Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-02-13

The school of Reform.
| 1t was a cold winter night, between nine and
ten O'Clock, that a small shop-keeper lett his
| house in Sixth avenue, to procure medicine Tor
/ one of his children taken suddenly i'll. The
| drug store to which he had been particularly
| directed by his family physician, VINO received
| percentage upon all the prescriptions he could
| induce thither, was about mile distant, and as
| the anxious father trudged patiently on his way
| with a haf-gill vial in one hand and the dollar
| to paw for ten GEMS worth eff healing palm IN
| the other, his noffensive aspect caused several
policemen TO stop and closely question him at
different corners, concerning his purpose in be-
| ing abroad at that hour, with bottle. With
| perfect good humor, he repeatedly explained
| that his name was PauyeT, and that his little
bottle did not contain acid to he thrown upon
| the dresses of ladies; for he remembered that
The goodly spirit of reform was now agitating
the vigilant police authorizes to extraordinary
severity with insane persons suspected of ma
mia for acid throwing, and, like the good citizen
he was, his sense CT the requirements CT the
public safety rendered him perfectly willing TO
bear any reasonable inquisition for that object.
Obtaining his medicine at last, he had
just started homeward, when a well
dressed man, some PAGES ahead, at
tracted his attention by walking in Il manner
indicative of late dinner at one of the fashion
able up town clubs. Even while the shopkeeper
gazed, there started from the shadow of an
awning second figure, which, advancing
swiftly upon the circIitouS genteel pedestrian at
an acute angle, knocked down that eccentric
walker with one blow Of deXterous fist, and
with lightning-like celebrity distracted watch
and pocket book from the PROSTATE diner out.
The latter observed "mur'eTP and ''plice !" in
thick treble of confused injury; but so quickly
had the irregularity been accomplished that the
shocked Mr.. Pauver came up only in time TO re-
ceive the nod and casual Good night of the
departing highwaYman. Are you much hurt,
sir?" asked Pauver of the robbed gentleman,
whom he assisted TO rise, "can | assist You to
the station house to make complaintW The
gentleman gazed at him moment in speech
less, inebrious dignity, remarked, Complain?
No! thas norraway; a'v'tise-t'mO r'-'noffcr
award;" and, catching sound OF approaching
footsteps, hurried around an adjacent corner
with strides of marvellous length and compica-
ton. The coming steps were those of a squad
of police on the way to arrest the
inmates of a concert hall for offending
the spirit of reform by encouraging drunk
enness in youth. Noticing the shop keeper
where he stood amazed with the vial in hand,
they would have arrested and dubbed him on
the spot for acid-throwng, but for his rapid eX-
PLANTATION of what he had seen. "And you
would recognize the gentleman who took the
asked the chief of the squad OF policemen, some
what SternlY. without doubt" was the an
swer. Whereupon Pauver was arrested as a
witness, to be detained until the capture and con-
NlCliOU VI bl6 IOoUbT, because, as the O1Tlcer
added, 1.-THE authorities are determined to prose-
cute all criminals hereafter to the fullest extent
oil the law, and no good citizen of the middle
class should object TO a little personal restraint
in these days of reform, for the purpose of Sc
curing his testimony against alleged Offenders"
Mr.. Pauver, after some thought, admitted the
force of this argument, but begged them TO car
ry home the medicine to his sick child No one
could be spared from the squad TO 20 with him,
however-all the men were needed 10 effect the
proposed radical reform in the concert hall-and
he was obliged to 90 with his captors TO a sta
ton On their way, aud be there placed in custo-
DIV for the night. Next morning a messenger
whom he paid was allowed to arry news of his
situation TO his alarmed family; AMI, soon
thereafter, not being able to give bail to the
amount of $4,000, he was committed to the
house of detention, there TO remain until
the highwayman should be captured. The re-
mainder OF mis- story may be told more concisely.
The gentleman who had been robbed advertised
in the papers for an interview with the gentle
man who had taken his things by mistake, and
the ensuing confidential meeting resulted in a
courteous return OF the pocket book and watch,
in consideration of suitable honOrarum. This
however, did not satisfy the law, now fully
aroused to the vindicaton of its majesty and
flushed with the overwhelming success of its
surprise of the concert hall. Mr.. Pauver, some
what unnervred temporarily by the death of
his sick child, was rebuked for preferIing his
personal freedom amp comfort TO the public
safety, and held a Jrisoner until the robber
should be taken and convicted. As time
rolled on, the little shop on Sixth avenue
passed into the sherifps hands for arrears of
rent, and Mrs. Pauver and her remaining chill
dren went to the amshouse; the detained
witness became more reconcel to his irving
duty in the interest of reform, and pulled out
fewer of his gray bars than formerly. At the
end Of the third year Of his captivity q kind
hearted chaplain waited upon HIM with an un-
Stoned letter which had bpnu b;s
care for "Mr Pauver house of detention for
witnesses, New York" The missive was
from the highwayman, who, plying the man
of whose detention on bis account he had only
recently heard, informed him that he had, I'M
der an assumed name, placed small fund of
government bonds in trust for him. from which
he should receive, per hands of the chaplain, 81
week during the future Of his incarceration.
Having accumulated a little property by night
work in Brooklyn" concluded this affecting
letter, 81 have changed my mode Of life OBJ
tanned promise of place in the custom house.
am heart and soul in the reform movement, and
hope to be able some day, my dear friend, to ap-
pear in court and secure your discharge" Mr.
PauYer received this unexpected help and hope
with gratitude which must have been too
much for speech, as he gave no expression TO it;
and the chaplain fastened away to q more COM
Portable prison, where he had engaged to read
Gates Aiar' TO a finely-situated gentleman
awaiting his acquittal for homicidal frenzy.
lilbC DdeSctt Ous Tue great CITY people, 50 long
IN training for radical measure of the kind,
arose in their majesty and swept corruption
from high places with the power and judgment
of whirlwnd. This grand work accomplished,
Mr.. Pauver might have been wholly forgotten
but for the memory of one of the several newly
elected magistrates, Before this denitary the
detained witness was at last brought, by writ Of
habeas corpus. "Pauver," said the magistrate,
addressing the human wreck standing listlessy
before him, they tell me that you have become
mad. Possibly, them you do not recognize me;
but am he who wrote you that letter some
time ago, rendering you trlhing monetary
compliment, and announcing my own reform
| hoped then, yon may remember, to appear in
court some day and procure your discharge.
That hope, you see has not proved futile"
Pauver started at the deeply affected speaker for
moment, and then burst into a wild laugh.
"He's mad, your honor" observed an officer.
Eyes" said the magistrate, " and | shall com
nit linn to an asylum" And in lunatic asy-
lum the eyewitness of state now is; harmless
but for occasional incoherent cries of "Vive Ia
CommuneP and very entertaining study Of
private citizens share in great public reform.
N. y World