Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-03-22

vaDia Prison TweHty-seven Years
for "Safa Keeping"
Philadelphia Record
1t was exactly twenty-eight years
to a day on the 29th of last Docem-
Der that Wiley Williams was SEN
fenced to the Eastern penitentiary,
for "safe keeping" by Judge King.
Very soon Williams will pass in his
checks and his spirit will go to the
unknown world. That it is a GER
tainty in the near future this man,
to whom the greater part Of his life
has been a blank, is fully aware.
Williams was placed in the peniten-
tiary not as a convict, but to keep
him from doing mischief. He had
shot DR.. Kirkbride, the chief of
the Pennsylvania hospital for the
insane, in the head, and the bullet,
which was driven twenty-eight
years ago into the head of the cele-
brated docter, still remains in its
original position, although it does
not interfere with his health. Will
llams now has the distinguished
position of being number one on
the books Of the penitentiary, his
name leading off the long list of
criminals who are incarcerated in
that institution, although he is not
considered as criminal and never
was.
Wiley Williams is the son Of the
late Judge Williams, who resided
near Athens Ga, and who was at
one time a leading citizen of the
State. He was possessed of i'm
mense plantations, and was large
slave-owner. His children were
brought up according to Southern
ideas. At seventeen years Of age
Wiley was sent to one of the best
colleges in Connecticut, to receive
an education befitting the son of a
man Of wealth. He remained at
his studies but a short time, and
seizing the first opportunity went
to sea. He took passage on a whaler
to crafty his love Of adventure and
determination of seeing the world.
he did not find in the real life the
gilded amusement which the tales
of romance had pictured. Never
theless, he travelled over good part
of the globe, and finally landed on
an island in the South Pacific, where
he fell into the hands of a United
States consul. This official COM
muncated with Wiley'S parents, and
by their direction the wayward son
was sent back to New York, and
finally found his way to the pater-
nal roof. He had not been at home
long before his father discovered
that Wiley's mind was impaired, so
he was sent to the Pennsylvania
hospital for the insane, in this city.
In this institution he remained
for some time, but finally became
provoked at DR.. Kirkbridge, be-
cause that gentleman would not
allow him to visit some friends at
Baltimore. Williams became OBJ
stinate and determined to carry ont
his desires, despite strict orders to
the contrary. Selling the oppOrtH-
nifty one night he scaled the walls
surrounding the grounds, took a
train to the Monumental City, and,
after making a round of his ac-
Quaintances, returned to the hos.
pital. Instead of returning to bis
quarters, he took a position in a
large tree. DR.. Kirkbridge was
passing through the inclosure in
the morning. Suddenly the loud
report Of gun was heard, and tho
doctor fell 10 the ground wounded,
the bullet entering bis head. Will
lisms then came down from the
tree, and, walking up to the doctor,
he said: " You took occasion to
insult me, and, as Southern gen
tleman, l determined to ayenge the
insult"
The would-be murderer then sur
rendered himself, and it was fonnd
that the injuries sustained were
fortunately slight. The doctor re-
paired to the Office Of Colonel Chas.
Thompson Jones, who was then a