The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-12-23


m nth m here sas ~ n sec Of e ssss 9ns
from home NJ father accused my mother her death
mother las sGaeient influence over me BY Keeping my
CHARLES FISHER
LETTERS FROM HOME
This document well the letters which the boy
had received were corroborated by the investigation
made by Judge Otterbourg. Indeed 1t WAS learned
that Fisher conduct had been good in state Prison
after his mother letter him that his
had been committed to two years instead OF two and
half. The young man sent tor to call upon tho
magistrate, by whom he was received the other day
in his private room.
Read those letters for me-" said the Judge, hand
ing him his mother and fathers letters.
Fisher took them up and with tremulous voice
read III beautiful German what is here translated
NY DEAR Soy letter with the Of your canvic
en 70 state Prison has PANIED ned me very mash fe Il
and well cannot describe 70 you, darling boy. how
Es written . me during fifteen moSt You sayin
courage dear man WHO loves his mother stil no matter
how low he has fallen deeply he has inned lost
tinsis q your nature aud lead honest upright life
father is 10 send yon money q come home Try 10 rene-
Der that you come from good and respectable family
Later she wrote to him the still in prison):
Ny BELOVED Bowl am too feeble to write you long
letter Ny strength i failing every day They say
recover YET bat feel that rests with God alone Ny only
him to my heart oh my child my darling child have
loved You AID you Shall ' have NY fullest blessing and
arSiyensss dse before yGa come home beg YOU
able My boy have made your father promise me-
home and have yoa taught trade Oh, soni my best
upright again adure you not TO disgrace your mother
when she is in her grave Hear mel
Love them u return When am deId have "a, ordered ea
We mus all die, and when am dead pray may be
eIed aG tn1 nn me~ enaS S and
you YOUR LOVING MOTHER.
lrRrL Is, 1877
HIS PROMISE TO HIS MOTHER.
To this letter Charles sent back answer in which
he solemnly promised never to steal again while he
lived Then the 18th of May. just before she died.
she wrote him another letter. which is thus trans
lated
My DEARLY BELOVED child win not live long now
free shall be no more Therefore want 20 lay before
reasureup in your heart through the extravaganza Of
yer m s h %
osr c ia s hf s sns When
death my misery when you regain your
a write e aer h for 70 i he
will give him sum of money which have saved for yon
and you, that you need not rely upon your
have aa' ever from or s ea soa from '
would not desert Or forget my errng boy Oh my darlingt
most soIennly command and bcseech you hero on my
Your sake do for your When Your
come honest with courage and perseverance, If
S Go mot nd s The am sp '
e redeem your good name On there time yet e do 80
gin life Be- honest! Try recall VIA, learned
much q them as you can and be brave. 49,,
& s%a up to- s'nS
Have you always enough money TO pay postage TO your
ter siaddensd my heart only wished that il longer
ama 10 Be- one are whole nights about yoa last
night dreamed that you being punished and woke
your '""'"e'' '-''' '''' YOUR LOVING MOTHER
MAY l., 1877
Once more the captive boy wrote from his prison
the Hudson to that dying mother his solemn
pledge that never. never so long as he lived would
he steal again. The letter may may not have
reached her. His first promise she rcceived-this
she did not hence in his eyes it than sacred.
Shortly after this second letter despatched Fisher
received letter from his father telling linn that his
mother was dead and that he had been her only sor-
and solicitude during her last illness. Further
down in this same accommodation the father cast him
os.and upbraded him for his folly. Not word OF
in his>loneness and bereavement. Subsequent let
tiers FROM the youths brother and sister told him
that his sather was not going to take him home or
fulil the rxomse made to the dying woman.
LEADING TO CRIME.
The trials and difficulties of him who would reform
were related yesterday by the prisoner to the HERALD
reporter, Judge Otterbourg and number OF other
gentlemen v no artAdecply interested in his fate.
"Thcre are many Shings. gentlemen. said the stall
wart YOUNG fellow to the assemblage. mot mentioned
in my bricf account OF my guilty career which may
tell you After naa pyen 70 nnd s OF
ance Of persons, some OF whom have met in every
thieves den aud prison in which have been since.
There was no escape for a weak-minded boy from
life of villany. Theve is no use in talking about
it, Not a boy goes to the House Of Refuge who
does not not come out worse than he went in. The
discipline is wrong Not man, from superintendent
down. can punish refractory inmate without snow.
ing temper. 1t is him, not the law OF right thah
delinquent feels he has offended for which there's
fore he punished. This doesn't help the Ignorant
Every one that goes the Refuge had not the same
advantages of education that had left the place
finally with Mr. Nufer, who had received $3.50 for
me from my folks home. and told the superintend
mt tlnfh i
leased. went forth with him and was placed IN
paper factory at So week wages'and left to myself
Work only lasted ten days and was idle sought
out my former companions and frequented the old
haunts in the Bowery and Chatham street Joined
the gang, over which one man ruled Ike KING. no
does now. too
what's his manner" asked one of the gentlemen.
IL won't tell that. will not betray my compan-
ions OF former days They my comrades. but
aui not one OF them still you must not expect
me to be so base trairorousy betray them now
This, like the rest OF his remarks was SAID IN excei-
lent English. but with characteristic hrmness
-Never mind that said Judge Otterbourg, tell
the remainder of your story
.ayveIi sir went to Sing Sing. as you know. in
1876. and worked in the hat shop. MY mothers let.
released on the 1lth OF October last.
MONTHS or TRIAL.
From that day to this have suffered what few
men could bear Yes I'll tell you told the Judge.
have often been sorry during that time that ever
made that promise to my mother; not because
could get no work do. tried day and night to get
something: matter how hard it might be, to work
at: but faSe and everything were against me- and
nothing was left me but the prison. My old COM
panions-nshy OF whom had known III prison
came to me and offered to let in
with them In jobs. but / refused, because
my mother willed 10 And she is dead
They asked what the matter. They
had known me in other times Charlie the Stick
because am SO tall. who would never weaken at
any thing; but here / man completely Conc
back on my old ways. hadn't the moral courage TO
tell them that trying to be honest because had
promised my dead mother would do Therefore
II tolu them that broken up. My courage had
a,iven out and too cowardy now to undertake.
any such work they engaged in They SYM
pathizcd with me. although they could not under
Wand me, and offered mo place as bartender in >
,tn frequented by them in Chatham street de-
cHncd."
..whcrc did you look for work.
10 TIE PRISON ASSOCIATION.
"a day or two before was discharged DIR. Harris.
OF the Prison Association, came to Sing Sing. as
usu1al see those about to be set free Among the
he souphf and m me and skcdm 1 wanted