American citizen., 1875-05-08
CANTON, MISS, SATURDAY, 8, 1875
Inhuman Severity.

Inhuman Severity.
AFEw days ago I wanted to hire a mar
to wheel half a dozen loads of rubbish
out of my garden, and after looking
around for Ii while I found a seedy chaI
sitting on the end of the wharf fishing
through a hole in the ice. When l asked
him if he would attend to the job, he re
piled thus:
81 really can't. Pm sorry, but the
fact is, I'm in Jail for six months fo- lar
ceny. Sentenced last December. l don't
mind it much, only they don't act honest
week l was there Mrs. Murphy she's
the keepers wife-wanted to kinder
clean up, and so she rousted me out, and
had to hang round sorter homeless for
more'n week. Then, just as 1 was git
tim settled agin comfortably, the pro-
visions run short, and so Murphy tried 10
borrer money of me to feed the convicts,
and as / hadn't none to lend out had to
go agin. In about two weeks l started
in fresh, and got everything snug and
cheerful, when Murphy's aunt stepped
out. Then what did that inconsiderate
ass do but chock me out agin and lock
up the Jail, and put Grape on the door
handle, while he skeeted off to the
funeral.
$50, of course, l had to browse around,
huntin' up fodder where l could git it,
sometimes nibblin' somethin' at the tav-
ern, and other times takin' tea with a
friend. Well, sir, hardly was that ri
dicklous old woman unloaded into the
sepulcher, and me once more in the cell,
with the home-like feelin' beginnin' to
creep over me, but Murphy he says he
and his wife's got to go up to the city to
frIf RI rx-hn rnfu RI,
quit Murphy grabbed me by the collar
and rammed me into the street, and said
he'd sick his dog on me if l came rarin'
around there, maxim u fuss.
81 hung about for few days, and then
l went to the Jail. The boy said Murphy
hadn't got back, an I'd have to call
ag'in. Next time applied the boy hol-
lered from the window that he was en-
gagged and couldn't see me. Murphy
was still rummagin' for that hired girl.
l went there eight times, and there was
always some jackass of an excuse for
crOwdin' me out, and l don't know if I'll
ever git in agin. Night afore last
busted a window with brick, and tried
to crawl in through the hole, but the
boy fired gun at me, and said if I'd just
wait till Mr.. Murphy came back he'd
have me arrested for burglary.
"Now l think I've been treated scanda-
lous bad. I've got right in that Jail, and
it's pretty mean in a man like Murphy to
shove me off in weather like this, and
Pm bound to live SIX months in the
prison some time or other, whether he
likes it or not. / don't mind putin my
self to some trouble to oblige a friend,
but hate like thunder to be imposed on.
"'Pears to me It's NO way to run penal
institution anyway. There's Potts; he's
in Jail for perjury for nine years, and
Murphy's actually shook that convict
out SO often and made him shin round
after his vittals that Potts has lost heart,
and has gone to canvassin' for life in
surance company; gone to preambulatin'
all over the county tryin' to do little
to keep clothes on his back,
when he ought to be layIn' serenely in
that jail. But l amt gOin' to do that.
If the law keeps me in.custody it's got to
support me, and that's what Williamson
says too. Ketch him workin' for his
livin'. He's in for four years for assault
and battery; and when they boost him
out of the Jail he puts up at the hotel,
and has the bills sent in to Murphy.
"Murphy don't have consideration for
the prisoners anyway. You know he
raises fowls in the Jail yard, and just
after Christmas he had a big lot of tur-
keys left on his hands, and, do you be-
lieve, that man actually kept feedin' us
on those turkeys for more than a month!
Positively refused to allow us anything
else until they was gone. 1t was tiend-
ish l had half notion to quit for good.
L was just disguised. And Williamson
said if that was the way they were goin'
to treat cOnvicts, why, civilization was
failure. All through Lent, too, wouldn't
allow us an oyster; keep stuffin' US with
beef and such trash, although Potts said
he'd never been used to such wickedness,
for his parents was very particular.
Wouldn't even give us fish balls twice a
week. But what does Murphy care?
He's perfectly enthusiastic when he kin
tread on mans feelin's, and stamp AL
the moral sansibilitv out of him.
"And Mrs. Murphy, she's not much
better. All the warm days she's home
she hustles that baby of hern on to me.
Makes me take the squallin' little sucklin'
out in his carriage for an airin', and then
gifts mad if he falls out while Pm con-
versin' for a few minutes with friend!
I'd slid him into the river long ago,
only know well enough they'd sentence
me for life, and then I'd maybe have to
stand MurpEy's per>ecutin' for about
forty years; and that d kill me 1t would
Just slay me. 1t would, indeed. He's
so incOnsiderate.
Ilc uSCu W give uiC thC MY VI thS jon
to keep while he'd go over to Barnes
to fight roosters or to play poker, and one
day lost it. He raised an awful fuss,
and even Potts was down on me because
they couldn't keep the boys out, and
they used 10 come in and tickle Potts
with straws-while he was sleepin' in his
cell. b'lieve they expeck Murphy back
dav after tomorrow, but l know mighty
well Pm not goin' to have much satisfac-
ton when he does come. He'll find
some excuse for shufflin' me out bout as
soon as l git slowed away in my old
quarters. If he does, I've got a notion to
lock him out some night and run the Jail
myself for while, SOS kin have some
peace There's such thing as carryin
abuses a little too far. Excuse me Tor
minute. l think l have a bite"
Then l left to hunt for another man.
feel that the society for the alteviation
of the sufferings of prisoners has great
work TO perform in or town--Hdr
.4deler, IN ". Y. Weekly
Ben Spinner's Composition.