The West Virginia journal. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1864-1877, 1869-01-27
Charles Younger The Cause o
His Crime.

A correspondent Of the Meigs Coun-
ty CO., Press, writing on the boat that
conveyed Charles Younger, tho wife
mur,lerer, from the Point Pleasant
;oil 10 the Pcnitcntiary at Moundsvillc,
says:
AS | came on the boat this morning,
saw sitting in Il chair by tho fire,
with his feet resting in another chair.
man apparently 90 years Of agc. lie
WAS 4 ilan Of powerful muscle. large
and tall, with u dark eye. When ut
rest. there was on his face Il look OF
dullncss. lie was pale and showed
the effects of dissipation When talk
ing, he seemed atl'ablc, his eyes kindlcd
with interest, and he drew about him
listeners; yet thought could sec in
his eye q look Of cunning. lie was
coarsely dressed - his wrists were
chained together, and ball and chain
were fastened to one ankle. Ho was
evidently q convict.
noticed that he had in his hand q
Bible, which. n part Of the time. he
seemed to be reading. 1t was a plain
book but nearly new. Wishing TO get
into conversation with him, asked !:
"Will YOU let me take your Bible!
Tn n tone not unkind. he answered.
"Trs." read within the cover:
"Charlcs Younger, with prayers Of
Mr.. Hayden
then knew that was in the pres
cncc of the man accused OF wife MUIR
der ut Point Pleasant, ". Va. lie has
been twice tried, and each time con-
victcd OF murder in the first degree,
and sentenced to be hung. In answer
to q plea from sympathizcrs to the
Governor. the sentence has been COIL
muted to Imprisonment for fifteen
years. lie was now on his way to the
State prison at Moundsvillc. lie said
he did not commit the murder himself,
but consented to it. while the man who
did the deed, turned States evidence
against him.
lie seemed cheerful and ready to
talk, and | questioned him freely in
regard to his past history, to discover
iii could what led him TO his present
pltiablu condition. lie said: My
father does not believe in the Scrip.
lures and taught us no religion, that's
the trouble; il had been taught re-
ligion. | should not be here: il | had
been taught to do rs that Bible teaches
| should not be here asked: Was
your mother u good woman NO"
Were your parents intidcls?" lie an.
swered: IIeuthcns | call them. and
worse than hcathcns; they never used
to allow us to 20 TO churc~ when |
got to be Il big boy went if wanted
to. but then | did not mind it," and
! here again he broke forth: "rhatS the
trouble. YOU see. or | would not be
here" asked: What then do YOU
regard as the chief cause OF your pres
cmt troublcS?' He promptly answered ::
1T was my parents; they taught u'G
no roud.' "Werc YOU y very bad
boy?" No, the ncighbors will tell
YOU that | WAS considered Il boy Of
good disposition" "
The jailor told me that he served
four years in the Union army; was
truly loyal; was Il prisoner among the
rebels ono year. The poor fellow
really has had hard time orit.
He wa, visited by kind clcrgyincn
while in jail; one Of them presented
him the Bible which saw. The Jail
or's little daughter taught him to read.
lie says he is going to reform he used
to drink hard and swear much - was
drunk when hc was marricd-has not
now used an oath for two, years, and
is not inclined to do so. II he lives to
get out he means to be better man-
sees that the course Of lite he has taken
is unwiSe.
found that hc had learned many
important Christian truths, but could
not find evidence Of real Christian cN-
pcricncc. l urged him to remember
that, without deep repentance. and
faith in Jesus Christ, resolutions would
be insufficient.
Poor fellow. in relief from the death
penalty, he goes to prison for fifteen
years as chccrtully rs school boy
would start to school. Hc says, " it Il
icllcr gets into trouble. he may as well
make the best Of i'll used to take
things hard. but don't now" lie lit
tic knows what he shall suffer in the
lonely confinement Of fifteen weary
plodding years. Might not our prisons
be so modified MS TO give prisoners
moro soc:Saii advantages, and better op-
portunities for reform, so that the juices
of thoir nature may not all DO dried up
(bcfore thcv so again into society
THerc slroHld not on1ybc rfllgtouSHH'
struction, with some time for reading,
but there should be opportunities for
religious conversation, and under prop
er restrictions, for the suffering, and
supporting visitation and presence of
loved ones. Our prisons should be
lcss like the bastile and more like re-
form school, and they will DO soin the
"good time coming H.
THERE arc yet some twelve or fifteen
hundred Indians rcmaiuingi in the State