The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-04-18
THE JAILBIRDs' JUBILEE.

EXCITEMENT At sNo SING PRISON OVER THU
''rIcKET-oF-LKAvE" BuL-rHE LIFE" MEN
AND WOMEN ALMOST CRAZY" WITH DE
LIGHT-REMrS1scENCEs OF OLD TINE MUIR
DERs.
The bill which has passed both houses OF the
Legislature granting conditional liberty TO con-
victs sentenced 10 Imprisonment for lie al the
expiration OF fifteen years OF penal servitude has
occasioned an unusual nutter OF excitement
among the Older jaioirds In Sing sing Prison.
Nor is it surprising learn that this unexpected
boon, now almost within the grasp OF many i'm
INJURED maleiactors, who had long since abandoned
themselves TO despair, should cause the dreary
cell or the condemned 70 be suddenly Ilu-
.mined py the rosy light OF hope that
the day or liberation draws nigh. TO
the weary and heart-worn prisoners who
have been confined within granite walls
Tor quarter or century and upward
this prospect or a release, the King or Terrors
claims MS own, can alone be appreciated, and
accordingly, In the language OF one OF the keep
ers at the prison TO the writer yesterday, "tne
life men are perfectly Wild" In the female prison
the same intense feeling was manifested, the
women undergoing life sentences being described
as almost crazyn with mingled emotions OF sur
prise and JOY.
the section referred to provides that leach con-
vct now hereafter confined in any or the State
prisons or penitentiares OF this state under SEN
tence the term OF the natural lie OF sucn
Wet, who snal nave been in ali respects ooedient
TO the rules regulations OF such prison for the
term OF fifteen years and VINO In the meantime
snan not have committed any assault or violence
upon any person whomsoever, nor have been
guilty OF any dsordery CONDUCT, nor have made
or attempted any escape rom confinement nor
have committed any act that would amount by
law to q misdemeanor, shall at the expiration or
such term OF fifteen years OF uniform good conduct
and obedience, upon the certificate 10 that eject
OF the Ageat and Warden OF such prison, ap-
proved BY majority OF the Inspectors OF
State PRISONS, by the inspector IN charge,
being transmitted to the Governor. De released
IRON imprisonment during precautionary period
OF ten Years II the Governor shall, III his discre-
ton, direct; ana 81 the end OF sucn period or
ten years SAID convict sna II so released. be fully
% rdoned by Tue Governor with the restoration or
the rights OF citizenship provided that curing the
SAID PROBATIONARY PERIOD oil ten years SAID convict
suail not have peen convicted OF any crime IN any
court OF Competent Jurisdiction. II such convict
shall at any time aiter being released upon pro-
oation, be convicted oI any crime by any court OF
convict may, In the discretion or the Court, re-
mAuded 10 confinement aud nard labor in one OF
the STATE PRISONS, there 10 remain during the
natural lie OF sucn convict, without further
abatement or Communication OF any part OF such
SENTENCE
me second section extends these provisions TO
conycts "under sentence for the peroo Of
TWENTY-FIVE years or upN ard"
should the Dill receive toe Governors approval
it would al present anect ouly two convcts III toe
male PRISON, VINO nave been sentenced lor the
tern o. tner natural lives. one OF THESE Is Fran
CHS TarboN, better known as "Nlgger Frank a
coored nan, nearly ninety years OF age. ana who,
on account oil his being by Tar the Oldest and
longest iunabltant OF the PRISON, Is regarded win
aim 1lial yeneration by most OF mis- ieilow con-
vic /. For an aggravated case OF burglary In the
first degree ne was sentenced Tor lie at
PERIOD y. cur history wnen the crime OF
nousepreaKing was more severely punished tnan
If Il AT "A "A.
Joyed the unuisputed title OF .timeKeeper" at
tue PRISON. and through MS obiging disposition
has c0nLrlved To Loard quite snug little sum OF
money. lie con esses that hts wants are few, out
complain. ana justly. that recently some Quo In
known as the '.grano change,n whereby worth
less GRASS watcn vas substituted for his own
timepiece OF massive gold, and valued al 500.
Tne other convict WI sc freedom would Ue se-
cured BY he oil Is DR.. LowenberRh, VINO was con-
vIctea IN New } ork oi murder IN the nrst degree
aud sentenced TO be executed; but IN ACCORDANCE
with the tnen existing statute, winch required
tEat condemned murderer snoulo DC imprisoned
Tor twelve months be ore HE death Sentences be
carried out, toe doomed man Waslodged IN MS
present quarters. rus Jaw, requiring lmpIlsoa-
year following mat In winch LowenOergn
was Incarcerated, leaving. besides himself
Jeneris And tIo others. as q kind oil "white eie
pnants' in the hands OF tue authorities. Jenerts
Was subsequently, killed Dy O ienow convict. and
tile otner two alluded TO nave slnce died, leaving
Lowenoergn tue only convict IN The state who was
imprisoned b. tie terms or tns obsolete sta tute.
Tae aw waIcn repealed the latter. however, LETT IL
10 the discreI lon OF the lnen existing Executive
10 dstermIne wnen the sentence on those con.
yicts VINO we're Imprisoned Tor a year previous 10
her pelSg execuied SHOULD oe carried ons; but
eacn successive NATURALIZATION % ms 10 nave
ignored TIVE matter until nnaliy Governor
Holman, IN 1872, COMMITTED The uentn sentence IN
tne case OF Lowenbergn 10 imprisonment Tor life.
Ine crime Tor which Lowenoeign was sentenced
may lie epItomlZed as Iollows:- ne lived WITH his
family ia a tenement house. ana, becoming an
nVyed at some children whose parents occupied
iion Win thetr Iatner wnien resulted IA the lat
ttr's being fatally stabbed with sword cane IN
iaers are several Otaess in the male
prison WAC would In short time snare
comes 4 Jaw. Among these are Adam jaeger
VINO killed MAD In 1t OF jealousy aud
Charles waters, VINO. wnne under the influence Of
the s.green-eyed monster" Tue death warrant Of
waters was received at the prison attaches 10 tne
order OF the then existing Governor, committing
MS sentence 70 Imprisonment 10r lue. TINS death
warrant. with rs ominous black seal, Is sti pre-
served ut me PRISON, Oe4ng the only document or
its klnu ever received Inere.
IL me iemae prison Inere are three convicts
undergoing liie sentences nicn the provisions OF
the OIL woula also reach. these are
Mary Fish, alias 'Polly krIscn," Tor the
murder o. her husband, By poisoning;
answering 70 the same cognomen, ooin oil whom
are also serving cut lie terms Tor the highest
iemaie mas oeen imprisoned about seventeen
years. Another female coavict (wno curing ner
some what mysterious existence both before and
alter her nvctlon mas been Tue object OF not .
little sympatbyl. henrietta Robinson, iamiariY
known as she "Velleu muTderess," and WHO - ut
present an Inmase Of the state Asylum Tor insane
convicts az Auouin, will Also Dc by the GILL; en-
tit.ed 10 tne liberty Tor whicn she has signed Ia
VAIN during the past twenty years
la tne neign0ornood oi sing sing the Dill does
not meet VITA muca appreciation. one gentle man
VINO has Lad extraordinary opportunities Tor
studying the uisposllOns OF convlcts and the ways
oil prison llfe remarked ~ tue HKRALD represent
alive yesterday, that ne couldn't perceive what
tie community was going 10 gatn Oy the provls.
ions OF me DILL; tngt 80 long as the
pardonluQ power 10 vested IN tie Executive
the sane clemencY can be EXTENDED 10 life
cUnvlcfs whose experiment during q lengthy ln-
generation has been exemplary he also ex-
pressed toe beltei tnat TIE proposed law would
initiate against prisoners on trial Tor capital OF
IenCes as Jurors IN certain cases might consider
fifteen years as not sufficient punishment. and 50
fud a verdict which would c0nslQn InenA 70 tile