The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-05-07
A PRISONERS CONFESSION.
FROM YOUTH TO MANHOOD INSIDE
A pENITENTI4RT.
The Eject Of Long imprisonment and Unpaid
Inbor-In the World Aunin-A slip of the
TonGuc-A burglar Ready TO Resume.

nom the Cincinnati Commercial
You can have no conception, sir" said
the convict to Mr. Ethan, "Of the terrible. ir-
reparable loss that eight years imprisonment IL
to n man.. IL Is just knocking SO much life out
Of him went into The Madison Penitentiaiy
when was twentv-three wears OF age, "A time "
life when the romance Of youth. mingling with
the hopes. the asiiratiOns. the settled taste "
m an. should make him an eager, ambitious toll
sr. ! come out with my early manhood a blank,
an inner stain. N not mn open marx, that seems
60 bar me from my fellows with no adaptabllity
and with even that denied me II l frank
ly own that I have been IN prison. For
eight long years have toiled like a slave, not
crushed with tasks beyond my strength OF
course. but with the humiliating feeling of the
j,Il. bird, tne serv'le spirit Of the whpped dog
pensatiou, and therefore took no interest In II.
was merely a human machine. to be steamed
up when went slow, to be knocked OF for hos
ptal repairs when | got broke, aud put In mo-
ton again rs soon as possible. During the hrst
year or two OF my imprisonment my leisure
hours were principally spent In connecting plans
of escape and my ingenuity falling me In every
instance, trusted for while to outside inilu-
ence to secure my pardon. The Chicago fire.
which bankrupted the friends on whom relied
for assistance, dissipated all hope OF pardon,
II will toll you. though, that 1t Is not because
OF the shrswdness or vigilance OF prison keep
ers that men longing for freedom and ready to
take any chance to gain their liberty are kept
mewed as long as they are. 1t Is the interested
trates ali the well-laid plans OF prison delivery
convict becoming aware of a movement on
the part OF others to escape, IN order to gaip the
favor OF the attendants. will give the> job
away and Just as the plan ts about to be put
into execution the officers ara upon YOU The
last time attempted to escape was four or i've
years ago.
"A fellow convict. who had behaved him
self so well that lie was granted some little
privileges about the corridor In which my cell
was, one night got possession of an i'm
portant key. which guard had carelessly lett
sticking IN the door, and succeeded In making
an impression Of 1t IN piece Of wax, such ss
they make flowers of-the fiat side Of the kew,
and the end. you know. Well, managed to ac-
cumuate enough metal, from broken pewter
spoons fragments OF lead castings, &c., to make
key from that mould. l hung IL down my
back and attached some Catholic charms to the
string at my throat to make a plausible excuse
for the wearing OF the string about my neck.
There were only three or four OF us who knew
anything about the KEY or the plan Of escape
that we agreed on, and yet tho very night the at.
bath room and stripped. OF course tho key was
found. and was given about a months solitary
confinement Some enviuus prisoner too timid
to attempt the escape himself, had given us
away"
obtained his release. and tbs convict answered
" first bought me some decent clothes; for
some friends In California had sent mo little
money. and the outnt the prison authorities gave
me was not At to wear. with my new clothes on
! went 10 dining saloon TO Get "A square meal
There first realized what IL was to be an ex.con-
Wet. The waiter girls would put their heads to-
gether' ana potato me anu whisper, Hos one OF
them; he's Just out soon left that place, YOU
may be assured. got 70 again AZ Nincenncs. In
diana, and from myself, too. stopped at a hotel.
registered my name, and in a ~ OF abstraction
that never could explain to your satisfaction.
asked the clerk, Where's my cell1' IL WAS my
room wanted but tho amazed look the clerk
gave me weakened my desire for retirement
considerably. l seized my valise. bnd left the
hotel without another word. After that caught
elimpses now and then Of people l knew had
seen me IN the penitentiary, and lost no time in
diving down the nearest alley 10 get out OF the
way. ! have constant, inexphcable dread OF
peolle meet and catch myself twenty times a
day looking around for guard. Not that have
any Tear ~ errest, for my offences have been
fully oxpiated, tut that | cannot divest myself
Of the IDEA Of siill being n prisoner, subject to
prison discipline and the curious gaze Of sight
seers.'
PRISON TREATMENT
Mr.. Elijah inquired whether he had been mis-
treated IA prison.
" cannot say that was" replied scalds,
" that l., as prison treatment goes. The GUARDS
aud task masters were unnecessarily severe. and
by their insunerable iusulence ana petit, tyrbn-
ny, Oi.cn gVgded men INTO breaches Of discip-
line, for which they were cruelty punished
but, as a rule the smart prisoners, who are. OF
course. the rogues. had the best treatment the
institution Afforded. Tho thieves, conf ience
men, counterfeters, Sc, kept within bounds.
aud managed to make friends with their keep
ers, put once Ia n while the fellows who we're 10
for the wild business would lose their temper
under some insult, strike guard, and then
Eli ,h-lho wild business - what is that2
ScIds-Oh, that's what We called the fellows
who were in for horse stealing OF some tTilling
offence like that. hey were also called, ana
called t9emselves, l believe, the "crtter
the reformatory systems ~ ptisons, so lar a.
have had experience aud 50 far as | can learn.
into the world with but little chance to live
reformed life, II he had any incentive to do
hetter. When man is thrown into
peui.entiafy he Is Immediately made
source Of profit to the prison con- rector.
lie Is taught 10 run some kind OF machine, or
do Htertain Kind " work, such as making a
particular Part # boot OF shoe. II lac runs that
maclne We'll nr IS IN irt II " lastina, OF sol
ing, or hecnng.' or nhishiug' a boot, he Is
al Inn
90 int when lac comes out, although he Is per
fect IN his department, he could NJ more run
different machine. o. make complete boot or
shoe tnan you can. lie come, GU. WITH no trade
whatever; ana l., therefore, III only Tor u day
change men about from this part Of u certain
tr de TO shothef, they would be better able to
support themselves when they are released.
INJUSTICE
Then do not think ihe state crthc contractor
should make the large profits t.ey co On the
labor Of conNicis. Now, want To DO
he other thing, and will work At ANYTHING. But
where can una work. II | tell n man the truth,
mat am just out OF the State Pm on, he shakes
honestly AM faithfully serve ny employer some
envious fellow VINO knew me IN prison. will
cone long some DAY and give me away and :
Tor the ny coppers. with them A. is once "a thief
always thief, ana they are never 80 happy rs
when they get q p or devil In quod whom they
knew to do something had wears ago want 20
be honest, but can't stafyc. Sooner than starVO
IN steal, and stealing viii probably take me
history ~ hundred, ave thousands, OF mon who
nave LETT the leuitentiary wi'h hi-h resolves rs
TO honesty-out to day and back to morrow.
PRAY God may be more Fortunate
EliJah-Do men IN prison generally lee that
they would retrieve ther past conduct If they
wero given their libertyY
Scalds-Weli, sir, | sincerely believe ma
jority OF them do, but tate seems 60 lie against
them when they get OUT. great many, how
ever, only pant 10 get out IN order 10 pursue
their old Hy0cations with more ardor. Al old
burglar who had been there nine years told mo
day or two before i got my discharge, "Mell,
Jack, you'll be out pretty soon; / just wish
you'd hunt me up a good lot OF night ard safe
SIN. and see what l can do before 20 East -
lie only had eleven years more 10 serve. And
even L. with all my good intentions, found my
s'lt almost unc"nsciously examining a lot -
combination sales In 81. Lou, waTeToOm,
picking out their weak ana admirug their
strong points.
Ten Years OF Fnithlul Love.
From