The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-12-29

4
tricf4 up no longer but was still confined 10
the dark cell. IL became sick, and IL is said
that the prison surgeon. fearing serious re-
sult-. ordered hill prison ratiOns served to
him The treatment, however, was So terri
bic that JONES' spirit was utterly broken,
and he asked to be taken out TO work. His
legs were shacklcd with irons, and he was
lei out with the gang. A. the confinement
must have affected the sight oI his only eye.
ami his limbs may have been crampcd and
Stiif from want Of exercise. he could not keep
up with the other prisoners in cracking
stone. Tho Warden Acknowledges that he
offered 60 wheel earth This exercise might
have liinborod him up and put him in good
condition. hut, declares The Warden, he
wasn't iit to wheel n barrow, bHCaus, he only
weighed l92 pounds OF course. JONES was
cursed for his obstinacy. and sent back to
the dungeon. Though repeatedly express
ing his willingness to work at anything be-
sides stone breaking. he was never given the
opportunity. At different times he was
driven out with the stone gang but The re-
suit was that he was again ordered to the
dungeon, and remained there days at time
with the shacklos on HE limbs.
Ninety days passed. all of which were
spent In the dark cell. Az this was the term
Of his sentence the prisoner demanded his
release. He was told that he would not be
discharged until he had worked out the costs
OF his trial. They amounted to thirty-eight
dollars and ninety cents, and he would be
allowed fifty ccnts day while at work. He
had already spent over two thousand hours
in this dark cell without bed or covering.
He was so obstinate that he could see no
hope of release. lie had been reduced To-
mere skin and bone. and must have been a
physical wreck
Christmas came. joyous and bright, and
the bells Of the village churches rang out a
merry peal. The obstinate WILLIAM JONES
had been released from the dungeon by the
hand of death. He had taken the strap that
held up his striped trousers, run the loop
through the ring in tho wall. placed his neck
within the loop and thrown himself for
ward in the darkness. He was slowly
stranglcd His corpse was discovered by
one of the prisoners who was taking him
Christmas breakfast of bread and coffee
generously furnished by the Warden. The
body was nearly doubled 1t was evident
that the obstinate WILLIAM JOKES had died
III wi i'iN az 'lAA lhi ll' SINH Wis hIOt htt
from the knuckles Of his thin hands a. lac
beat them against the wall ia his death
struggle.
No inquest was held No authoritative
investigation was made A county physi-
clan was called in. aud gave death ccrtil-
cate. undoubtedly on Information furnished
by the Warden Late In the afternoon. while
the farmers We're dige-tlng their Christmas
dinner, one of COMPTON undertaken wagons
received the body Of the obstinate WILLIAM
JONES, enclosed in pine coffin, and il Wa,
driven 10 the grave.
1t Is the duty OF the Board OF Freeholdcrs
of Essex county to investigate these oo-
cu,rences. II il for them 10 examine each
warden. clerk, aud prisoner conversantwth
the matter. joins q NER,uLYE agrees with
the majority OF the board in politics. but no
political bias should affect such an invcsti-
Cation. The world has heard a great deal
about Jcr-ey justice. Let us have some
of IL.