathies Warden Seng stack ,
| who has had large experience in dealing with
| convicts, we think concluded justly In believing
| that the influence Of such exercises on these un-
| fortunate criminals must be beneficial and we
fancied we could yesterday OIL the faces of the
convicts, or manv OF them, resolve to lead
better lives hereafter. =
The Sunday School Celebration at Annlosfau
| IsIand.-fhe celebration by St Matthew's sun
day school, at Analostan Island, was most nurner-
| Ously attended. From early hour In the.morn
| ing until late In the evening, two large barges-
one capable Of holding one hundred and ffty and
hnn rsH