Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-03-05
COWLEY Gagged.

COWLEY Gagged.
The Rev. Rascal Initiated Into Prison Life
at Btack,Uetps Island.
N. Y. Special, March 2.
The Rev. Edward Cowley breakfasted in
the city prison yesterday for the last time.
At 9:45 o'clock Under Sheriff Stevens, &C.
companied by Deputy E. V. Smith, of the
order of arrest department, entered the pris-
on. Mr.. Stevens walked over to Cowleys
cell, and, tapping on the bars, exhibited
commitment to take the prisoner to the pen
itentiary. He told him he must prepare to
60 at once. The prisoners jaw dropped and
his face turned to sickly pallor. Then he
gave sigh and seated himself on the edge
of his bed. ''This is hard" be said, buryinp
his face in his hands, every hard. Does my
counsel know of it?" he added, look
ing up sharply. The deputy an
swered that he did, and Mr.. Cow
ley in few minutes was ready to accom-
pany the officers. The voyage to Blackwelps
island was made in the department ferry
boat, the Minnehonck, the commander of
which had known Cowley when he was
preaching on the island. Capt. Steele recog-
nized the ex-chaplain at once, and shook
hands with him. Arrived at the penitentiary,
the party adjourned to the inner Office, where
the prisoner was introduced to Warden Fox,
who, in response to his earnest prayer, al
lowed him to wait three-quarters of an hour
in expectation of stay of proceedings.
At 1890 O'Clock the ex-Shepherd gave up
his hopes OF stay, and resigned himself to
the hands of the prison barber. His glossy
long gray beard and whiskers, which have
been his pride during the twenty-five years
of his ministry, were cut off short, and his
chin shaved and trimmed till it was smooth
as Dutch cheese. He was stripped of his
clothing, placed in one of the three bath
tubs ranged along the wall, and the water
turned on till the rooms were filed with
cloud of steam. After refreshing bath he
dressed himself, and put on a clean shirt
and striped trousers. The following entry
was finally made in the prison book:
COMMITTED Feb. 20; received March Q;
Cowley, Edward; so: one year, $3.50 fine, or,
$50 days: feet q inches; 1877 pounds; crime
cruelty to q child; hair gray, eyes grey, dark
complexioned; England; forty years in
United States; married, educated, Protestant
| minister"
| After the ceremony had been gotten
through with Mr.. Cowley was given striped
coat of the same pattern with his trousers,
a cloth cap, also striped, and rough leather
shoes of the kind made in prison. The clothes
in which ne arrived were packed neatly in q
boz, which was labelled with his name and
number, and will be given to him when he
goes out. Mr.. Cowley was introduced to the
foreman of the shoeshop, who consigned
him to the care of an instructor,
who in turn set him to work cutting
out leather for the soles of the shoes.
He was given bench in the front row near
the middle windows, under the eyes of the
keeper. Before going Mr.. Ambrose enjoined
the keeper to mark for punishment any pris-
oner who insulted or tainted the newcomer
in any manner. After the officer had left,
Mr.. Cowley found some difficulty in cutting
the soles, and was accordingly provided with
punch and instructed to punch holes in the
leather. 1t was strange sight, the bare
headed, pallid faced man bearing down pa
tiently and resignedly to his unaccustomed
task, handling his tools with the clumsiness
of beginner, and yet working away with q
determination to do the best he could, and
give his keepers as little cause of complaint
as possible. At $50 O'Clock the men quit
work, and marched in lock-step to dinner.
l NIL. NoWIoy Cdluo tue laSG Out IOur IN
the shoe division, and found great difficulty
in keeping step with his fellows. At times
he would almost fall out of the line, and there
was always more or less space between him
and the man ahead of him. He ate sparing-
ly of the mush and molasses set before MIN,
and seemed glad when supper was over, and
he could seek the seclusion of his cell. A
considerable number were prisoners during
Cowley's chaplaincy in 1871, when he order
ed prisoners into the dark cell for coughing
during service. The cause of his dismissal
at that time was his refusal to go into the
smallpox hospital to administer spiritual
consolation to sick patients. Next Sunday
he will sit under the pulpit from which he
preached to the prisoners nine years ago.
He is the first regularly-ordaIned Clergyman
that ever served term on the island.