Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1875-01-14
The Tender Passion Behind the
Bars of the Ohio Penitentiary.

From the Columbus Journal, Dec 80.
There is something trite in the cap
tion of this article, but the ALTERATION
is, just at this time, suggested bya case
of constancy in love behind the strong
locks of the Ohio Penitentiary. The
tender passion burns under the striped
jacket of the prisoner as well as under
the Marseilles waistcoat and polished
shirt front of the young man of society.
The dull thud of the prison bolts, the
"tramp, tramp" of the prison march,
and the dreadful solitude of the mar
row cells, cannot nullify the electricity
which Cupid's darts have introduced,
and it is doubtless a fact that many
weary souls in the closely guarded
stone mansion beat responsive to the
emotions of loving hearts outside. But
here is case of mutual affection with
in the walls:
Thomas Miles, about thirty-five years
old, was convicted of burglary in Lick
ing county; was sentenced to twoyears
i'm prisonment, and was received at the
Penitentiary on the 7th OF May, 1873.
At the same time a woman who was
tried. under the name Of Ann McFar-
land, was received, she having been
convicted as an aecomplice of Miles,
tence. The conduct of both prisoners
has been good, since their confinement,
and uDder the encouraging system of
gaining time which has prevailed for
some time in the prison, they will, if
they continue in good behaviour, be
entitled to liberty on the 3lst of Janua-
ry, 1875. Their. credit and demerit
marks are not precisely coincident, but
on account of circumstances to be sta
ted hereafter, it is understood that
small difference will be overlooked.
After many months of patient SER
vice in the female department, during
which time enduring love had been
hidden under an exterior of propriety,
Ann began to make inquiries about
Miles, and finally told the guard un-
der whose care she was, that Miles
was her lover; that she was innocent of
the crime for which she was imprisOn-
ed; that she allowed herself to be con-
victed that she might be in close prox-
unity to her lover during his incarce-
ration, and that her heart still
yearned for the lover of brighter days.
The reader will pay the usual price for
this paper, and take as much of AIMS
heroics its to innocence as he chooses;
it will cost him no more to believe the
whole story than to accept mOdicum.
But as to the undying love, no gener-
Gus person will refuse to gulp the
whole recital.
AIMS statement was communicated
to tie Warden, and Miles was called
into the Office He expressed hearty
reciprocation ofthe love expressed by
Gentle ANNIE and signified a deter
mination to make her his wife at the
earliest practicable time. The prison !
ers were then permitted to have an in
terview, in presence of the Warden. |
The meeting was touching one; there !
was an Outgushing of long pent-up
feeling, and union of two hearts la !
cersted by separation. Then, beneath
the shadowing turrets of OhiO'S chief |
of vows of cOnstancy such as would |
and Juliet, and as romantic as the soft |
W Hlc iitlluSS III TIC StONto vi uI-iu-
Bay on summer evening. Both eX-
pressed desire for natrimony, and
programme was arranged. At noon
ON the 3lst of January Miles and Ann
are to be married by the chaplain in
the Prison chapel, and from there they
will go out into the world joined to-
gether by bands that can be burst
asunder only by death or divorce
court.
Ann says her true name is Nancy
Jane Scott. She is a woman of comely
appearance. Some generous men main
tain that all women are more or less
beautiful. We defer any decided opin-
ion on the romantic Nancy Jane until
we can see her embellished with the
of bride. The officers
Of the Penitentiary have expressed
their intention to purchase and present
a wedding dress.