National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1872-04-12
Who MMs Gnlliy.

few years ago, writes mn ex.warden
OF the Massachusetts, State prison, the
community was startled by the an.
nouncemont of dreadful murder com.
mitted III one Of the towns of the State.
A man had been stopped upon the high
way, robbed and murdered. 4 young
man, then scarcely seventeen years old,
was arrested for the murder-his own
father giving the testimony which con.
yicted him. He was tried, convicted,
nd sentenced to be hanged At this
oint some good people began to in
quiro into his history it was found that
the unfortunate youth was very igno.
rant lilo could neither read nor write
had never seen the inside of church
or school room in his life never heard
the name of God, only rs it fell from his
own associates lips in the shape Of
oaths born of drunken parents, he
soon acquired their habits in short, ut
seventeen he was an ignorant, lazy,
drunken vagabond, apparently without
one redeeming trait In his character.
lie had become acquainted with and
married young woman quite as worth
less as himself, and, in order to obtain
means to crafty her vanity, he took Lis
gun, and stationed himself in wood by
the roadside, with the intention OF rob
bing the first person that passed He
had been there but short time, when
he heard the sound Of an approaching
wagon, and discovered Il man driving
alone ; he stepped into the road and or
dered him to stop he did 50 he then
demanded his money; the man hesita
ted, and he shot him, but not MORALLY.
lie begged of him to spare his life, but
he knew not the meaning of pity, and.
deliberately beat him to death with the
butt of his gun. Such was the history
of this Young man, and the crime for
which the judge had to pIonouneo the
awful sentence of death.
Now, the question arose as to who was
the most responsible for this murder
the young man, his parents, the com
munlty in which he lived, the authori-
ties that allowed such ignorance to grow
up in their midst (this was no isolated
case in that locality, without taking
some steps to eradicate it. Governor
Andrew became exceedingly interested
III this case, and with that keen sense Of
right and justice for which he Is noted |
the community and saved !
the boys life. His sentence was com
muted to imprisonment for life in the |
State prison.
| have given description of the |
young mans condition at the time he
the great crime for which he
was convicted let me present him as he
appears to-day.
Enter one of the workshops of the
prison, and You observe n young man
,usily employed, whose general appear
NICE will be certain to attract your at
ention. In height about five and half
eet, of good figure, well-balanced
lead covered with light-hrown hair, q
ugh and finely developed forehead
light hazel eyes, unusually mild in APP
>earance, n good mouth, with n smile 80
sweet, sad, and innocent in its express
non, as to cause you to wonder what
'rlme he could commit that would send
lim to the State prison. Enter into
conversation with hin, and YOU will be
till more surprised at his soft. musical
'oice, the childish simplicity with which
ie expresses himself, the good language =!
le usas aud tho absence &C 49, "a
preston not IN keeping with an intelli- .
rent and pure minded young man.
What has wrought this great change ?
Ask those philanshropc and Christian
aides and gentlemen who visited, en-
outraged and instructed him IN Jail, and
inaily, by their influence, saved him
rom the gallows.