The New York herald., 1879-08-25
PADDLE AND CELL.
An Experience of Twelve Years in
Sing Sing Prison.
TREATMENT OF CONvICTS.
Punishment Inflicted for Defec-
tive Work in the Shop.

The man who saved the life of Horace Greeley on
the 18th Of July 1863 was released Saturday from
the State Prison at Sing Sing Mr. Greeley had taken
refuge in tho basement OF Windust's eating house.
in Ann street. the mob had learned Of his where
abouts. and were bearing down upon the place when
James Dolan to the door OF the restaurant and
rescued him. Three armed policemen in the cab.
and soon Mr.. Greeley entered it Dolan lashed
his horses and conveyed the party in safety to
Twenty first street and Lexington avenue. Dolan
subsequently arrested for highway robbery, in
conjunction with another man. and sentenced to
State Prison for twenty years He has erved twelve
years and six months. and leaving the custody of
Warden Davis yesterday morning, he was Joined by
o reporter of the HERALD. to whom he told the fol-
lowing story OF his hfe:-
81 cams to America at the same time Barney
Reilly, the present Sheriff. and knew Dick Dalton
and the whole Of them. drove cabs for Kimball. OF
the Astor House, and worked steadily in New York
for seventeen years. During that time man
could point to a stain my character. and my wife
and children were the only things cared for The
man who the of my trouble I be-
acquainted with in the way of busi-
ness We worked together in the same place. He
was very handy about horses-could do almost any
thing with them. He could get work out
of em and injure them less than any I ever
with friend Of his in q stable in Sixth street.
opposite Tompkins Market. There was o bedroom
over the stable. aud the friend who had gone to
housekeeping lent him the room. In return for
this he helped him about the horses in
the stable I heard of job that would
suit him in stable in Irving place. Seventeenth
street. and on Sunday evening. the 7th OF April
1867. went to the one in Sixth street to tell him
about 1t. had been over to Greenwood during the
day. and as passed into the stable that evening
noticed man on the sidewalk in his shirt sleeves
thought it strange at the time to man in the
street without his coat as the weather was yet COOL
but, on reflection. supposed he came out Of some
saloon in the neighborhood, and with that
went into the stable. met my friend there. He
stairs tn the bedroom. We had not been there long
when policeman and several others broke in the
door, The man | had noticed without the coat
outside was with them and said he had
been robbed. His pocketbook was found
on my friend. 1t contained s11. and we
arrested. begged of him to explain
that 1 had nothing to 10 with it. and he promised
me he would, but he never did, he thought l had
powerful friends and could get plenty of money and
that he would get with me- he held tongue.
hadn't dollar IN the world, nor friend. Inside
OF week we were tried and sentenced. We got
aud soon went rapid transit up the river He
caped years ago. but served out twelve years
and half. the remainder Of the time being com.
muted
my great error was in giving wrong name. I
did that at the suggestion OF the policeman who
took me up. and it finally ruined me- My friends
could not recognize me and in those days you
couldn't get much done in the Tombs without
money. iwou!d have died the first year was in
TINT place. but that kept up with the hope of
getting out every day. wrote to Mr.. John Mutually
and other gentlemen relating the facts in my case
and the little circumstance about Mr. Greeley and
went on from day to day expecting something would
others whose attention sought had become too
busy with their own affairs. At all events they
neglected me. My wife went out to and. beng
q careful, hardworking woman, did well. She
brought up our two children. boy and gIri and
they . credit to her. With the blessing OF tho
Almighty I shall hold her in my arms,
free man again. to-day. I'm going straight to
her fast the trains will carry me- You have
had good deal in the paper lately about that place.
and you have found out some of the bad things
there; but you have not told tho half OF them l
was never punished myself. because took care to
fellows who get it, When / went there first they
had tho shower; but that abolished by
law. 1t was an awful torture. Poor chaps used to
come staggering. gasping. half choking and SEEM
ingly scarcely able breathe from it, The crucifx
was in vogue before that. 1t was q long bar OF ron
10 which the men were strapped and stretched until
they ielt il they would be torn apart. That was
abolished too but the paddle has como in its place
ana az, 1t is as bad as any OF them. l have seen
different. There were times when 1t easy,
and times when it too hard Money at one time
times as we'll as another. Not because had any
MEANS but because l knew enough to mind my
business and not put myself in the way of trouble.
in the bakohouse for quite while
and lived the lat OF the land, SO to speak
1t didn't do me much good, because or the constant
worry kept up on account OF my little family aud
the desire to get to them. They kept writing to
me and telling me to keep my courage up. did the
best could but for ali that my head almost as
The prison was built sixty years ago. and almost
all the cells in 1t are doubled up now.
HARDENED OFFENDERS.
''To be sure some of the men like to be two in
cell account OF the company; but II you have any
idea OF improvement In connection with such
places you'll sometimes find the man capable
oil better thinps oets twisted the other