Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1875-12-01
ASHAMED or HIS MDTHES,

l. Il IN W - - ~ - -
ASHAMED or HIS MOTHER.
How Colonel Joyce. the st.
Louis whisky Thief. Neg
lcctpd His Parent.
in,crview with the Old Lady. who
saves tn poverty on the
North side.
From the Chicago Evening Journal
Tho trial, conviction, aud sentence
to tho Missouri pcnitentiary OF Col
John A. Joyce. tho st. LOnis Revenue
| Agent, for completely in tho whisky
| frauds, excited great deal OF interest
in Chicago, both on account Of the in
dictmunts pending here for similar
oflenses againt other parties, aud be-
cause Joyce Ia well known to many
persons in this city. There ia another
chapter in his history which remains
to be written, the facts Of which are
not calculated TO create public symra-
i thy for the fallen man. Information
| came to hand recently that his mother
| was living in destitute condition in
this city, and that Joyce m his pros
Y rsrity, If 40 1t may .be called, at least,
I ia his aflluence, had refused to lend
q ier helping hand, or to recognize
, Ter. though informed that she was
p&uilering for the common necossaries
Aoi life. Acting on tho information
received, visit was made this morn
ing 10 6l Ohio street, on the North
Side. In miserable room, in the
rear OF a dilapi;atod wooden shanty,
oil The surroundings OF which indicate
\. ENTREa;E POVERTY,
All old Irish woman was found, suffer-
\ ing from rheumatism, with nothing to
! eat, and bnt handful OF coal. which
4 the County Agent sent hor yesterday,
! and who is no other than the mother
of John A. Joyce She was ready to
tell her story Of want and trouble, but
was incohereut and contradictory
when she came to areaS with tears
and sobs of
HER sons INGRATiTuDE.
Eighteen or twenty years ago. as near
as she could remember, her family
| lived in Wheeling, Va. Her husband,
II a steamboat man, left her one day and
/ won't to Cincinnati with another wom-
an. Her con johnny, ''the smartest
bow that ever livoa"--thesc are her
\ words-then IL or fourteen yesfs OF
age, followed him to Cincinnati. Two
months passed and be did not return,
4 and she has not seen him from that
I day 10 this. AT the end of two
months she took her other son and
i went to Chicago. She has learned
since that Johnny did return &c
Wheeling like dutifui son. but wa;
tnnablc to find her or TO ascertain hei
| whereabouts. She has resided in Chi
4 cago during all these years, and sup
l ported herself comfortably by keepipl
a confectionery store up to the time o
q the fire That swept away all she had
and since then she has done washins
4 for part OF her support. the reat he
Hing provided by her other SON.. a
. 1few months ago he married agains
his mothers will and left her. Sh
has not seen him since. Then cam
M rENcfrIya WANT.
ndIn the mesntime she has heard rumor
dol her eon John having been an Office
p3in tho army, and as occupying higl
arlpositi under the Government a
eIWashlngton. She did not credit tn
lei edstory, but Mt length she was informe'
that he waa at St. Lonis. rich an
Then che went to Com
rhil. A. Hoyne. who wa
nulwell acquainted with Joyce, an
,erlAsEad him to write To Johnny, an
rkell him that his old mother was liyin
,mShere in destitniioD, and needed his al
,ieistsncc. Mr.. Hoyne wrote to ioyc
ikA requested. The reply came in
, tifew days. 1t was short and bruta
hIc had believed for twenty years IN.
anahis mother was In her grave. 1t 81
in WAS dead and with the angels he WI
r,exGiad of it; ir she were alive nc nev'
'ardIYshcd 10 see her, He should new
en- tct her this side of eternity, and r.
sui bed to send penny of his hnndre,
conl thousands to buy bread for II
ious bther who bore him. Here the o
4 by nv broke down with tears and sol
.tion fhce that letter she has heard nothil
at of him except that he was in troubl
%. Ic anxiously inquired all the par'i
vic lrs. She held up her hands wi
,rers GRIEF AND HORROR
lllies en- informed that he had been SC
owa ced to the Peniten,iary. Would
cahu M likely to get out; would mon,
.no 10 him; was he going to Joliet I'VE
'uu' " others sent TO prison; WAS it
So lbished in the papers If so, WI
o'' l,pers; was Johnny the
mad II RINGLFApEE or FHE RAsCALs;
4 as 4, must be, because he was so sma
egg, Ihesc were somc of the questions a
nnr- mments that the old lady made
[ in nd succession. She could tell
nm ason of his treatment of her he "
Il ia q most kind and dutiful OF boys
A. re he left home. Sho alternal
for ON rcprOach TO affection, "a she
not emhercd his letter to Mr. Hoy
nur- lping that she was
irieh AMONG THE ANGELS,
onIs I'll then recoIecting the dutifui =
in' ,.rling hoy that she last saw Al Wh'
"'' ig.
The interview was rot without
NJ HUMOROUS FEATURES.
hast The old lady is evidently of u
pgle iantic turn OF mind, and has tho i
IN tat now Johnny IL in prison,
Government will sec that she is p
One ltied for, Visions OF wealth W
,ome cntinually noaiing before her c.
rhed ahough she has at present nothing
anne et. She at lrst thought the J0it,
horn rportcr was Government emiss:
/ he cme to rGlieyc her wants. Soon =
we're tat she came TO the conclusion
h was "Johnnyp himself, COM
d at srprise her. She always know
tlar boy would como home ~
hast. tine, ana expected he would c,
hy--- WIEN she wasn't expecting him.
was VAS with the greatest difficulty
sln was convinced to tho contr
said Gle was the smariest boy that
Q orr vent ont of Wheeling she ssid, I
your y.u look inst like him. Yonr {
had, your eyes, and your sweet 81
All arc just like my dear Johnny's.h
with atologized for tho looks of her dii
made room. and expects that she will
then bttcr quarters soon by tho a
bling Jdhnny's money. She said laughi
that horsc-shoo over tho door
a 70 put up there by !iRResvIailssh ResvIassht ftfsff taaf
anu mn no conception of tho misfor
s1. that has bcfsllen her SON, and that
a tho expects that he will own and aid
ling a. aoon "a he becomes convinced
! his she Ia hia mother. iler mental II
tics are not tho brightest, and in
did she said she had
sola WORRIED HERsRLr NEARBY cRA'
w" since she learned that ho wa
-, ~, trouble.
'"'' There can be no doubt that a
what she claims to DO. Inquiry
'''os mads OF Mr.. Iloyne, and her q
-, ments woro fully confirmed. j
NV. himself, did not question her In
: ~ tity at all, but simply refused to a
, " sna recognize her, without giving any
''"'" son for his unnatural conduct,
In. not surprising that a man WI
-. ~" so lost to natural affection and
:" ~ . mon humanity, "a 10 spnrn tho CT
Wv his own mother for bread, shou
guilty OF a crime aeainat tho La
~ his country, and it will inspire