The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-05-19
matter told me that IL was, IS far a. shsy Knew

nopelesk.
ENTERTAINMENTS A IA NODE.
The night before LETT the prison we had quteh
little entertainments IN our CELL our mimic gave
some excellent representations OF Dutch and irish
character. a man named sJimn danced capital
breakdown: '.Sneeny,n SHORTY and contrib
uted the vocal part. aud "Pocahontas." "Haver
straw and the others were the enthusiastic au
dience shorty sang 'Goodby. Sweetheart,
Goodby, and .snades or Evening Close Not DER
U.s." "Sneenyn sang one sentimental and Tvs
comic songs, the burden Of which cannot recah
and 1 favored the company with the following
original composition, which came IN very spr@
pristely under the circumstanses;-
When other drinks and other ,I ; smiles
In anguish whose excess naught wies-
when ShSa lns eyes Il ShaI ware the ask
b At such an hour y91'ii ZEE you,u..t
When YOU remember me.
When iim-ams Or The CONT shau blight
And make it . degraded sight
There may. perhaps mid fev'rish dreams.
Some recollection be
OF qTt1 Yo h1s Hm iso p parer streams
This parody on MIR. Balfe's well known song In
The bohemian Grip brought down the nouse.
The next Instant the stentorian voice OF the night
watchman was heard, demanding 70 know wnai
was the meaning Of all thar NOISE in s2-rne num-
Der OF our cell. 1t was after eight O'Clock, &C
were as quiet as mice in moment, ana crepr
quickly under BLANKETS. In quarter OF an
hour all were sound asleep, and concert OF
another and more discordant character was soon
in FUN blast. BIT could not sleep. The atEncs,
phere was rapidly becoming very foul again
although not quite 80 bad usual, the steam
had been turned or About nine O'CLOCK was
aroused by a shout outside the building followed
by more shouting. ! sprang from my hammock,
n n
bank under the prison windows, with q lantern.
THERE IS AN ESCAPE"
/ cried. In moment all were crowded &C the
open windows, and a terrible scene was enacted,
not before our eyes, Tor the moon was not jet up
and We could see nothing, but, what was equally
horrible, In our hearing poor fellow. under
sentence for one gear, mad managed to get locked
out OF the prison, and was at the moment battling
for his life against the stream IN the middle OF tha
river. He had evidently q friend waiting for him
ct the foot OF the rocks on the other side. LOT
voice could be continually heard shoutng:-
aKeep ~, OLD man. for Gods sake keep your
head up, and don't let any water get In your
mouth Here's a boat acoming.n AND thel
the on the bank would shout wildly
"Come, hurry up that poatn All this while
we could hear the cries OF the man in the water
who had either got cramped or frigh tened snd
was In dire danger OF drowning. Scarce word
and could not help muttering prayer that the
poor struggling wretch IN the water might sue.
ceed IN reaching the bank and in escaping. Ths
suspense was horrible. Every moment seemed &c
be minute, and IL looked as If that boat would
never come, and there We stood behind the bars
poyeress ana helpless, worked up 10 an agony,
and most OF US trembling with excitement
Feebler and Ieeoler grew the cries OF the drown.
ing man. Louder and more frantic grew the
shouts OF the man on the bank as ne encouraged
him or sought TO hasten the men in the Doet
OIL would that boat never come?
THE NAN IS DROWNED.
Yes. II would, and il did come, ana the horrible
words grated on my very soul the man on lie
bank called out 10 the boatman, "Tnere's whore
he went down-just where You are now" Win
chilled sensation at my heart l crept back lnis
bed. Tue others sought their hammocKs 10
silence. They were evidently all greatly shocked.
Very little was said, and that In a very suDdued
tone OF voice, as though the body was then LYING
in the cell. cannot learn that any publicity was
given TO this poor fellows death. Very likely his
nienls did not know his whereabouts Very
likely bis name win be inscribed on the long rol
OF mysterious disappearances
The day afGtr this lamentable occurrence was
discharged, after navin1 served out very small
portion OF the term Tor which was committed.
was informed OF this TACT az dinner, and TOLD 10 90
up stairs ana get nv own clothes, ana then 60 10
the dressing room The little old man who handed
me nv bundle OF clothing seemed 20 be very
grieved over my discharge
ssYou'n be drunk tonight for certainty" ne
said; you ought TO have srayu ten days a. least /
it would have been much better Tor you.n waa
delighted on untying my bundle or clothes 70 md
the TWO ten-dollar bills In the legs OF my trousers
all SAFE. hurried on my own clothes, and soor
Joined the gentleman from the HERALD WHO HAD
brought over the order Tor my discharge.
BY the way nave spoken or the keepers str1k
ing tho prisoners. This gentleman was witness
of an exhibition OF brutality or this KIND on tnii
very occasion. A German, on coming from thu
dining room, was ordered or 70 90 certain work
of a dlsagreeable nature. he demonstrated; sale
he was not convicted but vagrant prisoner,
and said be would do no such work. or course,
this man was wrong. But wnas shall we think a.
the conduct OF the Keepers? without another
word two OF them sezsd the man by the nape OF the
necs and ran him along 10 the direction he ought
10 90 one striking aim several severe blows the
back or the head and neck IS they did so. and
finally Ringing him away with an injunction 10 CO
and do what he had been ordered TO do. Ny friend
was assonishsd, Tor this brutal scene was enacted
10 the most public part OF the prison. Just inside
the main entrance, and when the prisoners were
leaving the dining room.
But we FASTENED away. I had seen quite az
much as / cared to experiences or life on Black.
wells Island. l was furnished VITA 9 pass Il
leave The Island but It was not aaksd for on going
on board the steamboat Eor on landing at Twenty
sixth street. ItnInk there must nave been sons
csrelessness some where about this. on reachins
New YORK made straight running for barber'4
shop, then went nome took q warm bath aRA
dressed myself in civilized fashion, ana thea
nastened or 10 the Turkish batha Mol TIL has
been thoroughly rubbed and scrubbed and sham
nooed did feel at all sale or comfortable a. %
possible consequences rom having served snori
time as a prisoner in the worknouss ON Black
wells Island.
THE FINANCIAL CRISIS IN PATTERSON.