The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1886-04-14
AN OLD PRISONER;
The Sequel to a Story Published Few Days
Ag0-No Home But the Peniterssary..
New Albany Ledger

New Albany Ledger.l
A few days ago the story OF old mas Hicks
applying to the officers of the State Prison
South for quarters was published in the pa
pers around the Falls The following from
the Paoli News furnishes a sequel toSthe-
story:
One OF the strangest cases of a confirmed
criminal came into the Courthouse yesrer-
day that it mas ever been our misfortune to
see
One John Hicks, aged eighty years. born
nj Montgomery Courthouse, Montgomery
County. Virginia; tall, straight-built, sill
yer-beaded old man, erect ia bearing
stepped nimbly forward and took his seat on
the east side of the Judges stand. The
Courthouse was soon filed with eager spec
tatoTs. all anxious to see and hear what SO
gooa looking an old man could say for him
self on as grave a charge as has been re-
turned against him by the Grand Jury, viz,
grand larceny. He arose and to the Judge
made the following confession:
l lived near Montgomery Courthouse,
Va, where L was born, for about eleven
years, working on farm. / then came
with my brother to Centerville, Wayne
County, Indiana, and there learned the
blacksmith trade with man named Neel:
stayed in Centeryille about nine years; went
from CenteTville to Hamilton, o., and there
drove stage for John and Peter Voris;
came from Ohio to Salem, Washington
Messrs. Beard & Scott; drove from Salem to
Livonia. got tired of driving stage quit
and went to Orleans, Ind, and was return
ing to Livonia. and stopped to get dinner at
farmers house named Brown. While
waiting for my dinner to be prepared I was
sitting IN room alone near bureau,
and the top drawer was open some seven
or eight inches. l looked in and saw a
p0cketbook and got out of it 500. Was
tried and sent to the prison at Jacksonville
Ind, for three years When got out OF the
penitentiary went to Washington, Daviess
County, Indiana, and engaged in blacksmith
ing There L stole $500; can not remember
the mans name of whom got the money;
think it was Thomas, for which l was tried
and was sent up for seven years. / served
about six years OF my sentence and was
pardOned by Governor 10. Wright. When L
got out | went to Bedford, Ind. There [
worked at my trade until / was arrested for
an assault and battery with intent to commit
a rape. This crime was not guilty of. Dur
ing the tendency OF thiseharge Major Thorn
ton, who was my counsel in the case had
me sent to Paoli for safe-keeping, and L took
a change of venue. was tried on the charge
found guilty and went up for ten years. The
charge was false, and through the agency of
old Judge Thornton after about FIVE years |
was pardoned by Governor Willard. | went
from Jacksonville that time to Indianap-
oils. There | committed a burglary
Il
years. At the end OF that term / went to
Brookville, Ind, committed another burg
larry and was sent up for four years; served
the four years. At one time, do not now
remember when it was, 1 committed a burg
airy in Charlottesville Ind, and was sent to
the penitentiary at Michigan City for four
years, and at another time l was sent from
Louisville, H., to the penitentiary at Joliet
ILL.,, for two years, for an assault and battery
with intent to commit rape. /
was at one time in Hamilton, Butler
County, Ohio. where / committed burg
larry and was tried and sent to the prison at
Columbus, o., for two years. When | got
out | went directly to Jacksonville, Ind,
and called on the Superintendent and Cap
tain Craig and asked them to admit me to
the prison, asking them to take care of me-
because was old and helpless and could not
work, and that would not beg; and that L
wanted to live an honest life, and believed
that if they would take me and take care
of me, thought | could do it. They talked
to me kindly told me they could not do it.
/ told them goodbye, and said to them, the
next time l come you will take care Of me,
and / think they will.
During my term In prison worked at my
trade; part of the time was superintendent
on the iron work on the new prison at Jeffer-
sOnville.
have always been treated well, fed well,
and never lost any time, and was never pun
lSheO hau as much privilege as any man,
have been six and seven miles from prison
alone.
have no relatives, no friends and no
money; would rather be in prison than any
where else. | will not beg, and like the
prison better than the poor house, and want
to spend the remainder of my days in the
Penitentiary at Jacksonville.
Yes Judge, send me up for just such time
as you like. No, l do not know how long
will live, and can not say that five years will
| be long enough.
Thereupon the Judge sentenced him for
five years, and the old mans face wore a
smile of content as if the fondest wish of all
his life had just been gratifed.
1t will thus be seen that by his own show
| ing Hicks has served thirty-eIght years,
about half his long life, within prison walls,
to say nothing about the time spent in jails
and station-houses, awaiting trial. What
| chapter of life
Hicks was brought down this morning by
the Sheriff of Orange County, and taken to
| the prison at Jacksonville.