The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1869-12-16
Ketchurn's Release.
His Prison Life and Condnet-FutHFe Plans and
PROSPECTS,.
From the New York Tines, Nov. Is.

PROSPECTS.
From the New York Tines, Nov. is.
The heavy and startling defalca-
tons of young Edward Ketchum,
not four years ago, are still fresh in
the recollection of the business COM
munity. How he laid deep schemes
for his own aggrandizement, inyolv-
ed himselfin a tangle of IRREGULAR
ties" and finally brought ruin to his
firm and disgrace upon his head,
need not be repeated here. His en-
bezzlements amountde to hundreds
of thousands of dollars, and concern
ed many leading banking and mer-
camille houses. He was speedily
brought to trial, found guilty, and
sentenced to four and half years
Imprisonment at Sing Sing. In all,
twelve indictments were preferred
against him, and ex Recorder Hof-
man, in passing sentence, remarked
that had he been put on trial upon
all the charges, the term Of his I'M
ppisonment would have extended
through the greater part of his life.
He was remanded to prison on De-
cember 80, 1866.
Last Saturday, after a lapse Of
three years, ten months and fifteen
days, and after the public had near.
ly forgotten hin, a telegram from Sing
Sing announced his release by rea-
son of the expiration of his term Of
sentance. He left the prison quietly,
and took the late evening down train,
without informing any one of his
destination. Nor is it known that
any friends met or accompanied him.
He had intimated once or twice that
he should live in a secluded manner
somewhere on the Hudson, above
New York, instead of appearing i'm
mediateIy, at least, among his for
mer business associates, To the
question whether he would go abroad
to live, he replied that his name and
misfortune were known in other
countries than his own, and there
would be no more comfort in resid-
ing elsewhere.
During his prison life Ketchhm
enioy ed certain privileges and i'm
munities which rarely fall to a con-
Wet. This was owing to his excel
lent conduct during the whole period
of his confinement, for he deported
himself like gentleman, say the
keepers. He was not punished once
in the prison, which fact enabled
him to take advantage of the commu-
tation rule, releasing him nearly
eight months before his term had
expired It is said that convict
seldom enjoys the benefit Of this rule,
because Of the great difficulty in
keeping all the regulations of the
prison. Ketchum was put to the
shoemaker's bench when he went to
prison but what proficiency he ac-
quired in the trade could not be
learned. 1t is certain that he had
small library Of books in his shop,
which he ''pegged'' away at to no
small extent. He did not eat his
meals with the regular gangs of pris-
oners; his letters did not pass
through the regular channels; and,
In many other respects, he appeared
to be privileged inmate even in that
democratic institution, where all
hands prided themselves with being
on common level. In regard to
his future plans and prospects Ketch-
UNI was very reticent before the
prison authorities. That be felt his
disgrace was evident, and he once
said that he would have to travel an
uphill road hereafter, and feared he
could never live down the stigma of
his prison life. He maintained also,
that he never intended todefraud any
one in his operations, and had only
laid his lines to make money with
out injury to others. But his plans
failed.