The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1885-02-10
A CONVICTS STORY
he Tells the Details of the Late
Attempt TO Burn the Pen
itontiary.

spare tuilt, rather intelligent LOGGING
young mar, whose gsrb, gait and genera
appesrance bespoke him at once TO those al
all acquainted with such cha: ac,ers. a re.
emily released peniten,iaIy convict
Thinking ii possible IN il m If news IS to
the little world within the gloomy wall oil
the state prison might be obtained, al
BAzOoITE approached bin in his blandes
manner and found him quite willing 10
| talk.
You are from Jefferson City, are you
nOi?" said the scribe.
"Yes sir" was the reply.
slave YOU any objections to stating
what you we're sent up fOi?"
"None in The world, sir. was sent up
fCr forgery from Carrollton, Missouri, Just
four md hall years sgO to-day"
"Were you guilty?'
ayes, sir, there is not the least doub.
about thai pleaded guilty and got a
fve-year sentence, which the Judge told me
was the lowest penalty sfixed by lew"
"What was the amount OF your forgery ?"
"Fif;een dollars"
well, that was rather a severe penalty
for SO small an amount"
Yes, sir. / have often heard it said it
was just as sell to De hung for a sheep as
lamb, and have frequently thought / SUI
Tered for lamb, bur | suppose ] deserved
it,
"Wha: is your nsme?'
"Wm. Sharp; but lcok here, you have
not told me who you were, but / suspect,
from your manner, you are q newspaper
reporter"
That is my business" replied the scribe.
well, said Sharp, lit makes no differ
erence. suppose l can tell you what you
want 10 know without putting you TO the
trouble OF QUESTIONING me. What / have
told you is true in every particular and
TWILL TELL YOU TIE TRUTH
as 10 the balance. / was born
and raised in Carrollion, Missouri,
and my people reside there, yet
my father wss killed in the confederate
service in 1864. ! am now twenty-five
years old lacking few months. Four
y ears and a half Ego / was keeping very
bad company, having grown very reckless
In spite Of my relatives, good advice and
cul minated my career by forging a draft
Tor SIS, which passed upon a prominent
firm of that place. i had two companions
who were equally implicated with myself |
and who received IS each of the proceeds |
Of the crime. They escaped punishment |
and was sent up. That is the whole story |
in 8 nut she'll"
III suppose. said the scribe, your hard |
experience has laugh: you lesson, and !
when you get home you will Try to make |!
man Of yourself"
"As to the lesson, yes. have had lots of |
experience, hat as to what / will do In the |
future have no promises to N ke. I have |
found out that those who were lOudest |
In declaring they would not come back |
TO the pen were the soonest TO come bIck. |
| do aot know from one dav TO another |
what will do, but this know, want 10
DO right"
"How wss you treated in the PRISON."
"a, well as / deserved, generally, l sup
pose. was never whipped but once, and
| was kept four months oysr my time. Out
side OF Capi.--I was treated we'll,
but be seemed 10 have a spite against me,
for what do not know. unless il was for
whipping a Dutchmsn one day who in
suited me-. From that day on - -
etm,i 10 bear . grudge against me and
made IL as unple asant as possible for me.
"What do the boys inside think about
the change OF sardens?'
swell. they care very little shout il
since they have fourd out, or believe they
have f und out, that no changes are 10 be
made in the other officials. But they
would be iub.lsnt il they knew several Of
he present officials, whom they regard "a
very hard on them, would = removed"
"Who are they?' asked the scribe.
"Well, ! can tell you, but I'll bet you
will not publish them. Trey are -"
~ H. a of 4
eytral officials CONNECTED with the prison,
,ut IN order tina. he may not h TX lie
judged wrongly they are no; gwen.
by the way" said Sharp, did you ever
rear The true story OF
THE FIRING or THE PRISON
" johnson, and the plot tor gene raj de
very? | never saw a true sta!emen.
published YET"
81 do moi know how trce the statements
we're. We have bad the Ststsmen.s of TIE
.f6cials So far as their knowledge vent, but
40 not know if the prisoners side hiss
yer been toll"
well, will tell i. to you. Johnson,
rho by The way Is still in solitary c1utine-
n-n:, and wss Yesterday out Tor walk for
xarcise in the ysrdS, closely guarded and
4
hst ever lived. guess he and a fel-
o~ named - - give the officials
more trouble and are more reckless than
nv one else in the prison. Johnson, as |
aid, was
THE LEADER
n getting up the plot, aad Re WIS ably as
is'c7 by others. 1 think there were ten or
vol "a who acted M leaders in the thing 1.
"a, the day of the firing OF the pen nearly
very Ean al work in the shops who could
,e trusted was aware il was going TO be
lone, and prepared to make break TOR lib
.rty ii the Plan succeeded. / worked in
hoe SHOP No. ], next the door, and could
zee the whole thing, and suppose should
nave BEEN among those who would have es-
a ped, had the thing PANIED out. Johnson
sss the leader, aud took upon himself all
he dangerous work, and, however he may
L y