The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1885-08-07


convicted.
Many persons doubted the justice of his
sentence. 1t was certainly uncommon for
any Lowmoor prisoner to be perpetually
informing the .warders, chaplain, doctor and
Governor-as Number 457 did-that he
was entirely innocent. The officials treated
his assertions with Indifference. What did
it matter to them p? They very Justly felt
that they wcrc not court Of criminal ap-
peal. What seemed to cxaspcrate Stephens
more than anything else was the idea tha,
such mean offense as robbing an cmplcy yer,
could be laid to his charge.
But by far the most remarkable thing
about the man, at all events from tho point
OF view of the inmates Of Her Majesty's
convict establishment, was the resemblance
he bore to the prison doctor. At the time
of which l write, many years ago, Dr.
Brand occupied this position. He was
man who does not appear to have been liked
among the prisoners, although he was pop
ular with the wardcrs and high officials He
had clear-cut, forid face, stood about five
feet nine inches high, and was of an ath-
lotic figure.
In oil respects Stephens was his living
image, his almost exact counterpart, except
that he was about an inch taller. The
likeness between the two men was almost
ridiculous. 1t served as common subject
OF conversation in place where there were
few topics of interest, where life was an
unvaryiug routine, and where Nature, for
quite half the year, presented an aspect Of
gloom and noun famous bleakness not to be
surpassed in any part of the Kingdom
1t was perhaps natural that DR.. Brand
should not altogether appreciate his resem-
blance to convict. Surly as his manner
was to all the prisoners, to Stephens ho was
very brutal. The latter knew the cause,
and he hated the doctor for despising him.
But he did not hate him moro than he
hated most Of the prison warders not half
as much as he dstested the Governor, who
seemed-so ho thought-to take great de.
light in tormentipg him.
There is no place in the world, where, if
person in authority wishes to exercise a
petty spite, he can do it with greater effect
than in convict Jail.
Captain X, the Governor at that
date, was neither good man, nor q good
natured one. He mcdjled great deal
with prison duties which ought to have
been left to the warders, and tho latter, in
consequence, did not like him. He was a
martinez and man who was culpably iu-
dulgent to persons who had gained his ia
vor. The best road to this end was the
adoption Of cringing manner and passive
acquiesccnce in the wisdom and power OF
the Governor.
At q very early period Of Stephens cap.
tivity, soon after his transfcrence from a
London Jail, he had reason to regard Cap
tain Y with feelings Of strong aversion
There was, in fact, a mutual repulsion be.
tween the two men, which is dangerous
srate or tniugs whoro- one is- absolutely at
the mercy of the other.
In the wild, powerful nature of the pris-
oner, Captain x recognized spirit
which would never bow before him, which
he would have to break, as he could not
bend it.
He had theory of his own as to the
best way Of tanning uuruly subjects. His
formula was this
If they're strong, brawny fellows, who
ought to be ont working on the fields, puI
them to stitching in the tailor's shop, and
oice Ucrsa; theres nothing makes them 81
mad as that.
No doubt he was perfectly right. "A ftel
fortnight Of being coopod up in stuffy
room with fifty or sixty other oonvicts, oil
t,iloring, Stephens powerful frame craved
for exercise. The Governor saw it, and
was delighted. Stephens asked him to bt
allowed out-of-doo. work. The only repl,
Captain x gave, was
Don't dictate to mo You'll get doubl,
hours tomorrow in the shop for Jour inso
lcnce =
Stephens ground his teeth together, bu
said nothing, A week moro of this discip
iine made him really i'll. The doctor ply.