Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-10-26
BREAKING INTO JAIL.
Unfortunates Who Can't Keep Outside
of Barred Institutions.
ROAD SUPERVISORS In HIDING.
Mud That is Too Thick for Boating and Too
Thin for Snowshoes.
HOW A TRAMP SECURED TIE PRICE

The gentleman who remarked that it re-
CURED all kinks of people to make up the
world knew whereof he spoke. Had he ever
been through Riverside Penitentiary he
would have found many inmates to help
bolster up the assertion.
There is man named George Wilson
there at the present time who has spent q
years of his life within prison walls. His
history is a remarkable one. When
he was years of age he was sent as an in
corrigible to the old Reform School, which
occupied the present penitentiary site. He
remained there for several years. After his
release he at once took to the bad and was
sent up from Washington for a term of seven
years for horse stealing. After his release
he was soon arrested again for similar Of
fense, and got another sentence of several
years.
Since then he has been almost constantly
in prison-in fact, all the time with the jew
exceptions of when he was out appropriating
some ones horse. All of his convictions
are for this one offense, and the singular
part of the case is that he invariably makes
a-dismal botch OF all his thefts. The last
time he was released he ent directly to
Temperanceville, became intoxicated,
mounted a horse that he found hitched
along the street, and rode away into the
country.
COULDN'T KEEP OUT OF THE PEN.
After roaming about the greater part of
one night he decided to return to the city,
but officers met him on the way and placed
him under arrest. He was put on trial,
convicted and sentenced to five years in
Riverside, the time he is now serving. He
afterward told a companion who was recently
released that when the court made it five
years'he went back to Jail with tears in mis-
eyes.
"What did you weep for?" asked his COM
panion; that was not very long sentence
-ior you
That's just where it hurt me" replied
Wilson; II cried because he did not make
it ten"
On another occasion he met the official of
the old pen up at Little Washington He
had been drinking, and after assuring the
official that he was then in a condition he
had longed Tor during all of his last term Of
imprisonment, asked when the next term of
court began. On being informed he re-
marked: well, just reserve cell No. for
me, and l will be back on schedule time"
True to his promise, he returned lust as soon
as II was possible for him to do so.
One of his main causes of complaints is
that the laws o; the State are not broad
enough to permit of some one getting a re-
tail liquor license for the prison. He has
declared time and again that it would be
the greatest place in Pennsylvania for a
retail license. and that he would be content
never to look outside of the walls again if
such things could be. Many similar stories
concerning Wilson are told. In fact they
have been carried over the length and
breadth OF the United States by men who
have met Wilson at various times during
his long years Of confinement.
WARDEN wRIGHT's "REMINISCENCES.
Warden Wright, in speaking of Wilson
Yesterday, said it was true he had been con-
fined the number of years mentioned above.
He said Wilson's mind had become dwarfed
to an extent, and that his companions looked
upon him in this light. He is scarcely 40
years of age at the present time and quite
good-looking man, but the general belief is
that he will end his days in con Dvict's cell.
The Warden said that while there was a
bright side to his disposition no one outside
of the Jail officials knew that he was given
to unusually gloomy mental conditions.
Time and time again he has attempted to
commit suicide, added the Warden, land
only the most careful watching has pre-
vented him from succeeding. He has tried
almost every method imaginable, but
the keepers know him so we'll
that they have always succeeded
in thwarting him. There are hun
dreds of stories told of Wilson, but many of
them 60 merely as prison tales So far as
confinement in prison is concerned 1 believe
that many men pass the happiest hours of
their lives within these walls. Hundreds of
roughs and toughs who never knew much
outside of evil are sent here year after year.
Many of them who were densely ignorant
learn to read and write and it opens up
new life to them. They frequently throw
their whole being into reading good books,
and when finally they leave here they carry
with them the knowledge that they have
been men for at least a portion OF their
lives"