The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1878-07-18
PROUD OF HIS GRIMES.
The Record Of Noted Criminal Turned
Red Rbbonite as Related by Himself.

Your correspondent attended a
meeting of the Red Ribbon Climb in
this city a few evenings since, and
listened to an address by Charles d.
Hildebrand, reformed drunkard.
At the conclusion of the address the
speaker promised his audience, if they
would only come and hear him the
next evening, that they would learn
something in relation to the close con-
nection of whisky to crime. the inner
history Of penitentiaries. and the
punishment received there which
would astonish them.
The bronzed face, the nervous
glance of the eye. 50 often seen in
criminals, and the peculiar bitter
tone of the speaker when he referred
to prisons, attracted my attention,
and an indefnable something in his
general appearance led me to believe
that his life had been supremely
bad one. So, after he had resumed
his seat l handed him my card and in
vited him to accompany me to my
room at the Shipman House. lie con-
sented, and after we were comfortably
seated, he Ibid tale unfold" which,
if true, entities him to place i'll the
annals of time, alongside of Claude
Dnval and Dick Turpin.
IIILDEBRAND'S STORY.
| was born in Detroit, Mich. When
only seven months old | was stolen
from my mothers bosom by Il neigh
boring woman, who, with her hus-
band Joined a tribe of Indians living
in the vicinity. | remember little or
nothing Of my childhood, except that
when | was seven years old the woman
whom | had called mother. on her
tleatl-hed confessed to her attendant,
m old bag. that she had stolen me.
and gave the name and address of my
parents. She also obtained from the
nurse her promise to see that | was
sent home. This promise was never
kept.
| then fell into the hands OF two
professional thieves, and was taken to
Pan is. Since that time | have served
IN eleven penltentiarieS, eighteen
years close confinement, not includ-
ing short conlinementS in numerous
station houses, city prisons. and coun-
ty iails. My first sentence was in
Paris, France, two years in prison for
pocket picket. Was released after
three months confinement. on ac-
count of my extreme youth, being then
only $ years old. Was sentenced
next to six months imprisonment in
Bailey prison. London. for the same
ottensr. There learned the alphabet
for the first time. | then went to
Canada. and was sentenced to one
confinement in hn L. -, =,
penitentiary for burglary. and for re-
fuslng to obey prison orders was con
fined during the whole term of my
sentence IN Il dungeon. and for nearly
365 days did not see the light of day
When l was released from Canada |
begun my regular occupation, viz:
bank and county sreasury work. This
was my particular line Of business,
and | seldom did any work outside of
this, which is decidedly the best
branch of the profession.
From 1852 to 1855 | served in Allie
ghany. Pa, where learned to read
anu write. Went then to Havana.
and received Il sentence or twenty
one years for Il red hot bank robbery;
was released after three months.
through the lntercesslon of the Amer
can consul.
I'm 1886 | WAS sentenced eight wears
to the Nashville. Tenn. state prison.
but | was "fush.' had some power.
full friends and goods LAWYERS. and
served only thirty days. In 1857 |
was sentenced four years to the Louis
lana state prison at Baton Rouge. but
the same influences which secured NY
release from Nashville were used with
like effect in Patton Ronge. and saw
the inside of the walls only two
months.
My next sentence was IN 1858. for
three years. III the Illinois state pris-
on ut Alton. was afterwards trans
ferred to Joliet. and ii took me seven
years to serve my sentence. | eScap-
ed four separate times. and was re-
captured each time. Nv partner.
George Chase, WAS hung at Joliet for
killing deputy warden Clarke. Clarke
was Il brutal fellow. and tyrannized
numerically over Chase. For some
tritling disobedience Clarke undertook
to whip him, and when he took / Cd
Of him TO lead him 10 the whipping
post he convict drew Il Slung-shot.
NHtSs, II ult iuluc OF Il stone dllN
some leather. and killed Clarke with
single blow. was released from
Joliet Feb. Is. 1865.
In May. 1865. made my escape
from the indianapolis Jail. where
had been locked up on charge of a
bank robbery, and the Indianapolis
city court is the only place where |
ever gave my true name.
In the fall of 1866 | was sentenced
for five years to the Wisconsin state
prison ut Wanpun. and for refusal to
work l was confined in cell four feet
by seven. with a bail and chain to my
foot. for four years. four months and
seventeen days. Was released March
4, 1871.
In 1874 l was sentenced at Terre
Haute to four years confinement
in the Indianapolis state prison at
Jeffersonvllle. but had the sentence
curtailed four months on account of
good behavior. Was released Oct.
80. 1877.
was arrested in 1872. on charge of
completely in the Meridian street
bank robbery. but no evidence was
offered which could hold me. l WAS