The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1885-09-01
FAvoRs TO RICH PRISONERS

Banker Fish-Ketchum, the Broker-Ned
Stokes-Davidson, of the Tweed Ring
Gilman, the northumberland viii
Not be There.
The admission of Banker Fish here
this week brings to the mind of an old
prison official many other prominent
New Workers who have entered Sing
Sing and Auburn Prison during the
past twenty years and enjoyed special
privileges. There was ketchum, the
New York Wall street broker, who de-
frauded the street out of millions. He
was the prince of prisoners. He had
a separate table in the hospital, had
two poor cOnvicts to wait on him, and,
that he might have sufficient influ ence
in the estimation of the Inspector, he
bought up part of the shoe contract.
He had an office built for himself, re-
ceived his friends in a regal manner
and every holiday spent from one
thousand to fifteen hundred dollars for
the benefit of the poor unfortunates
who had not his wealth or depended
on the State to furnish them something
outside the usual gingerbread and
apples always supplied on these occas-
ions.
There was Stokes, who killed Fisk.
He was an aristocrat of the first water.
He dined in the hospital in company
with John Simmons. the wealthy policy
dealer, who killed a brother policy
player on Liberty street. They had a
separate table, had a colored convict to
wait on them, and every day the
grocery wagon from the village drove
into the ward, and their orders were
taken for even wine and cigars. Such
a thing as restraint where these men
were concerned was unknown.
There was Davidson, one of the
Tweed ring. He was transferred from
Sing Sing to Auburn. He was blood
of the first water. As soon as
he arrived In Auburn he was given
sumptuous quarters in the hospital,
had his own cook and waiter and lived
like Prince. He was very good to
the sick.
Gilman, the sanctimonious swindler.
who defrauded Christian associations
and mutual benefit associations TO the
tune of two or three hundred thousand
dollars, was Immediately transferred TO
Auburn Prison, was made a special
clerk of the Prison Association, with
an elegantly fitted up office, and diued,
at his own expense. in the hospital.
Fish, the banker, has a host of
friends, and will have absolutely moth
ing to do, provided he can pay his
way. Already he has been assigned a
bed in the hospital, a most elegantly
furnished floor in the upper part of the
center building. The moment Fish ar
rived he was treated like a guest in
stead of convict His own bed and
bedding were expressed to him: he had
everything he required for bodily COM
forts On hand, and the only thing he
will have to worry him will be his con-
fnement and disgrace. A train con-
ductor who was talking to Fish, and
who knew him many years, says Fish
said: They will never convict Ward.
They will be afraid to. He knows too
many secrets, and he is just one of
those fellows who, if driven to the
wall, will tell all he knows. Why.
while 1 was in Ludlow Street Jail he
had some of the most prominent men
visit him, politicians and others holding
local Offices. He is the smartest con-
fidence man in this country, but if ever
he comes where am / will kill him.
Il tell you, the conductor said, who
repeated this to to me, Fish has been
made a catspaw of, and Ward has been
instrumental In getting him out of the
way. "-Phitddelphia Meas.