Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1880-02-27
LANCASTER DAILY INTELGENCER FRIDAY FEBRUARY a.
A FAMILY OF BUzzARDs IN JAIL.

AFAMILY OF BUzzARDs IN JAIL.
An Eagle Scribe Among the Inmates OF
Lancaster's Prison-The Somewhat
Notorious Welsh Mountaineers.
Reading Eagle.
Lancaster's Jail stands at the eastern end !
Of King street, near the reservoir, and just
beyond it is the almshouse. The prisons
gray stone tower reminds one somewhat of
the Berks county prison, but in many
| respects it has different appearance. The
outer gate is a huge CRATE of iron extehd-
| ing clear across the entrance, wide enough
| visible to the outer world are the
| vestibule, with desk and prison
register, and the doors opening into
various departments. When admitted, the
visitor passes to the right, by the
door of the Office, turns to the left. and
after passing through rather confusing
array of doors finds himself in the long
corridor, with a double row of cells
each side, an iron gallery along the doors
of the upper row, and large window high
up at the farther end, while dim light is
admitted by round ventilators above. The
atmosphere was rather warm, and the
outer wooden doors of some of the cells
were ajar, allowing an occasional glimpse
of convict, in light gray suit with black
stripes, peering out for a moment. No
tices conspicuously displayed warned the
visitor not to open any of the doors nor
speak to the prisoners.
The prison officials received me cour-
teOusly. Within these walls are the nOtO-
riOus family of Buzzards. the buccaneers of
the Welsh mountains. Joseph and Isaac
charged with horse stealing, and SEN
fenced to IS months, which will expire
next April Jacob, five years for burglary,
which will expire next year; Abraham,
who escaped and was recaptured, and is
serving the balance of his term of four
years for burglary-his time expiring next
June-and Martin and John, who are now
fir e, having served nine months each for
robbing a mill. They were day laborers
Their father is dead, but their mother is
living, and some of them have families.
They are middle sized men, none of them
apparently over forty years of age, with
ments of the Welsh mountainecrs, who
have the spring and alertness of the pan
ther in his native wilds.
Isaac BuZZard came to the barred door
of his cell as the outer DOR was swung
open, and was introduced TO the Eagle re-
porter. No beetle -browed, fierce looking
brigand met the reporters glance, but a
young, gOOd-lOOking man of % years. ac-
, tive and graceful, with frank, fearless eyes,
gOOd-natured smile and ready and witty
. speech. He is cigar maker, and has also
learned the trade of carpet weaving in the
, prison. When questioned he said he got
e out with some of the boys and took a
, horse and wagon to get a ride. He ad-
mittcd that he had been wild, but said
he intended to lead a new life and
ng hi f1,-n f,nl l,c
: He had only five weeks to serve,
: and his face lighted up with joy at
Y the reporters statement that work was
6 plenty. He said he hoped to visit Read
ing, where he had some relatives. His
= white teeth showed as he laughed and
IS chatted and keeper Smith stated that
l., "the Buzzard brothers" were amongst
J. the very best behaved prisoners in the Jail.
, He said the five weeks he had yet to re-
=, main would drag very slowly, but they
Il would end at last, and he responded pleas
S antly to the reporters ''good-bye - us the
v door swung shut and he was left in his
% stone coffin, with its plain bed, it's well
worn loom with its partially completed
web of carpet, and the strips of yarn
hanging from the walls.
+, Abraham BuzZard. who has still foul
l. months to serve of two years sentence,
y, some distance from that of his brother
when he was introduced. He is an Older
II and rather heavier man than Isaac, and
le wears a heavy black mustache. His face
k is grave but kindly, and Keeper Smith
stated that Abraham Buzzard was q
:, changed man since his return to the jail
- His conduct has been so uniformly good
l. that he is allowed to work in the cook
t. house in the basement, and he greatly en-
d joys this relief from the tedions monotony
y, of his cell. He spoke courteously, and
~ heartily returned his visitors grasp OF
l. the hand as he attested to the trutl
:, Of Mr.. Smiths remark that he was {;
ID changed man. He said he intended
, to go to work and remain out o
prison the rest of his life. When asked
y affected and replied that he had wife anC
S four children and after few encouraging
is words, to which he answered that foul
n months was long, very long, but he would
70 try to bear it, he entered his cell
y the door of which was left open
III and in few moments he was
" seen carrying scuttlesful of Goa
~ along the corridor. Keeper Smith saiG
s Abraham was truly reformed man. Once
y, he was desperate, prOfane and dangerous
. totally unfit to be trusted. His family oc
ILL caSlOnally visit him, and some months after
j. his escape and recapture his wife entered
al the prison and came to the hole in hi
ri grated door with his two infant children
= twins-whom he had never before seen. a:
u she held the little innocents up before him
le one in each arm, the strong man weakened
and broke down, and that night Abra
ham Buzzard the desperate so lone
Is known and feared by all who knew him
o knelt in prayer and wept bitterly beside
:, his little brown blanketed bed in his prison
u cell, and from that night he was a changed
" man. The joy of his faithful wife may b'
al imagined, and the astonishment of hi
a keepers was as great as was their satisfac
II tion when they found that his repentance
y" was sincere. Months have passed since
l. then, and Abraham Buzzard is no longe
h feared, but is trusted and kindly treated b,
=. all in authority over him. Truly, ga littl
w child shall lead them ~ More in my next
of Disastrous Fires.
n The residence of Mr.. J. Hartshorn
Hyde, the handsomest villa in Egypt, N
" j., was destroyed by fire on Wednesday
i'm T occ eOn OnO