The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-02-06
SING SING LIFE CONNECTS.
FACTS THAT s'LdTNLY TEACH THE
WISDOM or TEMPERANCE.
The Greatest Criminals In tho Prison Re
having the Bcst-An Account Of their
Grimes, PnnIshment, md I'm yment.


having the Best-An Account Of their
Grimes, Punishment, and Employment.
There are in Sing Sing Prison forty-flve
convicts opposite whose names in the prison
register, under the printed heading OF "Expira-
ton Of Sentence" is written in big black letters
tho word death" Life prisoners, "a a rule,
are better behaved and more amenable to dis
cpline than other cOnvicts. Their thoughts, as
well as the attention OF all prisoners, is concen-
trated upon themselves; but in the case Of the
life men their only hope Is in good behavior.
They look forward to a pardon after serving
certain number Of years, and clemency Ia largely
dependent upon the excellence Of their prison
record. The men In the Sing Sing Prison for
life work In a monotonous manner that indi-
Gates the extent OF their helplessness The
stories OF their crimes excite morbid curiosity
In their fellows, and are told to new Gamers.
The Oldest life convict as well as the oldest OF
ell the cOnyicts, Is william johnson, a negro,
known as "O,d Frank" He was born In New
Jersey, and claims to be 100 years old. His
Joints have grown stiff, and his kinky locks
have become whitcned In a century, lie goes
about his work in the keepers mess room In a
mechanical, impassive way, and seldom opens
conversation with any one. lie was sentenced
on March 20, 1851, for a burglary In Kings county
He denies having had any connection with IL,
buh saws no was bNhhulIg tloeo ob Nho hOuSc anu
saw some unknown men come out, deposit
some articles on the ground, and return into
the house. Frank" then stepped over and
pi sked up some Of the packages to see what
they were, but was frightened away by the APP
proach OF some person who recognized him, and
caused his arrest. Judge Moore, who sentenced
him for life. still lives In Brooklyn
ALL INNOCENT, OF COURSE.
Michael German, who ranks next to i" Old
Fr INK in the length OF imprteOnmeUt. born
In Ireland, and Is now forty-six ye r. old. He
was sentenced Feb B. ISi6 on the 30th OF June
1855, he and some friends were on a drunken
spree, and In their carousal mingled with an
other drunken party. fight occurred, and one
OF the opposing party was killed. Nike soemny
AYERS that the occurrence OF that night to
him blank. During the past seven years he
many guard posts on the prison grounds. Com
ndence has often been placed in him by the
prison ofici Is, and he has never betrayed them.
Adam JAEGER was born IN Germany, and was
sentenced Oct. 20 1860, when twenty -three wears
old. lie and friend named Friers we're one
Sunday evening In lager beer saloon and while
cOnverSing were INTERRUPTED by Henry Pepler.
Jaeger quarrelled with him for his impertinence,
but finally apOlogiZcd. On the way home Jaeger
assaulted by Pcper. lie used his pocket
knife In self-deience, as he says, and Pepler
died from the Injuries. Jaeger Is employed as a
driver. John Sienert, another life man, being
his assistant lshmael freeman Is an 1ndiin
years old He was sentenced April
"a, lsel for killing his wife, lie was,
missionary tour to the Interior Of New Mexico,
for the purpose OF converting the tribe to which
he belonged. lie was married and lived in
Pougnkeep-e. He went TO Baltimore, telling
his wife that II would be impossible for her TO
accompany him, she being ncrress.
The news troubled her greatly On his return
from Baltimore he found her sick In bed. She
died month aftcrward, and Freeman was ar
lie denies all knowledge Of the affair, ami de-
clares tn AZ she took the poison because OF the
int nded separation. For the past ten wears he
has teen making soap for the prison. lie never
falls to repeat short prayer before he sits down
LINGUTsr AND PHYSICIAN.
One OF the most extraordinary OF the life con-
victs Ia Moses L0weprerg, known as 4" Doctor"
lie was born Ia Prussia, and Is now nity-nine
wears old. He wac sentenced Jan. 4, lotf!, for
the murder of "A CARPENTER named Hoffman. lie
is good linguist, ana in November Isl, had
nue.. between Ninth anu Tenth streets. The
back part OF the house was OCCUPIED 10y Hon-
the Doctor and on several "ccasIons
threatened to. beat MIN If he did not remove.
The dispute that eliminated N the killing Of
Holman was hnuut the entrance door; The
Honmans pefsisied In shutting A., while the
Doctor waited IL open Tor "A tree current Of
air. Ia the midst OF the dispute the " ID lctor'
IN heat of y s,ion stab ed lIoifmHn in the
breast with sword cane. lie was convicted II
murder In the first degree, and, according to the
then existing law, sentenced to one years I'M
prsonment IN the state Prison aud to suffer
hansins AT the expiration OF that time. The
death warrant was never signed, the case being
carried to the Court of Appe Is. Efforts have
been made to have hts sentence cOmmuted.
The present Governor signed his petition, as
did william Cullen bryant. aud eX-AmOass idor
Bancroft. Gov. ildtu mas u ~ under consider
alton "a petition for has p.rd IA, which, II grant
tins life To- spend Win his family
Wno are In Brln. since his imprisonmcnt
he has been employed IN the wa-ur1um.
frcdcuck Muuter, German, was sentenced
Dec 10. 1885, for aiding his betfothcd Carolina
liei,tenOerg, in this city. Through Ia, hands
pas "a the 'tatoes used fuf the l6ii m le md
female cuuNicts. Edward Hunter Is an Eu-lt-h-
man. 81 years II age. lie was sentenced III this
city jane IS, loGi for killing his wife, lie had
been married twenty i've years, and cannot,
according To his excuse for MS crime, during
That lime credit to himself one year Of bappi-
ness. HIS wife would disappear flr sever
months at lime. Her last trip lasitl for six
months, aud when she rehppedred she WAS
drunk IN the rooms occupied ~ uis son and
daughter-in-law' Hunter says a. the ldst
recolectiuns IL that night are Of his wife at
iem'puns to plunge fork into his ewes. lie
killed her WITH an axe. lie has II lie been enl-
ployed rs waiter al one Of Inc guard posts.
PENALTIES OF DRUNKENNESS.
Charles H. walters Il a native OF New jersey
and Is A wears old. IL was senten' Ell Feb. II,
Nancy L. Vincent, he VS. employed IN the Mill
tar' losplt ! on ID yld's Island. Tie woman
WAS supposed to he his wife. lie had furnished
rooms for her in the city where she resided
wnile he was yai. on duty one day ON his return
treated her to return home. She refus-
ed, and he took to drunkenness; and.
wnen cr,zod WITH liquor and jealousy, he
works as cArpenter In the prison.
John X Nensburg on April "a, 1883. Kenny was
"A ITiyer on II. oullSu street car. and on pay
d he went on spree. The next day he aW ohe
ia police stat, n house charged win the muir
der of X yen-burg In "a shoe store. Kenny ia
head staDleman Of the prison. Speaker Hustled
promises Kenny that he will wurk for hi par
don. vincent toI} WAS born IN Ireland In ISIS,
and WIS sentenced IN this city October Is, lo6,,
for shooting Livingstone In Jcfe son street
liquor saloon. Cod, makes the excuse that tho
shooting was accidental. Edward Allen, Law
ingstone, aud Cody were throwing dice Tor the
DRINKS. Allen accused LiNingst one of cheating,
aud struck HIM. Livingstone drew his revolver,
Cody ran between them, and the revolver was
DISCHARGED. Cody Is employed in the lime kilns.
! John -iehert Is "a Nav Yorker, aged IS. lie was
sentenced July T., 1859, for the murder Of Jacob
| Stiliwagen In a lager beer saloon in Fourteenth
street. Ito says ne Vas 30 drunk that he re-
members nothing OF the occurrence. lie does
the carting for the prison, with Adam Jaeger,
another life convict. owen Hand, another New
| Yorker, now ~ years old, was sentenced Oct. Is,
| 1869. In a drunken quarrel he klSed "a COM
puuion In gas house in BROOKLYN. liz has been
recently drafted from Clinton Prison, aud Is uu-
employed.
DRUNKENHEss STILL.
Patrick Nicholson is an Irishman, rs years
| old, and was sentenced October ~, 1868 In
1T OF drunkenness and jealousy he Instantly
| led "a W. " vii do 3,