The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1872-02-01
Pictures from Prison Life.
ny GIDEON HAYNES, LATE WARDEN OF
MASSACHUSETTS STATE PRISON.

MASSACHUSETTS STATE PRISON.
In 1861 a young Frenchman was conf
mitted to the prison, on a sentence of
fifteen years, for robbery; his youth,
quiet demeanor, and gentle disposition
attracted my attention, and led me to
make some inquiries into his history, and
the circumstances attending the COM
mission of the crime for which he was
suffering. He was mere boy, quito
effeminate, and his general appearance
such as to assure one, upon the first
glance, that there must be some mistake
in regard to the affair.
1t is unnecessary to enter into parti-
culars; but / became satisfied, after
careful investigation of the case, that
great wrong had been done him that
foolish joke, played upon comrade
while both were under the influence of
| liquor, was construed into a great crime
and he, without friend penniless and
| ignorant of our ways and language.
was easily convicted and sentenced as
above.
Governor Andrew having granted me
permission to name one convict to be
pardoned on Christmas Day, 1 selected
IL
military execution, but have heard such
scenes described; and when his name
was announced in the chapel, so unex-
pectcd was it, that the effect upon him was
not unlike being shot-a sudden spas
modic leap, and he sank into his seat as
lifeless, apparently, as though bullet
had pierced his heart.
l could not describe his attempt to
express his gratitude; it was the genuine
outpouring of grateful heart, and
given, as it was, in his broken English,
it drew tears from all who witnessed it.
A young man, who was discharged in
1861, was very anxious to join one of
the companies of battalion then about
to leave Boston for the seat of war. He
applied and was accepted. He thought
however, that he ought not to go with
out letting the commander know that
he had been in prison, and accordingly
informed him of the fact. At this
period the authorities were not obliged,
as was the case later III the war, to take
up with any one that might present him
self, but could choose from the first young
men in the State. He was informed
that if he could get a letter of recon-
mendation from the warden, he would
be allowed to go. The letter was obtain
ed and the matter settled. He left with
the battalion.
| A few weeks later the attack was
made upon big Bethel" Our forces,
it will be remembered, were repulsed
and very promising young officer
Lieutenant Greble, of the regular army
was instantly killed while sighting a
| o1,1:r,oI b oh
the piece and withdraw; three soldiers
volunteered to return and, if possible,
to bring off the gun-an act which they
successfully performed, and with it the
body of Lieutenant Greble; and, al
though subjected to the concentrated fire
of the whole rebel line, neither of them
was hit. This young man was one of
the three. He re-enlisted, and in an
assault upon the enemy's works before
Richmond, under General Mcclellan,
while pressing forward, carrying the
regimental colors, fell mortally wound
ed, and, with host of other heroes, he
rests in an unknown grave in the swamps
of the Chickahominy.
A few years ago the community was
startled by the announcement of DIRE ead-
full murder committed in one of the
towns of the State. A man had been
stopped upon the highway, robbed and
murdered. A young man, then scarce
ly seventeen years old, was arrested for
the murder-his own father giving the
information which led to his arrest. He
was tried, convicted, and sentenced to
be hanged. At this point some good
people began to inquire into his history;
it was found that the unfortunate youth
was terribly ignorant. He could neither
read nor write had never seen the in
side of schoolroom or church in his
life never heard the name of God, on
ly as it fell from his own or associates
lips in the form of oaths born of drunk
Ell parents, he soon acquired their habits;
in short, at seventeen he was an ignor-
ant, lazy, drunken vagabond, apparent
ly without one redeeming trait in his
character He had become acquainted
with and married q young woman quite
as worthless as himself, and, in order to
obtain means to crafty her vanity
which was great, he took his gun, and
stationed himself in a wood by the road
side, with the intention of robbing the
first person that passed. He had been
there but short time when he heard
the sound of an approaching wagon
and discovered man driving alone he
stepped into the road and ordered him
to stop he did so (; he then demanded
his money the man hesitated, and he
shot him, but not mortally. He begged
of him to spare his life but he knew
not the meaning of pity, but deliberate
ly beat him to death with the butt Of
his gun. Such was the history of thi,
young man, and tho crime for which
; the Judge had to pronounce the awfu
sentence of death.
{ Now the question arose as to who wa'
the most responsible for this murder
the young man, his parents, the com
munity in which he lived, or the au
; thorities that allowed such ignorance t.
grow up in their midst this was no iso
} lated case in that locality, without tax
t ing some steps to eradicate it Cover
!, nor Andrew became exceedingly inter
ested in the case, and, with that keeI
e sense of right and justice for which h
4 was noted, condemned the community
A and saved the boys life. His sentenc
S was commuted to Imprisonment for hf
= in the State Prison.
t / have given a description of thi
a young mans condition at the time h
I, committed the great crime for which h
? was convicted let me present him a