Evening star., 1880-03-03
Notorious Prisoners in the District
Hail.

MEN CONNECTED WITH CRIMES WHICH STARTLED
THE COMMUNITY.
In the Jail of the District there are among the
prisoners some notorious ones, probably more
than have been together in that institution
since Tom Wright, Chas. Johnson and other
alleged murderers were confined in the old jail
corner OF 4th and G streets.
STONE THE WIFE MURDERER.
Among the prisoners in jail at present Is
victed some months since OF having killed his
wife in october, 1873 He was first sentenced
to be executed in December last but his case
having been appealed to the General Term, and
a decision not having been reached until late in
January, he was brought out again and SEN
fenced TO be hung on February 9th last. Presi-
dent Hayes, few days prior to the Iast-named
date, through the efforts OF Mr.. A. X. Browne and
Others, granted Stone respite to the 26th instant
Stone has all along been hopeful that his life
would be spared, and when the appeal was taken
to the Court in General Term he was quite con-
fident that he would obtain a new trial. His
principal defense was that his mind had been
impaired because of an accident he received
when boy, and the claim was made that he
was insane at the time of the commission of the
crime. During his long confinement in the iail
now over Is months, he has been one Of the
most quiet, orderly prisoners and, as is usual
with most Of the inmates OF the JAIL his health
has been very good. Since his last respite and
the excitement consequent upon the convection
or Bedford, Queenan and Pinn and the arrest OF
SmotherS he does not look so well, and is COM
planning now somewhat of bad health. 1t is
supposed that his sickness is caused, at least In
part. by the mental strain on him. He says
that should his sentence not be commuted that
he will not be afraid to face death, and trusting
n his Saviour, he will be able to walk on the
caffold. He was born in Maine, and In early
life attended Congregational services, but since
his incarceration he has been visited mostly by
Rev. VIM. Gibbons, cOlored Baptist minister
OF South Washington.
THE CONVICTED MURDERERs OF YOUNG HTRTH
The convicted murderers of young Hirth-
Bedford, Queenan and Pinn-on being returned
to the Jail after the verdict on Monday morn
ing were quite detected, and evidently in no
hunOr for singing, although the three have
fine voices; and 1t has been almost a daily habit
with them in going to and from the court to
cheer their spirits by vocal music.
Pfnn was the most affected and before leav-
ing the count house shed tears. He evidently
realizes his position more keenly than the
others. He reiterates his innocence, and says
that ne showed clean alibi; that he did not
see Bedford until the latter came to Mrs. Halls
and told him that four men had jumped on him.
and he thought that II was nothing more than
right that he should tell his employer, Mr. Sib-
ley. II he was hung he could not help it for he
was not there.
Bedford, who is confined on the same row OF
cells with Pinn, is looking more serious than
during the trial. Like Pinn, he claims to be in
nocent, but evidently does not like to speak of
the case.
EDWARD Queenan (who is confined on the floor
above, directly over the others,) is more talka-
tive than the other two, and says that he is not
guilty, and he knows that if they hang him for
any harm. Them White ladies (meaning those
where Sarah Turner worked told the truth, and
If they told the truth he could not have been
there, and that ought to have satisfied the jury.
They would find out after he was dead who
killed the man, but he would not say that RoXey
Ross Gid IL.
THE PRINCIPAL WITNESS IN THE HIRTH CASE
The witness, Benjamin +. Johnson, is kept in
a distant part OF the Ddildiqg and he appears
TO be rather restless because he has not yet
learned how long he is to be kept there. He
h n0n ho horl Ilp
paid for staying there, for it is SO lonely. When
asked how he passed his time, he pointed TO
couple OF old magazines and few newspapers,
say ing he had read them all through.
sMoTHERS, THE ALLEGED COLoRED RAyISHER
who was sent to Jail on Monday, is confined in
remote part OF the building. He is, as has
been been stated, state a man Of herculean frame, being
was, hung few years ago in the Jail
yard, corner of 4th and G streets,
Ior the murder Of the peddler, Rogerski, in
over 1870 or 200. He is probably the strongest
man in the jail, having been known when
wheel rolled off loaded cart to raise one side
of the vehicle up and hold it while the wheel
whip four men cOnSecutively. 1t is understood
that in the northeastern section OF the city,
where he has resided the past few years, he has
borne fair character when sober, but occa
sionally he would get drunk, and then he was
ugly in disposition. 1t is supposed that If he IS
indeed the guilty party in the late outrage case
He Is d1sfncl1ned to talk Of the case, and when
questioned as to his guilt or innocence simply
answers, THE courts will see to that" He
seems TO feel that he Is perfectly secure ana
apparently has no fear OF mob violence.
sMoTHERs' HAZARDOUS RIDE TO JAIL.
On Monday, when escorted by detachment
OF mounted police, Smothers was taken in the
van to the iail the horses in a run He was
followed some distance by small bodies of men
on loot. East OF the Capitol, however, parties
In vehicles Joined in the chase followed by a
great number OF pedestrians, and the race be-
tween the van and its escort and two carts con-
talking ten or twelve men each-one on each
vehicle holding the lines and two on each using
the whips-is described as scene rivaling John
Gilpins famous ride. The appearance of the
crowd around the jail on Monday night was un-
expected, but of course they could not get in.
Some OF the prisoners say that it gave them
something to think about, and Perkins, the al
legged HanScome bond robber, ironically said
that he put on his best clothes in anticipation of
the mob blowing off one end OF the building,
and even though his friends General Crocker
and his guardsD liked his company, he would
have walked out into free air just to see how it
felt: The arrangements at the Jail are such
oner out, except by destroying the building or
through the connivance of the guards, and even
then there would have to be more than one re-
creant to his trust.
NEARLY TWO HUNDRED PRISONERS.
There are at present confined here from $50 to
1870 prisoners-the daily average having fallen
on In the past few weeks, the largest number
IOT SOME time having D6eH 2UO on the 10th OF
last monthly OF these % are women. The
building is kept scrupulously clean, and many
OF the prisoners with the simple furniture in
their cells, take considerable pride in keeping
them tidy. Some Of them, by the aid of pic
lures from papers, have made their small rooms
quite attractive.
THE GAME OF "FIFTEENn IN JAIL.
On each floor OF the jail, on the landings Of
the stairs, there are tables, and the new game
Of 49, thereon affords much amusement to the
prisoners, who have liberty to exercise. Many
OF them have become fairly acquainted with the
difficulty, or impossiblity, of working out the
problem or 13, Is. IA, so as to get 13 H. Is on the
last row. Some of them, after two or three
hours spent in showing the little blocks around
being sure all the time OF "getting ii " finally
turn about disguised, with the emphatic etacu-
lation, D-n the thing" an expression which
is sometimes heard out of jail
DIVORCE CAsEs.-Yesterday Mcssrs. Cook (,
>'n TOR Nellie l. Young, filed petition for dl-
SSles nom her her .Ss aspa9sae 2aes here and her
She states lhat Sne IT,. ..nrrted
oand in Norfolk, Va; that they were Ill.,.
in Brooklyn, n. Y, February Is, 1871, and lived
together In that City until the following April
when they removed to Baltimore, Nd, where
they remained until the next month May and
then went to New York city. In the ensuing
month OF August defendant told the complain
ant that he was going to Norfolk, Va. where
his people resided, to go into business and un-
til he got established he would like her to re-
no nNf tl,Se 1tfrr