Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1869-10-12
A Warning Voice from the Prison
Cell.

der at Stroudsburg, Pa, attributed all his
suferings and crimes to the use of intoxi-
eating liquors. Prior to his execution he
sent the following letter to the Philadel-
phia Inquirer, with request that it be
published:
''STRoUDsBURG JAIL write this In
the hope that it may be the means of ar
resting the attention, and saving some
young man from the path that leads to
death and hell-blights and ruins in this
world and fixes destiny in the next, amidst
the darkness of eternal night; for the sa-
cred volume declares, No drunkard shall |
inherit the kingdom of Cod Oh that l
could portray the horrors springing from
the first glass, you would shun it as you
would the road in which death in its most |
hideous form was lurking; would to God
had died before / knew the love or pas
sion strong drink can bring to its poor, de-
luded victims, for then / would have had |
kind friends to weep and think kindly of
me, as in solemn silence they gazed into |
my tomb; but now my earnest prayer to
God is, that no one who ever knew me may |
ever hear anything about me. May God |
in his mercy grant that no more innocent |
people may suffer on my account.
ooh, young man, by all you hold dear,
shun the cup, the fatal cup-ifnot for your
own sake, in Gods name, shun it for the |
sake of those you hold so near and dear.
You may think you are able to take a
drink and leave it alone when you wish;
let me entreat you don't try the expert
ment, for when it gets hold it rarely ever
lets so. 1t not only destroys you. but
friends must suffer also. 1t may bring a
grave; make an old man of a kind. good
father before his time-not to mention
brothers and sisters, who must share the
sorrow. These things are of daily occur
renee; and this is not the worst, for it has
melted the mother to murder her innocent
babe, the husband to imbrue his hands in
the blood of his wife, for whom he would
have willingly laid down his own life
Pause think well before you touch the
cup! Remember, you not only venture
your own prospects and happiness, but all
you hold sacred is involved. Don't say, |
can take a drink and leave it off; the chan
ces are against you; and even if they are
not, is it right? is it honorable to risk the
happiness of others to crafty your own evil
appetite? Would to God that one year ago
l l could have seen strong drink as it really
is, stripped of all the ornaments thrown
: over it by those engaged in the traffic;
could have seen it as a sure and swift road
that was to lead to my present unhappy
, condition in a felon's cell, with the pros
n pect of shameful death. Is it surprising
e that l would try to save others from the
same fate? l know that | have neither the
. talent nor the education to plead the cause
e of temperance but | can tell what the use
q of intoxicating drinks has brought me to.
4 Can | do less, under the circumstances,
= than give a word of advice to some thought
i less ones? Praying (if SO great sinner as
n | may pray) that God may bless it, and
: make its truthfulness do what hearing
: could not, be the means of saving some
from drunkard's end.
e For one short moment let your fancy
= carry you to this cell. You will see me
v write this with my hands ironed irons are
: on my limbs and am chained to the floor.
Do you ask what brought me here? l must
say, whiskey. Is it strange in me to lift a
e warning voice against that which has done
= me so much harm? Thank God, l have
q not lost all feeling. There are those on the
\ earth, separated from me by the great wat
a ers,' who believe and trust THAT wherever
!, / am I am honest and respected. Goo
r forbid that they should ever be undeceiv
Is ed. Oh is it not hard to pray to God tha
rs your dear father and mother, brothers anC
? sisters, your early playmates and friends
J. may never hear about you, or you from
T. them, when one word would be more prec
8. ious than untold treasure.
70 "a kind word from strangers is treasur
f. ed up as something precious, as God know
:, it is to me. To keep you from such a con
ol dition, l write this, hoping you will take
d in the spirit in which it is given. Iwrit
c. it earnestly and sincerely, trusting tina
er God may bless it to your use. Ifyou ar
ever tempted to drink, think of this adyic
I'll and the circumstances under which it
al given, and may heaven help you to cas-
IN the cup from you. Don't parley, or yo
d. are lost. Say no. Stick to it. Once O
'e twice will be enough. Tempters will Sc
In that you are firm and respect you the NOR
ne for it. Don't be alarmed at being called
10 teetotaller. You may be greeted with
- laugh or jeer. Nc matter, you win respec
or How often have l wished | could say ~
al and stick to it, when asked to drink, bU
1g my guess not or think not, was alway
taken for yes, or, if | said no, it was know
is that | did not always stick to it. A con
40 I'd panion who worked by my side was nevt
ne asked but once, for his mo- meant no. TT
he the power of an emphatic no, when aske
De to do wrong, is the advice of one who hs
~ lost all for the want of little firmness
first. fl could only tell you all hay
w. lost-lost friends, character, home, all til:
ed makes life dear, through drink, by not sa.
Il. ing no. when asked to do wrong. l coul
e. have said it. God gave me understanding
Or. | knew right from wrong, but l fattere
myself | could go so far and then rein ur
+. now l am lost. God in his mercy graz
70 that this may keep some young man fro
-, treading the same path. Taste not, touc
not, handle not is the only safe course
% Don't believe in moderate drinking, the
h. is too much danger in it. There is 1
at drunkard living but thought he could lea,
IL off when he wished As | write this | S,
no a fond mothers face, hear her last wor,
ore to me, low and sweet, as she bade her be
lie God-speed, and said. BE good boy, shr
,ly bad company, and don't drink
les 81 see a kind, good father, trying to ket
m back the tears as he gave the same adviC
he telling me at the same time to 'be mindf
Y. 7 of God and He would not forsake me-
i'll Alas all was forgotten, and the result is
he felon's cell, and soon, perhaps, a shamef
Die DEATH Is it any wonder I should try al
Up warn others? Say you, that many drir
m, and do not what have doneT All tru
ID but none do as l did but what drink, n
a one You say man can take a drink al
lgs not be drunkard, for Gods sake dor
M try it-that is what ruined me. All s.
at first, 'whiskey shall not be my master