The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1871-09-30
yLERK DOING THE TALLYING


cit is all right, sir" the agent said.
"John Smith was sent here for eight
years, as our books prove"
And so on for ahundred cases. Men
who had been sentenced for five, were
released at the end of three years ; con-
victs for ten years got off with five
wears Imprisonment; and in some cases,
it is said, criminal who had been sent
to Sing Sing for twenty years left the
prison long before half their term had
expired.
Judge Johnson was not brilliant
man He was not able to cope with
the acute clerk who helped to keep
| his books.
| The next warden or agent was Henry
Nelson, of Sing Sing village, who had
been but short time in Office before
indignant and bewildered detectives
began to overwhelm him with ques
tions, verbal and written, relative to
the discharge of John Smith or Theoph-
OILS Jones. Every demand upon his
| time and patience was promptly an
swered, and in the examination of the
| prison books.
THE CONVICT CLERK, JACK CANTER,
was always at hand to do the tallying.
His set of books always agreed with
the wardens; but on one occasion a
difference of two years in the term of
sentence of convict was noticed. 1t
struck the warden that the books might
have been tempered with, so he sug-
gested that while Jack Canter read
from his (the agents) books, he (the
AGENT should read from jacks, there
being two sets. The convict's memory
was extraordinary, and he was able to
give the wrong lead for long time
without failure but long towards the
end of the list he made a mistake.
He read, "John Smith, three years, "
where the warden's book said, "John
Smith, five years" and Jack Canter' s
trot was over Mr.. Nelson turned to
him quickly and said, "Jack l will
COMPARE THESE BOOKS MYSELF"
They were compared, and the little
game that Jack Canter had been SO
long playing was at last found out
The shrewd clerk had changed the terms
of imprisonment of scores of convicts,
and but for one lapse of memory would
have been able to let loose upon the
community hundred desperadoes, at
periods ranging from one to ten years
before the beneicent law intended that
they should again run at large, to prac-
tice their nefarious calling.
Nelson was a stern disciplinarian.-
As soon as he detected the trick that
had been played. he said, "Jack, [ think
you're cornered. You must go into a
dark cell for five months, and live on
bread and water. What have you made
out Of this rascality?'
sThe dark cell and the bread and wa
ter l can stand" said Jack Canter. 81
have
MADE @13, 900
by releasing convicts before their time
was up, and have the money salte
SO you can go ahead.
Jack was put into dark cell for five
} months and fed on bread and water
At the end of that time he was taken
out and sent to the quarry. Then he
was put i'll the washhouse, and after
ward assigned to duty in the bakery
To-day he is the chaplain's clerk, anG
INDUCES in praying and psalm singing
When Al. Wilson's term expires Jacl
will be made assistant clerk again, fol
he is now on the sure road to promo
ton. and is known to be the mos
competent man in the prison. He has
the most supreme contempt for Wilson
When that maiefactor was brought t.
the desk at Sing Sing Prison he was a
once recognized by Canter. E'Hello!
said Jack as he entered the decree o
the Court in Wilson's case. "Conun
, terfeiting, hey? Why, never though
YOU could make bill that blind maj
could take"
When Canter was first taken to Sing
Sing he was asked what his profession
was.
"a bank clerk" said he. 'And nov
that you've got me I'll tell you abou
it, for
1 IT'S A GOOD JOKE.
| was watching a country bank fo
some little time, and | noticed that thu
paying tellor wore a striped coat ano
and straw hat. The clerks left tn,
bank at about l o'clock for dinner.
got straw hat and striped coat, anl
| for several days took my seat on the
steps of the bank. One day [ saw m,
opportunity. The paying teller ant
2 most Of the clerks went out. l went in
pulled off my hat and coat, hung then
: where | had seen the teller hang his
and went around to the desk. The
books were open, and here and there
5 were piles of bills. L went to work al
the books and made the most remark
able entries ever recorded in the books
) of any bank IN this world or any other
[ pocketed the bills, one pile after an
other, and putting on my coat and hat
| [ went my way,
FIFTEEN THOUSAND DOLLARS
better off than l had ever been before. ;
Jack Canter is a small, spare man OF
about five feet nine, of sharp face, and
perfectly bald head. He talks quickly.
but in a self-possessed manner; and is
an excellent judge of human nature.
Jack is fond Of the bottle, and when
business is not too pressing he takes g
ride to Sparta, always coming back tc
the prison as drunk as a lord. Who
gives him the privilege of leaving the
prison | do not pretend to know; but ]
do know that at this writing Jack is q
very pious man of over so, years, and
that he has hopes of making name in
the world Che has already made a for.
tune) before he las entered upon his
thirteenth lustrum
.