Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-07-15
A MAYNARD SON.
A Prisoner in Jail the Son of an
English General.


From ne Eeo York Hsrald.
ROCHESTER,, n. Y, July 10.-Letters re-
ceiyed here from London. Eng, to-day by
Sheriff Hannah, OF Monroe county, throw
light on a strange case.
While talking with the prisoners in his
charge two months ago Sheriff Hannah
discovered that one OF them, an educated
man about 81 years of age, was suffering
from disordered mind, but that he had
clear spells, when be could family recol-
lect the past. He told piece by
piece how he bad been sent to
military school in London and how he
had been taken from there and sent to
Manitoba in 1885, but his mind was
blank as TO subsequent events. The Sher-
if found that his name was William
Henry Holding, and succeeded in getting
the address OF his mother and other Tela-
tives in London, to whom be communi-
Gated the young mans condition. PEND
ing the correspondence young Holding
was sent to the insane asylum. The three
letters received yesterday are from young
Holdings uncle, his mother, and his
fathers solicitor. The uncle, M. T. Hodd-
ing. OF London. states that the condition
of William is the result Of hIs own misbe-
hayior, and continues as follows:
THE RESULTS OF MISCONDUCT.
"The boys parents gave their son the
best education, with the intention
OF his passing into the British army.
They spared neither care nor money to fit
him for the duties OF an officer and gen.
tlemen. When he failed, time alter time,
TO pass the necessary qualifying eXamina-
tons his father provided him with an out
fit and sent him, first to Manitoba and
thence to Kansas, with the object of hav-
ing him taught useful and easy occupa-
ton whereby he might in after years
maintain himself. Bad behavior at both
of these places on the part of the boy led
TO his removal from Kirbys. | have rea-
son to believe he withdrew himself and
became the wanderer you describe him
to be. His father, worthy man,
always held the firm resolve that
his children should be brought up to
maintain themselves, and concluded that
If they, or any OF them, would not take
advantage of the money spent upon their
education and their opportunities to help
themselves, or behave as men well
brought up and associated in all their
earlier life with gentle surroundings,
they should be enlisted as soldiers in the
ranks and learn there the discipline that
years of care, with the free use of the
parental purse, have failed to teach them.
The parents have four other children, all
well brought up and promising, and one
her prodigal sons case will be whether
she can with justice to the other chill
dren suffer William to come among
them. l do not think it proOa-
bic that the mother will want to have
the boy horne. AS for placing him any
where, save under the strictest supervs-
ion and discipline, it is to my mind idle
to think OF it. The character the boy has
developed fear he will continue to choose,
although for the time he may feel deeply
the degradation to which he has sunk,
and if you remove the present shame and
disquiet to his mind | cannot but think
that he will start again as he commenced
on the day he landed on American soil.
/ should be glad to know if he could be
enlisted. If you will be good enough TO
reply to this, will you kindly tell me the
circumstances under which he came into
your custody and what you know OF his
antecedents during the period of his wan
derings."
The mothers letter is very pitiful. 1t
contains an advertisement she inserted
in the New York Herald year ago, when
she could not find any trace OF her boy,
and states that she had given him up for
dead. She pathetcally refers to his past,
promises forgiveness If he will return,
and adds that his father is now a General
engaged IN India.