Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1871-11-28
Happiness in a Prison.
Tile Eccentricities Of a Psnitentiary ConVict
n Venerable Prisoner IHAo Don't Want
to GET Om--in Imaginary trssse:.


lrroIn tne Oulo sthtealflhu.l
The Rp,tsmouth Times Of recent date
contained the following paragraph concerning
historic character at the Peniten.iary:
john Gull, of Starkc county, was sen.
fenced to the penitentiary for life, Oct. 81
1886, bis crime being murder in the second
degree. lie is now seventy>two years Of age,
nearly half Of which has been spent in the
Penitentiary. In accord with other papers in
the State, we are in favor Of his rc!ease.-
Ills age would probably bo sufficient guar,
autee for his good conduct during the brief
remnant of his natural lic He would not
recognize the world he loft thitty-fve years
ago.
Probably without full acquaintance with
tho case, the Times makes recommendation
suggested by mistaken bumauitariauism. II
would be absolute cruelty to discharge John
Gull from the prison, even il The terms Of
his sentence had been fulfilled. dc is one
of the established characters of the institu>
tiOn, and probably wouldn't vamoosc if ten.
dcrcd liberty; indeed, his confinement is
merely nominal, his mental faculties being SO
impaired that he cannot appreciate discipline,
aud his physical disabilities being such that
hG is not valuable in the workshops. His
lunacy is not of tho kind requiring restraint,
aud he is permitted to wander around the
yard at will, apparently happy in imaginary
wealth and dominiun. 1t required o walk Of
several minutes through the yard, in company
with one OF the prison officers, yesterday morn
ing, before We found the venerable prisoner,
leaning on his cane and complacently viewing
tho busy scenes in the workshops; Of which
ho believes hc owhs. In his estimation the
riches of CrUsus are but as drop in the
bucket, to the enOrmity Of his possession and
pucuuiary transactions; hc could easily pay
the national debt aud relieve Boss Twcud Of
his little difficulties without drawing on bis
banker, and could settle the vezed question
of revenue in a twinkling. lie has long since
superseded the State Of Ohio in the proprie.
turship Of the prison grounds, and does m
outsidcs banking business which he counts in
hundreds Of tons Of dollars. The most SIM
guaS part Of his hallucination is his belief
that ho prosccutes his immmense transactions
outside Of tho walls at night. Nearly every
morning he has stories to tell Of the fabulous
quantities of money gaincd the night before,
through his own enterprise, or that Of his nu-
mCrous agents. When asked yesterday morn
lug if he had been out on Monday night, hc
replied that ho had not, but had sent some Of
his men; hc himself had been below (point>
ing to tho ground j the profits Of the nights
operations he did not regard as amounting to
much-only few tons of silver and cart
load or two Of gold had been collected. In
consequence OF this meagre business, Gull
was in bad humOr, and not disposed to con.
verse freely rcatlcSsly moving about, and ex-
hibitjng desire to move to some other part
of the yard to superintOud some Of bis man
ifOld business operations.
This singular man has been in this dement,.
cd condition for more than ten years al
though too feeble to work, he looks as though
he might survive ton years more. If turned
out upon the world he would bc completely
lost. In his own Imagination he has the most
uubouuded libertyand possesses what the world
mainly strives for, wealth without limit. He
would regard the freedom that the Governor
could bestow with the most lively contempt.
A SINGULAR RELIGIOUS SECr.-A sim
gular religious sect, called 0mish, exists IL
Miltlip, Juniata and Snyder counties Of Penn,
syvanin. They exceed tho Quakers in thril
efforts to attain simplicity Of dress. Tho msr
fusten their attire with hooks and eyes, anC
look upon buttons as an abomination in tht
sight Of the gcdly The Omish girls wear
blue cotton dress the waist of which come!
Just below the armpits, while their heads arc
covered with close fitting white skull caps
which gives their faces ghostly appearance
They have no poor; sCoffers says it is because
when one Of their number becomes poor they
turn him out Of tho society; but that Is
slander, for they are not only thrifty but char
liable, never refusing to entertain stranger
without money and without price. They for
swear all things that partako Of worldly van
ity, practice the rite Of baptism immersion
and celebrate the Lords Supper with muttot
broth. 10 their religious belief they some
what resemble The Dunkurs. s.a.
- Give your sou trade, and you do NOR
! r.. k;,, ,ban r,;vin0 him a fonInnn