Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1875-06-01
Letter from an ET-Sfdfes Prison
CCHUict.


This letter sent me Cat my requcsi) by
DR.. Daggelt OF New London, May lS'J'
was superscribed thus:
Copy of copy. made at DIR. Bucking-
hams Springfield, and endorsed by him
as follows:
"Williams, to whom this lettsr is ad'
dressed, is an accomplished burglar who
was sent to the States Prison from here
last year. lie is q handsome, athletic.
well educated iellow-graduate OF Har-
ward College, who professed to have
become a christian while iu our jail. lie
and his two confederates robbed MIR. Ball
of lIolyoke OF $4,000 in u. s. Securities.
entering his house at night and standing
over him with pistol.
LETTER.
June 9th, 1872.
Mr. W-lriend Charlie il may so call
you. i no you are surprised to get let
Ter from me. but hope you wont be mad
at my writing 10 you, want to tell you
my thanks for the way you talked to me
when i was in prison it has led me TO
try and be belter man. guess you
thought did not cair for what you said.
a. at the first 90 of didn't, but noed
you wa. man who don big work with
good men Il want no sucker, nor want
casing Il all the boys knoed it. | used
to think AT mite what You said, Il for it j
nocked oil swearing 3 months before my
time was up, lor saw il want no
good. nohow--thed day my time was up,
you told me il would take the cross.
(quit s.ealing) Il live on the square Tor 8
months, it would be the best job ever
done in my Lille. The state agent give
me u ticket 10 here Il on the car thought
more OF what you said TO me but didn't
make up my mind--When we got to
Chicago on the cars from there to here.
pulled off an old woman's leather (robbed
her oil her pocket book hadn't no more
than got il oil when i wished hadn't
done it, for awhile before that made up
my mind to be square block for months
on your word, but forgot 1t when saw
the leather was a grip (easy to get but
kept clos TO her * when she got out oil
the cars at way place said, marm,
have YOU lost any thing? X she tumbled
(discovered) her leather was of (gone)
is this ii says i. giving it TO her-well
ii you Amt honest, says she. but hadn't
got cheak enough 10 stand that sort ol
talk so left her in hurry. When i got
here had 81 and % cents left " didn't
get no work Tor 3 days as aint strong
enough lor roust about on a steam bote
(for deck hand). The afternoon OF the
Sfd day spent my last ten cts tor moon
(argc round sea biscuiD " cheese IL
ielt pretty rough and WAS thinking
would have TO go on the dip (picking
pockets again. when thought OF what
you once said about fellow calling on
the Lord when he was in hard luck, &
thought i would try it once any how. but
when iryed got stuck on the start. d
all could get of was. Lord give a poor
fellow Il chance TO square it for ) months
10: ChIis,s sake. amen: and i kept
thinking of it over and over as / went
along about IN hour after that was in
- St. Il tits is what happened & is the
cause OF my being where am now. q
about which will tell you before get
done writing. As was walking along i
herd big noise & saw horse running
away with carriage with children in
it, Il GRABBED up peace OF box cover
from the side walk & run in the middle
of the street, Il when the horse came up
i smashed him over the head as hard as i
could drive-the bord split to peces S the
horse checked up little & grabbed the
reigns & pulled his head down until he
stopped-,he gentleman what owned him
came running up & soon as he siR the
children were all rite. he shook hands
with me Il gave me $50 green back, &
my asking the Lord 10 help me come into
my head Il was so thunderstruck could
not drop the reigns nor say nothing-he
saw something was up.& coming back to
me said, my boy are you hurt & the
thought come into my head just then to
ask him for work. & asked him to take
back the money and give me job--says
he Jump in here & lets talk about 1t but
keep The money-he asked me If j
could take care OF horses and said yes.
Tor used 10 hang round livery stables &
often would help clean and drive horses,
he told NE he wanted man for that
work & would give me SIG month &
bord me. You bet i took that chance at
once, that mite in my little room over the
stable sat long time thinking over my
past lie & of what had just happened &
just got down on my nees & thanked
the Lord Tor the job & to help me to
square it, & to bless you for putting me
up to it. & the next morning done il
again & get ME some new togs (cloihes)
Il bible for i made up nag mind after
what The Lord had done for me would
read The bible every mite and morning, &
ask him to keep an eye on me. When
had ben there about week Mr. -(thats