Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1872-01-02

mere IN his prison rig, but has los
none of his suavity and business-likt
activity. Extraordinary efforts from
high quarters have been made for hi.
release.
JOSEPH CLEAR.
l had moments talk with Joseph
Clear, life member here, who robbed
and killed man for his money. one
winter night, on his way from Viro
qua to La Crosse. He is sort OIL
head workman in the furniture shop
He is q pleasant, intelligent, well.
appearing man. Whisky, he says
helped him to commit the crime.
asked him if he "could make himself
comfortable here ?" There was sad
culver of voice and eye as he replied
"There is an anxiety for liberty, tina;
man never gets over" Clear looks
and talks like man that has had all
thoughts of crime crushed out of his
heart.
FEMALES.
There are but two female cOnvicts
in the State Prison. fact that
speaks largely for the purity OF
women and the generosity of men.
The female ward, situated on the
north side, has 36 airy, pleasant, well
lighted apartments, just such as the
men should have. 1t is under the
care of a most excellent matron, Mrs.
Benjamin. She treats them as she
would a sister, tenderly and oblig-
ingiy, and yet, strange to add, the
State can furnish her but two subjects,
one of whom is
MRS. ZIMMERMAN.
Mrs. Zimmerman was sent here for
life last summer, charged with pois-
oniug her husband, in Green Lake
county. She is weak, shy, sensi-
tive little woman of ~, with the
softost of voices and the eye of a
gazeile. She tells straight pathetic
story; how they came over to this
country four years ago how they
worked hard TO get a little ahead ;
how she loved her family how they
had poison for rats in the house how
her husband was taken sick; how
she gave him ginger tea; how he
died in few hours; how they dug
him up two months later how they
found poison in bis stomach how
they said she must have done it. She
pleads innocence. 1t is the belief OF
her neighbors that she was infatuated
by an old school master living near
her home, and that she WINS persuad-
ed to crime. She is half crazy, at
times, to get back to her children.
STATISTICS.
The State'a Prison was organized
in 1851, opening with seventeen in
mates. The number reached 108 in
81, and increased to ITO in October,
go The war on the rebels lad a
healthy effect on prison material
decreasing the number to 81 in Oc-
tOber, 65. There were 184 on the
prison rolls in '68, with an increase
of only Is for the last three years.
The catalogue of crime for the
twenty years shows 836 convicted of
larceny, 90 burglary, Sc manslaugh-
ter, 80 arson, counterfeiting As, rob-
bing As. forgery 80, rape %, adultery
II, perjury 6. The total of crimes
against property figure at 80 per
cent; those against person at 20 per
cent.
OF the entire number, 400 are reg
istered as farmers, 281 laborers, SO
sailors, IS carpenters, 46 shoemakers,
As blacksmiths, q teamsters, II
butchers, Is masons, 81 cooks, 13
tailors, and 4 merchants. Among
the professionals appear 10 physi-
clans, 4 ministers, 4 lawyers, l teach
er, and l gambler, Wheat buyer,
land agent, travelling agent, railroad
overseer, brakeman and telegraph
operator, show one each. Not an
editor or banker grace the list. All
sorts of scaIawags, no doubt, assume
the name of farmers and mechanics.
Il. A. NJ