The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1885-07-29
RICH MEN IN PRISON.
Convicts Rolling IN the Son Lap of
LUXURY

u RICH MN ~ ffkISON-
SConvicts Rolling IN the Son Lap OF
= Luxury.
To-day l ment an old official Of
Sthe State Prison here, who has also
sserved at sing Sing Prison, and he
said:
4 THE admission of banker Fish
shere last week brings to my mind
kthe many prominent New Workers
Swhom | have seen enter Sing Sing
Sand who were subsequently trans
sfer.ed to Auburn Prison during the
iipast twenty ye..ss. There was Ketch-
Gum, the New York Wall street brok-
Fer, who defrauded the street out OF
smilions. He was the prince OF
4prisoners. He had a separate table
9in the hospital, had two poor con-
5victs to wait on him, and that ne
Knight have sufficient influence in
stLe estimation OF the inspectors he
Sbought up a part of the shoe con-
9tract. He had an Office built for
shimself, received his friends IN a
sregai manner, and every holiday
fspent from $1,000 to 81 800 for the
sbene6t OF the poor unfo-tunates
swho had not MS wealth, or depend
sed on the State to furnish them
Ewith something outside the usual
gingerbread and apples always sup
<plied on these occasions 1t was no
8uncommon thing Tor him 20 be seen
jim the village Of Sing Sing playing
billiards in the evening.
I Then there was Stokes, who kill
ged Fisk, he was al aTistocrat OF the
Fhrst water. He dined in the hOspi-
5tal in company with John SIM
smons, The wealthy policy dealer,
swho killed a brother policy dealer
son Liberty street. They had a sep
3arate table. and eolored convict to
swait on them, and every day the
ygrOcery wagon from the village drove
Unto the yard, and their orders were
taken for even wine and cigars. Such
IA thing as constraint where these,
smen were concerned was unknown
Stokes paid the inspectors some
1.-TWO thousand dollars that he might
snave unusual privileges.
Il used to pity the poor fellows
;in their not cells on Sunday. pant
1ing for breath Of fresh air. while.
sthese two were enjoying the shade
sof q tree, with ice water and some
sthing stronger, in the Warden : gar-I
sden, but it was worth my position,
Sto say anything, as q word from
Stokes would surely secure our dis
smissal.
! "Then there was Beckwith. the
sgenteel forger who got into B. r.
4Babbltt's affections for nearly half a
smillion. He was tight-6sted and
sclose as a clam. but put out his
dmoney where It would do the most
sgood. He bought an interest In the
5iaundry and was made superintend-
Gent. We were all afraid Of him on
saccount OF his pull with the warden
Zone poor fellow. Tom Connaughton,
awbo had been there many years,
Said something to Beckwith one day
(which offended his dignity, and be
9reported him to the warden. Tom
sgot a month notice and quit. Beck
with got out of the way through,
Asome prison influence, and l am
stold he is now enjoying the fruits OF
5his swindling operations near Held
lberg, upon an estate that cost him
Ssome $4,000
"You remember young WalwOrth, i,
swho killed his father? He took
mis- imprisonment very hard, but
his faithful mother was ever near,
shim. He was transferred to Au-I
sburn, and then sent to the insaneI
Sasylum, which adjoins the State
aprison here, rom which he was
spardoned by the soft-hearted Gov
dernor Robinson, and | believe he is
5now settled down and married
8 "As q contrast to these let me-
7mention the case of poor Lawyer
3n.ak, who killed his wifes seducerI
sin Judge SOutherland's office, IN
New York. Although a man Of ed
sucation and refinement. because ne
twas without money or friends he
Twas sent to q cell, and Is now doing
*dirty work around the yard there.
I "There was Davidson, one of the
jTweed ring. He was a blood of the
First water. He was given sump-
stous quarters in the hospital, had
shis own cook and waiter, and lived
Hike a prince.
4 Fish, the banker, has a host of
Friends and will have absolutely
anothing to DO, providing he can pay
'shis way. Already he has been as
asigned bed in the hospital, a most
5elegantly fitted floor in the upper
lpart of the centre building