New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-11-03
WARD sHOvELLING ASHES
,,,S HANDS Bills TERED p" "i'

.4,z;s,tor to the Sing Sing Prison yesterday
= ,,.ssed through the two iron er"tlhss "nioh
h" ,a,ual sentinels at the gates OF 'ha1 huEo i' "
- - -, had then skirted the court yaru WIN ITO 90
h, =, green set OF at its centre WIN ho"eIS' u"u
pe'ns .rouce down the stone walk toward the hu"sou
~ad obruptly to his left, going Oh TIL nc eanie "
, h struc,urc had ontered that bnlidhs anu .no"
ap' echt of steps. he would have fouha hiihsei
oe,srhsated room where the puls"tions oi miEn'S
J" ~ shooh the walls and where peh'uP ioso '''oi
e Gus -, tremendous rush OF heat wheh their uooi -
h'a In front OF ono large boiler stoou
ePen a,,od With coal ashes Beside 1t stoopeo u'"
par"' ,orw with pale face. who grasped snow"
slender iou ,h. ashes under tho hugo boiler before
pnsneu ,to ,hovalful aud strengthening himself uc
mui, II, ,ood in the barrel All day long from 'N0
pos" no,r ill dinner time aud then with an inFi
We" h,s midday meal till evenihS' ho
va r ,an,v uncomplaningly, at Work. he
Seps oouyict's suit of gray. with us nroau, O'''A
W. ,son,o, stripes His name was Ferdinand "aru'
,se at $50 at the sound of the rising pch
lie n" washed himself taken his bucket IN
baa ,and and at c. Is r. M, when tho prison was
HIS o. tho day had fallen in as the ninth man from
op'" - in his stove gang oil 1orty-hVo @ "eu
' "a marched from his CELL NJ 80
NV" 800 achts OF stairs to the hfst hoor' thenoo III
,r,,h his left hand on the shoulder OIL 'e mn"
-. hun 10 the spot where the ouc"e's "io ~ P ~
pei0ie .mnd his tramp to the mess-room The man
Of
in ,v in the centre of the room. nearly hIied
se"s 49, 600 occupants HIS manner was
VIZ. .a and as unostentatious as tbat Oh any
s-s =, tho other L. 200 men, lie haa goo" "rPo,'"
~, ,a heen relieved of the presence Oh coh'io' Oh0
ssod tho first night In cell Win hih' anu n""
WV, Iii. 40 he ato heartily Of good beef hash nicely
I,a1 s'P, ,stb black coffee and the wholesome brown
S.sad for which the prison is famous At 7;2o Ward
Wv" p's ,ror, the table, fell In with his gang. ard
,So march that followed took him south, then
,oxard tho Hudson, then up three flights OF STAIRS
o. the ton floor Of the stove-mounting shop Hc was
odv 10 take his first lesson in filing castings But tnaV
as 10 he deferred until tomorrow because IL was lohu
that no bench had been provided for him Keeper script
ne. conferred with Principal Keeper Connaughton' ana
as determined 10 send Ward to the eugneroom to
,oval ashes He was assigned his post, took mp us
shovel and went to work bravely He kept on stcady
until the bell sounded at 1880. when he wasneu MS
hands fell into line the gong was struck he
noop marched to the mess-room, and partook
heartily Of pork, cabbage, potatoes ana coneo'
AZ 1910 the work-whistle sounded and few minutes
found Ward at work In front OF the hot fires lie had 10
,e,reot once in while and go up to the room above TO
..k ampora relief from sufocating temperature
Al a few minutes of p. m a TRIBUNE reporter was
seaed In the room OF Principal Keeper Connaugh'oh,
when subordinate informed the principal keeper tha
Ward had expressed desire to soc him. Mr. Cohhaush
,op sent for Ward who droppe his shovel and came 10
the Office lie entered the room, cap In hand ana recoH
nlzsd the visitor saying somewhat hesitatingy " How
are ron p Then he paused as IL be spoken to. His
oeenliar suDmissiveness was his most dis
tnct and striking characteristic. His salu-
,,,iop was returned by the reporter
who had frequently cOnycrsed with him IN Ludlow l
s,rcetsIaV Mr. Con nugitOn said there was no GuJrc
ton TO conversation aud so Ward was asked how lie
VERY wel,' was his quiet reply II an sure nave
Have yOn begun your work here yetr .
Do yon find It hard workF" , -
Ward hesitated and glanced ~ MI ConnaughtSn, VINO
always speak the truth The work Is not hard Tor one
nsed 10 manual work He will get used to IL aiter HI
Tasn Ward said We'll. do find it pretty hard work.
You seo rn not used to this kind OF thinH
/" Have you done manual labor before L
You haven't Siistered your hands, hope" said his
%Wel, have, though" ward replied smiling iaiutly
orIhe rst time He extended ms let hsha ana
lie added that he had found the heat pretty strong
breathing spell "I don't know hcw Iong 1 can stand
this" he said houghtfully " but am going TO DO my
bes. am here and shall do everything am tod 10
DO yeu ieel the result of the days work much ="
Yes aO was the 'nnE t reply so nmG %I work amd
feel played out" few words followed aud tnen win
nanghtCn He wanted to principal Keeper to ask
Tie privilege OF writing letter 10 hls we lhls Was
"gool-by' to his caller ne passed through the door
Ward" said a convict clerk who occupied desk IN
On adjoining room, has already won the good VII! or
every han with whom he has come IN contact tc ~ 80
gentlemanly and delicate, su bmSslYe anu Wiling
thai there isn't man here who will not lend MN
helping hand At this rate the hardest criminals
here will take to him In few days.
He is not at all 'stuck-up' as some
keepers have said he makes himself one OF us and
has the good will OF us ALL
Mr. ConnaughtOn cOrroboTated this statement ana
added Ward might stay here twenty-five years and
ho would have the least trouble. His conduct -
model He sleeps well, eats well, does MS
work well aud plcases oyerybOdy. lie will have
work tomorrow IL Is election day. lie
will begin bis work at Ming stove castings Wcdnes
day The room up there cool and airy and the work
will not be heavy He will me treated well and II tln
work proves too heavy him he will have other tasks
assigned 10 him according 10 his strength lie will from
this time forward have ihs cell entirely to himself lie
has books ia his cell and can read until o'clock.
At 500 the whistle announcing that the days WORK
over was sounded. Ward dropped his shovel ana
turned from the fires reached the open air washed his
sore hands, Tell into line and marched past the low
table In the open court with its load OF brown bread
helped himself to two large slices and then went on
WITH his gang cell No. 927. the fourth tier There
he found his cup coffee waiting for him. drank II ns
he his bread anl then settled down with his books
" read By hls Kerosene lamp until p. IN
Interviews alleged TO have been held with Ward since
he reached Sing Sing have been published ward said
yesterday: =" have not talkei to a newspaper man
except you since came here" Mr.. COnnaughtOn said
that this true No Is allowed 10 converse with
scOnvict 1t his cell door