Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1876-03-24
THE AVAN1 COJnIEK.
behind the Prison W alls
From the New York tribune

From the New ok tribune
Tue Indianians recently tried, conyicted
and sentenced at Indianapolis for com
plicity in whisky frauds were placed in
the State Prison at Jeffersonvil G st even
Ing. Their names are James X. Hill.
Albert Nc0riff, William Milford. David
NJ. Lewis, Geo I. S!monson, Philip {
Eberwine, Harrison Witter. John E. Phil
lbs md Hiram S. Snyder. The prisoner
prevIons TO their present trouble. cccnp' d
high positions. and were numbered among
the best citizens of Evansville. The sen
fences are for bar! labor. A Courier
Journ,l reporter had a talk with the prs
oners after their arrival at he prison. On
entering the room, the first man noticed
was Albert McGnff He was sitting on a
smoking lounge with his face buried in
his handsIhe picture Of despair. Being
touched lightly on the shoulder. he started
and raised his he'd His face locke care
worn and .iaggard. and his eyes were suf
fused with tears. He is an old man. sixty
years hayr wlitencd lis hair. He las an
Open, frank and honest countenance, and
would be taken for gentleman. MI
McGriff SPOKE about his case. and said
MY God, 10 think that would ever come
to q place like this. 1t will kill mt; my
heart is crushed now. If it were not for
nv poor wife and son, | believe could
stand it. but to think Of the disgrace
brought upon them is more than | can
bear. 1t Will kill my wife. She is sick
now. and this will kill her; but there i
one consolation, size knows am innocent
of the charge. F. Bingham lied on me
cruelty and maliciously. lie never paid
me q dollar in his life, and knows it
WELL" He said that his wife j. 81 years
cid. and that he had been married thirty
years. McGrlff was well known and
highly respected at Evansville, bcin. for
seven years City Clerk of that place and
Q leading member in the Presbyterian
Church. His trial ard conviction told
heavily upon him.
James Il. Hill seemed cheerful, ard
said he had made up his mind to stand it;
that he could stand as much as any Other
living man. He showed some emotion
when told that his whiskers would be cut.
and said he was sorry, as he had an ugly
scar on his right cheek, which his whisk-
ers hid. He asserted his innocence yes
terdsy. He is AZ years old, and has wife
and eight children.
Philip c. Eberwlne was sad ard silent.
having nothing to say 10 any one. He is
IS years old, has blue eyes and dark hair.
slightly tinged with grey. In note to
Judge Gresham, before sentence was pro-
nounced; he said:
Il am unfortunately pensioner upon
the Government. bear three severe aud
honorable wounds as a reward for three
years good service as private soldier. l
am manned for lite. and unab to do any
manual labor. 1t was my helpless con-
dition and poverty. coupled with desire
to save my little home from being sod
from US. that caused me to listen to the
oily words of the stducer."
Miller said that lie would never have
been in the ring at all if there had no.
been officers in it.
John E. Philips thinks the sentence ter
rible. He was in the army four years,
and was badly wounded. He said the dis
sillers got him into it by stating that they
would have to slut down or run ''crook
ed; !" that he was trying 10 provide ho:..cI
for his family, and did not want to lose
his position. Phillips is about 80 years Of
age and has wife and four children in
ytrsitened circumstances. lie takes his
sentence hard.
Geo. 7. Simonson was cool and self-pos
&C ssed. He thinks that little more mercy
should have been shown him, but he was
going to make the best of 1t. He was IN
the army, is 43 years old, has wife and
three children
William Mulfotd is fine looking man.
probably IS years old. He was Colonel
10 the army, and received several wounds.
He looked pale. but calm.
David NJ. Lewis had nothing to say. and
appeared resigned to lis fate. He is man
mast the middle age Of life, and has q
family.
Hiram B. Snyder appeared Indifferent
to all around him.
After shaking hands with their friends.
the prisoners W re taken away, and had
their hair cut and boards shaved of, and
were then given convict suits. being SO
changed by the process as TO be hardly