The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1890-05-14

bv the awful accident and dreadful pre-
dicament in which he was placed, he
could say nothing II his own behalf
His friends gradually fell away from
him. He was in dazed, helpless con-
difion, in which he could do nothing fer
himself. Although there was no direct
proof that he had intended to kin the
woman, or of what the law calls premed-
itation, and although those who knew
him best willingly came forward and
youehed for his character, yet circum-
stances were strongly against him. He
attempted in feeble way to humble out
his story of the occurrence. Ii was not
credited, il understood. His manner
tended to show guilt, and even those who
were inclined to disbelieve in it, suppos-
ed that he had allowed his angry passion
to arise and lead him to extreme vio-
Ience The coroner's jury found ayerdict
of willful murder. The trial jury subse-
quently declared him guilty, with rec
ommendation TO mercy on account of
his youth and previous good character,
and he was sentenced to twenty years at
hard labor in the Gloombury prison,
where il was expected he would grow up
and become useful servant of the State
as stone-breaker There was no in
reference on his behalf by any o7e his
friends turned from him for the reason
that his natural protector-his father
believed him guilty who while he did
not aid, certainly Hid not interpose any
obstacle to the dH.. course Of law. With
in few days after the trial the sheriff
of the county, With commitment under
the seal Of the curt, appeared, and by
him the poor boy was placed in the
bloomsbury jail, amongst some Of the
most incorrigible and criminal cases, with
whom he would have to associate and
grow up among, in the false hope that
he would be reformed.
1t so happened that one of the fore
men in the stone-breaking gang in which
the lad was placed in the reformatOry
was distantly related to the deceased
woman, and this mans feelings were de-
cidedly hostile to the boy. This is hard
ly to be wondered at he believed. as
the jury did, the boy to be red-handed
murderer who escaped the gallows only
by a technicality. No sooner was the
youthful prisoner within his power. than
he began a course of treatment towards
him, both in regard to the days task and
/ infractions Of the prison rules, that made
Joe's life in the institution. seem ike
hideous nightmare. The prisoner at this
time seemed 10 have recovered his senses,
so to speak. He could look back now at
the horrid scene in which he had been
participant, and for which he suffered so
| grievously, with reasonable composure.
I He began 10 think that if the trial were
TO take place again he could convince
| the jury that he was entirely innocent.
He remembered now that the pedler had
seen the occurrence, and while he did
not know where the man could be found,
he felt that if the pedler could be pro-
duced his evidence would be sufficient
for an acquitai. Joe pondered over this
day and night declared his innocence
to the prison officials, and was laughed
at for his pains.
"Of course" said the keeper, "all the
prisoners here are innocent"
He yainly attempted to communicate
with those who were, or should have
been, his friends. No communications
were allowed to be sent from prisoners
unless with the sanction and concurrence
of the prison authorities. The keeper
watched the lad closely, and seemed to
take peculiar delight in making the boys
life miserable. Joe failed on one occa-
sion TO turn out sufficient quantity Of
stones to meet the requirements of the
foreman-all the prisoners beiHg 'tasked'
as it is called. As result, he was put
on diet of bread and water, and got but
one meal day at that. On subsequent
day he spoke to one of his fellow prison
ers on being chided by the keeper for
this infraetion, he answered disrespect-
fully Again the bread and water diet
was resorted to, with the addition of a
dark CELL The poor food and severe
treatment rendered him unfit for the Sc
we're work, and he failed continually
His threats to report the keepers con-
slant insults and petty tyranies 10 the
superior authorities simply made his
own condition worse. He wrote a kind
and truthful letter TO his father, in which |
he spoke Of his sad life in the prison, !
asked his forgiveness, and begged him, /
for Gods sake" to hunt up the one wit /
ness to the dreadful occurrence, whose /
truthful statement he had no doubt |
would fully exonerate him /; adding that |
he would die or go mad if his affiietion 1
in the prison continued The letter was
intercepted in the main office by one of /
the officials, who informed the prisoner /
that they did not allow such lying re-
ports of ill-treatment to be made by the
prisoners, who were so tenderiy cared for
by the merciful authorities Of the Jail.
Again and again he strOye to commu-
nicate, through the discharged prisoners,
with those he thought would befriend
him-his schooi-maies, his mothers rela-
tives-but no one cared to interfere in
his behalf.
Having been placed in the Jail under
circumstances that seemed to justify it,
his own father and neighbors being the
principal witnesses against him, those
who might have interfered held aloof
fearing that it would be meddling in
family affairs which did not concern
them. The only letter it was permissible
TO send from the prison was one express
ing gratitude to those in charge of the
institution, extolling the management
and praising the official for their thought
full consideration Of those under their
charge
One day in each month was set apart
for the reception of visitors, and although
poor Joe had no friends to call upon
him, he was carefully removed from the
sight of callers in lonely cell
The annual visit of inspection by the
State Prison aufhorisiss vras ko ha made