The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1873-01-28

guide, there are murderers all around
us. There's Dave Murphy BY the gate /;
he was sentenced to death 8 few months
ago, and got a stay of proceedings.
Fred Heggi, over there, that big Dutch
man, is another. He
POISONED ANOTHER GERMAN,
forget his name, and as the jury disa-
greed, is to have a new trial. Anil
Andrea, who shot his wife. is in the
cell down at the end OF the row. Then
we have Fitzgibbons, White and q half
dozen others, all charged with homi-
eide. Let US 60 round the cells and
you can see them.
Startled at the catalogue Of names
so rapidly run over by the warden, /
followed him mechanically round the
gallery. Here and there the cells
were neatly fitted up with handsome
furniture and carpeted. Sharkeys
apartment-you could scarcely call it
cell-was very comfortable. Pictures
hung on the walls, rocking chair
stood in the corner, and a valuable
afghan was spread on the bed. Scan
nell's cell had black walnut '1ocker"
in the back part, with a stationary
wash basin and silver faucet attached.
The cell lately occupied by Stokes, be-
fore his sentence to the gallows, also
had a "locker" and wash fixtures,
which had been put up at his private
expense. The present occupant was
very comfortable. But the most
noticeable feature in these murderers'
cells was the presence of multitude OF
FLASH PAPERS,
or the illustrated journals. Books,
principally novels, were also visible,
and the fact was very clear that all the
prisoners thought Of was how to kill
time. When we reached the end OF
the gallery, Foster and Murphy were
standing together at cell-door, in
which two plumbers were repairing a
broken water-pipe. 1t was singular to
see the interest manifested by these two
murderers in the work progressing, and
| could scarcely believe that both men
had victims quietly rottiug 10 their
graves. Near by Rosenweig, the abor-
ZIONIST, who was sent to State prison for
numbering Miss Alice Bowlsby, was in
his cell busly writing a letter. He is
now back in the Tombs on writ of
error or some other lega! technicality
so often resor,ed to in this ill-governed
CIV in favor OF the worst criminals.
The good-natured warden saw that |
was Mortified, so he took me down stairs
again. Under q plea of showing me
some burglars who had been sentenced
TO state prison in the morning, he took
me past the receiving clerk and gave
me passing glance into the condemned
cell-terrihle Number Four"-where
Stokes ia confined until the final day,
when he is TO suffer the extreme pen-
atty. s okes himself was walking
up and down the corridor with
his counsel, in busy conversa-
ton. The condemned man was Wis
iblv changed since l had seen him
in the court room, and there was an air
Of restlessness about him that | cannot
describe. He seemed more like
Gagged animal than anything else, and
as | gszed upon his well cut features |
thought OF the ruin and disgrace an
abandoned woman had brought upon
him. Stokes was man calculated by
education and breeding to move in the
best circles OF society," yet here he was
in vile prison, having passed a year
within it's walls and now lies condemned
to a felon's death. 1t was sad picture
indeed.
As | passed out into the open air my
lungs felt instant relief, and few mo-
ments after | found myself in the street,
amid the busy scenes OF city life once
more. l walked away from the neigh.
horhood, oppressed with the reflection
that had Just parted from some twenty
prisoners. all Of whom had killed a
man, eight Of them having been ar
rested red handed in the act yet none
except perhaps Stokes-seemed to be
in any fear OF punishment on the GAL
lows, and with little chance Of being
placed there. All were jollv-there is
no other word to express their condi-
tion-yet | wonder if, in the darkness
Of the night, no thought of their dread
full crimes ever comes over them.
Judging from what ] saw the murder
ers are the best of all the Tombs in
mates. The burglars, sneak thieves,
river pirates and pick-pockets dread
the State prison, they are so sure OF
entering for years to come, but the
murderers only hope to remain peace
ably in the Tombs for months and
months, until their offence 10 almost
forgotten, when they may be tried, and
either escape altogether or avoid the
scaffold by a sentence to Sing Sing.
Indeed, when man commits a muir
der in New York be at once prepares
himself TOR
RESIDENCE IN THE ToMBs
for year or two, and if he has money
fits up bis room for comfortable occu-
pancy. When Jack Reynolds commit
ted his crime and made himself famous
by saying that hanging lie played out,
he had no money nor friends, 80 he was
promptly tried and executed. But far
different state of affairs prevails now-a-
days. Knowing this, can we wonder
that the crime OF murder is so frequent
in New York ? The only wonder is
that a vigilance committee has not long
ago taken the law into its own hands
and rid the city prison OF the score OF
men who have ruthlessly bathed their
wicked hands in human blood. Unless
the gallows casts its dreadful shadow
over these men crime must increase
and lite continue to be unsafe in our
streets.
Wild Cats About.
ON the 18th ult. L. B Kidwell and
TT DID, ont tho hills on.