The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-04-15
Who Was Gnlltr!

A few years ago, writes m cX.warden
Of the Massachusetts, State prison, the
community was startled by the an
nouprcment of dreadful murder com
mitted in one OF the towns Of the State.
4 man had been stopped upon the hight
way, robbed and murdered. A young
man, then scarcely seventeen years old,
wns arrested for the murder-his own
father giving the testimony which CON
yictcd him. He was tried, convicted,
and sentenced to be hanged. At this
point some good people began to in
quirc into his history (; it was found that
the unfortunate youth was very igno-
rant. lie could neither read nor write I;
had never seen the inside OF church
or school room in his life; never heard
the name OF God, only MS it fell from his
own associates lips in the shape OF
oaths; born Of drunken parents, he
soon acquired their habits In short, at
seventeen h. was an ignorant, lazy,
drunken vngnboud, apparently without
one rodeeming trait in his character.
He had become acquainted with and
married n young woman quite rs WORTH
less rs 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
bling the first person that passed, He
had been there but short time, when
he heard the sound OF IN approaching
wagon, and discovered man driving
alone he stepped into the road and or
dcrcd him TO stop he did 50 he then
demanded his money; the man hesita
ted, and he shot him, but not MORALLY.
He begged OF him to spare his life, but
he knew not the meaning OF pity, and
deliberately beat him 10 death with the
butt Of his gun. Such was the history
Of this young man, and the crime for
which the judge had TO pronounce the
awful sentence Of death.
Now, the question arose as to who was
the most responsible for this murder
the young man, his parents, tho com
munity in which he lived, the authori-
ties that allowed such Ignorance to grow
up in their midst this wns no isolated
case in that locality, without taking
some steps to eradicate it. Governor
Andrew became exceedingly interested
in this case, and with that keen sense Of
right and Justice for which ho Is noted,
condemned the community and saycd
the boys life. His sentence was COM
muted to imprisonment for life in the
State prison, ~
have givon description Of the
Young mans condition at the time he
committed the great crime for which he
was convicted ; let INC present him as he
appears to-day. a.
Enter one of the workshops of the
prison, and you observe n young man
busily employed, whose general appear.
auce will be certain TO attract your ut
tention. Inheight nbsut five and u half
feet, OF good figure, well.balancel
head covered with light-brown hair, u
high aud fuely.dcveloped forehead,
light hazel eyes, unusually mild in up
pearauec, good mouth, with a smile so
sweet, sad, and innocent in its express
sion, Rs to cause you 10 wonder whnt
crime he could commit that would send
him to the State prison. Enter into
conversation with him, and You will he
still more surprised at his soft, musical
voice, the childish simplicity with which
he expresses himself, ths good language
he uses, and the absence of every ex.
preston not in keeping with m intelli-
gent and puro-mindcd young man.
What has wrought this great change ?
Ask those philanIhropic and Christian
ladies and gentlemen who visited, en-.
Outraged and instructed him IN jail, and
finally, by their influence, saved him
from the gallows.