The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1885-08-27
New York's Debtors Prison
TIE SAD STORY OF AN UNFORTUNATE
DEBTOR INLUDLOW STREET JAIL.
From the New York Herald.

in the midst OF L great and enlight-
ened city like New York and the
suiierings Of the prisoners confined
there have attracted the attention of
| sympathiZers in the cause Of personal
liberty the whole country over. Sto-
ries arc told Of men spending years
of their lives in I hopeless struggle
against the rapacity Of their crcdi-
tors and the laws delays; Of their
coming into the prison strong, healthy
men and leaving it physical wrecks.
There is aprisoner in Ludlow street
jail to-day whose case, if fknown, would
excite general sympathy and indig-
nation. This poor creature, whose
apparent lack Of intelligence makes
it q matter of wonder that he could
ever have had wit enough to incur q
debt which would put him within the
sheriif's jurisdiction, can be seen
walking up and down the prison
yard. evidently brooding over his
wrongs and the GOODNESS ofan un-
feeling world. lie never speaks. nor
will the display Of sympathy by lin:
hearted persons elicit anything from
him but an inarticulare sound which
conveys no Ineligible meaning.
Whether it is that his wrongs have
brought this mental ruin upon the
prisoner. or whether it is attributable
to tempcramen:al exclusiveness. ag-
gravated by long confinement. it is
difficult to determine; whichever it be,
he is none the less an object Of
pity.
The poor fellow is as peculiar in
appearance rs he is in his actions.
lie is not 4 negro. but lie is as black
as one, and his clothing is Of the
same sable color. A more melan-
choly picture can hardly be imagined
than he presents on his morning
walks. He has no friends within the
Jail nor apparently without, for no
one ever calls upon him. His coun.
sel-whoever he is--never appears
and his case cannot be receiving the
attention it deserves. II fact, nt
one seems to know what his case is
He never talks about his affairs, and
seems to prefer that no one should
inquire into them. He has apparent
ly no money, and it is supposed that
his is one of those inexpressibly sad
instances where q living creature
has become stranded in this remorse-
less prison-as many poor fellow
is to-day-forgotten by his friends
and fighting his way to liberty, "nas-
sisted, penniless and alone.
One Of the saddest features of the
case is the manner in which he is
treated by his fellow-prisoners. One
would suppose he would receive on
" tile kindness his misforiunes en-
title him to, but this is, unfortunate
", not the case. He is, on the con-
trarv, the butt of the whole jail
worse remarks about him are made
in his presence which only the OBJ
tuseness Of his intellect can prevent
from leaving their sting. All kinds
of opprobrious names are applied te
him without occasioning the least
show Of resentment upon his part
and, in fact his utter helplessness
instead of being protection to him
seems to incite all the worst IN
stincts of the persons with whom hi
is thrown in contact.
It is currently reported that th'
prisoner has made several inehectua
attempts at escape by getting owe
the high wall in the rear of the prisol
ward, and the most cruel and un
necessary precautions have beer
taken to prevent their recurrence
> Persons whose general reputation 70
veracity entities them to credenc
say that after one or two of the fulfil
attempts at fight the poor fellow ha
actually been incarcerated in an irol
cage. and that at times he has beer
seen in the yard with some kind o
clog attached to one of his feet. In
credible as such cruelty woald seen
in this enlightened age, there are
persons who will vouch for the trutt
of the above statements. Severa
appeals have been made to tile pro
per authorities to have the rigor OF
his prison life relaxed, but with nc
apparent results. It is, indeed, 8
yerifcation of the old adage that
What is eyerybody's business is nc
ones
1t is hoped tuat when the attention
of a kind-hearted public is called to
the matter something may be done.
Otherwise hopeless insanity (symp'
toms of which are not wanting al
ready or death may bring the poor
prisoner his long delayed release
Nothing has been discovered of the
early life or antecedents of BLACK
} Johnnie as the prisoner is called
but it is generally understood thai
he comes from the country and be
longs to . class Of beings who infes
cornfelds and commit aggravatin: