Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1875-07-23
A PROFESSIONAL PRISONER.

"Yes," said he, "Warden Will discharged
four of US at lick, and DOW | teel just like Q
fish out Of water, I'm Lost when I'm out o'jail
After | stay out long enough to get fresh air
and change of vctuas. Iii tramp it to some
other country and stay thirty or sixty days With
EN-" The middle aged mao that spoke the
above words vas d..,o..a "a from jaila few days
ago, along with four oth,:s. He Lad been COM
mtted for thirty days Oh the charge of va
grancy. Said that his proper names was Peter
Lanscot, although be was 80 accustomed to
giving out fictitious names that he hardly koeW
sometimes what his real names Was. He was a
tall man, pale ard not healthy looking He was
thirty years of age, nearly twenty Of which
he said we're passed IN Jail.
He was born in Alabama, aud his first offense
vas theft, for which he was sentenced for one
year iu the Montgomery Jail. He served bis
time, and for good conduct was allowed commu-
tatioo. His next adventure was stealing a
horse in Charlotte, N c., and he was sentenced
tor two years. Between the first two imprison-
ments he was out OF ja,l not quite two months.
When his time was out be went to Tennessee,
thence to Missouri, thence so far up as the cop.
per mines of Lake Superior, thence to Michigan
and back through Illinois. Indiana, Ohio and
New York Io all these States, Lanscot went
under the name OF Rollins aod was imprisoned
10 seven different jas for various offenses.
Zone thing | can say, and which kind O. feel
proud of, never did anything to hurt any,
body; Bever stole much that the owners did
not get back again, and what people lost by
me only went to keep me when [ was not in
'nock. I've been in the Boston Jail and the
Portsmouth jail, but so far I've kept away from
the New York Tombs or Backwes Island or
Sing Sing, There's bad company there, and
as long as there is other jais to 60 to- why, I'll
keep away from these. | was in the Norris
town Jail last year for vagraDcy. think that
is the best charge to get sent up for. Most
sentence you get is sixty days, and that is long
enough to stay during the Summer in any jail.
lI Summer like to travel around. | tramp
from one city to another. like the Berks
county Jail; it reminds me of the Joliet prison
People here are kind enough. aud the grub
is solid and SOS the work. It's the quietest
Jail | was ever in, and I've boarded In twenty
seven different ones in my time I don tEiuk
there's map ln the country t,t?:a.:t t?:.t has better
record than that. Ii there is | never heard it.
But that's not all; ain t done living yet. II
bounce around pretty lively before pass il
my checks. used TO get sent up for three
years, but that's played out now. I've learned
i've trades in my time. Am weaver, shoe
maker, brush and broom maker, learned cigar
making in the Hartford, Connecticut, jai
one year. ago, and can lay bricks with the
best of them. That is, could when l work
ed with my father, who was brcklayer.
That was my first trade. I've got SO used tc
Twin 10 Jail, that [ get tired of livin' outside
get disguised. | don't like to talk to people
and L 10 surprised at myself that I've talked tc
you SO long as have | can do no good by
reformln', and that's why keep goin to Jail
earn enough to pay my board. People needn'
be afraid LII ever harm EN-. Stealip's played
out with me now. No more for me, l. % gou
over in the next country town. and as soon a:
get tired OF being out, why up I'll 20. It's
very easy to get sent up if you know how. I'd
rather be in Jail than out of it, when know
I've only got a short time to serve" The
above is the substance of an interview report
er bad with sincere looking traveller, as he
sat on neighboring doorstep eating suppe,
of cold vctuals. Chief Cullen came along anc
recognized the man who was committed thirty
days ago for vagrancy. His story is undoubl
edly true.