The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1886-08-12
IMPRISONMENT FOR DEBT.
The system That Has Prevailed In
New York and the New Law.

IMPRISONMENT FOR DEBT.
The system That Has Prevailed in
New York and the New Law.
To Missourian. writes New York
correspondent Of The ST. Lostis RepubH-
can, the fact that q system of imprison-
ment for debt exists in this, the Empire
state of the union, seems very strange,
and that the law recently passed and
endorsed by Gov. Hill, which limits the
term for Imprisonment for debt to six
months, should have encountered any
opposition seems stranger still. Even
the new law is at best but q relic of bar
barism. For years Ludlow street Jail
has been the enforced residence of
many a poor unfortunate, who. being
unable to satisfy the demands of his
creditors, must remain in durance vile
during their pleasure, there being be-
fore the passage of the new law no linn
it to the time of Imprisonment. The
debtor in consequence was worse off
than the criminal, for the latter was
imprisoned for fixed term, and at the
end of that term he could hope to be
released. while the only hope for the
latter was the assistance of friends, if
he had any, which was not always, or
the leniency of his creditors. That the
latter class, which Lamb calls the ode
graded race" in contradistinction to
the borrowers, whom he calls the
"great race is not always lenient
and that there are people unfortunate
enough to be friendless, or if not entire
ly friendless. without friends who are
able to assist them. is evidenced in the
cases of quite number of the inmates
of Ludlow street Jail. Most conspicu-
GUS among these is A. X. Mcdonald.
who has been confined in the old prison
since March, 1880 His history is re-
markable one. He is Scotchman,
nearly 60 years old, and descendant of
one of the Oldest families in Scotland.
He is we'll educated and was formerly
very wealthy. Shortly after the war
he purchased claim against the gov
eminent for the value of large amount
of cotton, aggregating over ST. 900, 900,
which had been burned at New Orleans
by union troops during the war. He
employed an attorney to prosecute his
claim, who in turn retained other coun-
sci to assist him. The litigation was
carried on for many years, but he fin
ally obtained judgment for $500, 600,
which was only sufficient to pay the
fees of his attorney. Suit was then
brought against him by the assisting
counsel for their fees, and another APP
parently endless litigation was COM
menced. 1t eliminated over six years
ago, when. the suit having been trans
ferred from Washington to New York,
judgment was obtained against him for
something over $4,000. His money
was now entirely gone, and he was un-
able to give bail. He was accordingly
arrested and thrown into Ludlow street
Jail, where he has since remained. Not
content with keeping him in confne-
ment for over six years, his creditors
sternuouslY opposed his release, on the
grounds that the law was unconstitu-
tional (think of thatD and that the leg
islature had no right to pass an act
limiting or affecting i'll any way the
remedy they possessed for the collec-
ton of the debt, as if Mcdonald, in
prison and without friends. could raise
the money sooner than Mcdonald. a
as does the law itself, appears to ME a
musty. widowed, worm-eaten remnant
of feudalism. The Judge appeared to
think SO, too. for yesterday morning an
order was sent to the prison for the
| release of Mcdonald and several 9th
ers.
I strolled down to the famous old
prison yesterday morning to witness
| the release of the first batch of unfor-
Inmates. In the reception-room we're
the three prisoners who were to receive
| first the benefit of the new law. Nc
Donald was one of them. He is fine
| looking old man, and there is certain
| refinement in his features and bis man
ner that reveals his birth and education
as plainly as his language. His COM
| pleXion, from long confinement. had
become pallid. but now in the imme-
date prospect of being once more a
free man, his face was flushed and big
tears were in his eyes. Next to him
sat Terence Monet, dark little Cana
dian, WHO had been in the prison about
| eighteen months. His wife, very
pretty woman, and who during his con-
linement had managed to exc out a
bare living by keeping a cigar store.
was with him. 1t was pleasant to see
how happy they were, and how they
would talk and laugh and cry alter
nately. The other prisoner was a
Frenchmen named Jules Chatillon.
He had paid over $4,000 on his debts,
and less than 5000 more would have
cleared him, but then misfortune came
and he was slow in paying the balance.
Then TO hurry the payment he was
imprisoned, leaving his wife to depend
upon charity for subsistence for herself
and child; but not long for the latter,
for it died shortly after the arrest Of its
father. When the order for their re-
lease was received by the keeper and
they were told that they were at liberty
they shook hands and said good-by to
all their fellow prisoners, most OF
whom were also expecting release in a
few days; then they passed out into the
open air, took last look at the gloomy
building that had so long been their
home and quietly went their respective
\ ways, the young Canadian and his wife
going off arm in arm and very close to-
gether.
The life of the debtor confined in
Ludlow street jail is not without its
comforts. The cells are clean and COM
Portable, and the food, it is said, al
though plain, could hardly be rivaled
in fashionable restaurant for excel
lence and variety. A good story is
told of mau who was confined there
for nearly year. and then they had to
drive him out before he would 60. He
was imprisoned on a judgment for q
small amount, and his creditors offered
several times to release him if he would
pay the fees, but be would indignantly
decline to pay cent He was enjoy
ing himself hugely. He would order
his meals with kingly air, demand the
keeper to bring his meals to him in his
cell, and when his wife came to see
him he would send her word that he
was not equal to the task of going
down stairs, and he consequently could
not see her. Finally the creditors were
made awre of the fact that nothing
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