The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1873-02-26
A State Prison Picture.
SOLITARY CONFINEMENT FOR LIFE.

| bends the meaning OF the expression Sent
to the State Prison." There is feeling
that the criminal is thereby punished, that
he is under restraint, and that, on the
whole, such an episode is decidedly un-
pleasant and to be avoided but the report
OF entertainments given by friends of the
institution read too much like the story oil
an evenings comfortable entertainment
in some lecture course, and the narration
of the celebrations of Thanksgiving and
Christmas serve to dull the estimation Of
the hardships Of prison life in many minds.
Many, doubtless, who are sentenced for
short terms, are so little affected by their
punishment, that with the fear of its repe-
titon before their eyes, they do n0tscruple
to at Ouce commit acts whose detection
means'another sentence. But the ones who
are sentenced for twenty years Or longer,
and who, perhaps, have been brought up
with the comforts and pleasures Of home
about them, are the persons on whom the
discipline of prison life CRATES the hardest
and the ones who find the most severity in
the strictness of its imperative order.
One day during the last month the au-
| thor Of this had occasion to visit the Mass
achusetts prison, and in the course Of con
esting facts relative to several of the more
celebrated prisoners were developed. One,
the most peculiar and perhaps interesting
prisoner in the institution, and one of
whom perhaps moro is known than any
other, is James Wilson, the man who is
now imprisoned for life for numbering q
tel!ow-convict. His life has been ire
qnently written up, as the saying is, but
a short sketch may find readers who have
never seen previous accounts.
Wilson was born in England and there
passed his childhood and youth. He un-
,ierwen thorough tuition in crime, and
was an innate Of several jails for minor
Offences, finally becoming concerned in a
crime which secured his transportation to
Botany Bay. Soon afterward, however, he
escaped with his companion, and not dar-
| ing to return to England, came t, Amer
! lea; and, undeterred by his previous expe-
rienc,, at once set about earning dis
honest living, and on July 10. 1858, was
canght i'll the act Of robbing the city treas
ury, and received a sentence of four We rs
in the State prison. His conduct during
his term Of imprisonment WAS quite ex-
ceptional and exemplary. and, as is Gus.
tomary. a deduction of thirty days was
made on that account. On the morning
of the day when he was to be released one
/ half hour before the time when he would
have passed out Of the prison door free
man, he was walking in file of cDnvicts
to do his last piece of work, when he sud-
denly leaned forward by his Immediate
predecessor and stabbed the next man,
William Adams, in the neck with shoe
l-ni yrhiob bn hnH LODI ok,,,+ hi 9
person, killing him almost instantly. He
was at once seized and coutined, and at
his trial was found guilty of murder in
the first degree aud sentenced to be hung.
Every preparation for his execution was
made, the gallows having been erected,
when q communication of his sentence to
imprisonment for life, with solitary con.
tinement, was received, This had been
obtained through the individual exertion
of one Of the bench ofjudges before whom
he had been tried, his Honor claiming that
as no possible motive for the deed had
been proved, and as every circumstance
argued non-responsibility the man must
have leen insane, and ought not to he
hung.
Wilson, after his rocomnlittal. certainly
showed signs O f mental IL d physical
weakness to such an extent, that the rules
OF solitary confinement were considerably
! relaxed, to allow of proper exercise and
treatment Formerly he was great phil
osophcr in his reading, devoted himscl
to metaphysical and logical treatise, but
at present and for some time his menta
condition has been so weakened as tt
compel him to satisfy himself with lighter
works Prof Roweu of Harvard Colere
paid him several visits some ten years ago
: to ascertain the depth of his logical re
searches, and on many occasions person;
have inquired for, and been anxions to SET
the ''metaphysician" as he is called. II
appearance Wilson is a demure-lookins
person, OF kindly features, and not at al
l. the conventional, rel-headed murderer o
!, sensational literature. Although but fifty
six, he appears much older, and shows ths
, signs of his confinement both in appear
ance and conversation. He has not ye
given up hopes of pardon, and any off
cial of the State Or National government
whom he may chance to see visiting til,
prison, is at ouce imagined to have couls
on business connected with his release
+ For the reason that his mind is rendered
) constantly uneasy and unhealthy by hi
+ nervous anxiety, but few visitors are al
lowed to see him. those being a few par
ticular friends He is at present in thu
hospital quarters and spends considerahI,
of his time in carving, at which he is quit
an adept. When he thinks Of, in his soil
tude. how he recalls old scenes in the alb
9 sence OF any change in the future, an'
what u prospect opens before bin, are sai