The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1866-11-10
Tie Fret state Prisoner.
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I
| landed in New York, June. 1884, by
trade rough nail-maker, in the 22d year OF
my age. In October following. went up to
The Park to see man hung lat that time
| the Park was out of town, and the popula-
tio.: was only 60,000). With ten thousand
fools, some bigger and some smaller than
myself, we stood watching the vibrations of
the rope and the iron hook for two long
| hours. Then the sheriff stood on the scaffold
| and read reprieFe. l co'ifess was very
much disappointed; l expected to see a
hanging, hut no hanging was there.
The man was Noah Gardner. He kept a
large shoe store in New York. He committed
forgery which at that time was death by the
laws of these United States. The State
prison in New York was building at this
time this was the first prison erected in the
world for the reform instead of hanging
The society of Friends were the chief pros
moters Of this humane system: One room
III the prison was now ready to receive Grim.
Inals. The Friends procured from the
governor communication from death to prison
.or life,
Being a Shoemaker by trade, they gave
him u stool, wax, lasts and avis, and here
commenced the State prison manufactory.-
Next court, six vagabonds were sent to keep
him company them he taught to make
shoes. ! visited the prison three years after
this. In one large room sat three hundred
shoemakers. Noah was provost marshal,
walking through the ranks with cane in hand,
furnishing evil dcers and praisng them that
did we'll. Seven years ha"ing passed over
him, the Friends waited on the governor:
Friend" said they, ..seven years ago you
would have hung man; now here is re-
for Il ,hnrc cd to ra,v
He receive an unconditional pardon, and !
came out The Friends found him store
on Pearl street, found him money, endorsed
his notes, and gave HIM their custom; Im>
medlatelr he was in a thriving waT. He |
joined The society of Friends, and said thee"
and thou with the best of them. He had |
q wife, and children arrived at maturity.
His iourneymen were chiefly men of fam
lilies, ana wrought in thcir own homes. One
day he gave man pair OF boots. !" NJw,
friend" said he, thee must bring home
these boots on fous,h day e.ening." Says
the nan, !'Iou shall have tnen." The
boots did not come home till fifth day even-
ing. Noah was wroth. He gaze the man a I
long lecture on the evils Of disappointment
and punctuality. When lie drew up to
Breathe ,hc man replied:
Sir, am poor man; Ehave a wife and
three children, the youngest only forty eight
hours old. | had to tend my wife and cook
for nv children. 1t was not in my power to
tli;.li the boots sooner Noah still COM
riEued TO magnify the horrors OF disappoint>
mcnt. The man grew angry; his Scotch
bIooI boiled in his veins; he struck the
counter with his fist like a sledgc hammer.
Il know" said he, Its terrible thing TO
be disappointed. | remember going to the
Park to see you hung, and never was 50
disappointed in my hie when saw the
Now, this was knock down argument,
rs the irishn an would say. 1t was Il case
in point, as they say III court, and fact be.
y.nd all controversy they say III Congress.
Noah was dumb be opened not his mouth.
He gave the man another pair to !;e kept
him in employment, treated him kindly, but,
as the man said, lie never heard the word
liSappoiDt come from his lips thereafter |
Noah wcn. on prospering and to prosper.
dav he borrowed various sums of money
and Obtained i nnrfhcr OF enjorscncnts.-
The bills he changed Tor money. the eadJrse-
ments he got shaved in Wal! street. That
night he was off TO parts unknown, taking
with hIn dear sist r, the wife ct q young
Friend, to cheer him on the way ....
This story is tue 10 the latter and being
he FIRST subject of State prison rcfor.n, the
lay drea,ners of the present time may settle
the c,acst,on whether hanging or State prisoE
IS the sti-est way Of curing n consumuate
villain His family and friends never heard
from him.