New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-06-15
STRANGE OCCURRENCES
In CANTERSTONE JAIL.

Sums, SnIIIIngS,
had given out that he was wizard. and that he
was able and willing-for a consderatlon-to pre-
dict the events of the futuIe-tell fortunes, IN
fact The case created large amount OF local
interest, for some curious stories We're told about
the man in the town. Markell was tall, slight,
wiry-looking fellow in the prime of life, WIN
of Romany extraction. His bearing was sell
possessed courteous even, yet with something III
his air which might have led one to suppose t4ae
he saw-what others did nOt-the bumOr OF the
thing. At point his grave, almost satuT-
nine, visage distinctly relaxed into smile III
was when Colonel Gregory, tbs. chairman oil the
day, was passing sentence. After committing HIM
for three months hard labor, the Colonel added ::
During your sojourn within the walls of Il
prison you will have an opportunity OF retrieving
your reputation. You say you are magician.
During your stay in Jail / would strongly advise
you to prove it. You lay claim to magic powers.
Exercise them i need scarcely point out to You
how excellent chance you will have of creating
The people laughed When the great Panian-
drum is even dimly suspected of an intention to be
funny, the people always do, But on this &C.
casion even the prisoner smiled-rather an ex-
ceptonal thing, for as rule 1t is the prisoner
who the joke least of all.
Later in the day the prisoner was conveyed 70
the county jail. This necessitated a journey by
rail, with change upon the way. Az the station
where they changed there was a delay of twenty
minutes. This the prisoner and the constable
in charge of him improved by adJ9urnlng 10
public house hard by Here they had glassCC I'm
deed, they had twO-and when they reached Can
terstOne, the town on whose outskirts stood the
Jail, they had one-or, perhaps, 1t was two,-more
1t must have been two, for when they reached
the Jail, instead of the constable conveying the
prisoner it was the prisoner who conveyed the
constable-upon his shoulder. The warder who
answered the knock seemed surprised at what
he saw. n.9.
Three months hard labor"
The warder stared. The shades Of night had
fallen, and the lamp above the prison door dld
not seem to cast sufficient light upon the subject
TO satisfy the janitOr.
Come inside he said
Markell entered, the constable upon his shoul-
der. Having entered, he carefully placed the
constable in sitting posture on the stones. with
his back against the wall. The policemans
sented an imposing picture OF the majesty ana
might of the law. The warder shook him by the
s ssH Sort he said The wass epy
though slightly inarticuate, was yet sufficiently
distinct. au,.,,
NO I shouldn't think So" said the warder.
You've had pailful,, it seems to me- already. !,
and looked at Markell.
What do You want here ?"
Three months hard labor"
The man looked down and saw that the new
conner had gives upon his wrists. He went TO a
door at one side and summoned another warder;
The two returned together. This second official
took in the situation at glance.
from which they. in fact had come. Markell
inclined his head. This second official turned
his attention TO the PROSTATE constable. Look
in his pockets
The janitor acted on the suggestion The order
for commttal was produced:
Are YOU Oliver Mankell?"
Again Markell inclined his head With the
order in his hand. the official marched him through
the side-door through which he had himself ap-
peared Soon Oliver Markell was the inmate or
cell. He spent that night in the reccptlon-cellS
at the gate. In the morning he had bath, was
indicted into prison clothing and eXami med by
- He fhnp fnlr I'M IN oain
building Of the prison and introduced 10 the gov
ernor. The governor was quiet Centlemanly
man, with struggling blacl! beard and spectacles
the Official TO the tips of his fingers. As Man
kell happened 70 be the only fresh arrival the
governor favored him with little speech.
You've placed yourself in an pncomforta31 pie
while you're here"
Il intend to act upon the advice rendered me
The governor looked up. Not only was the
voice musical one but the words were not the
sort of words generally chosen by the average
prisoner.
He said that / claimed to he magician. He
strongly advised me to prove it during my stay
in ha.iu jail, intend to act upon the advice he ten
The governor looked Markell steadily in the
face. The speakers hearing conveyed no sug-
geston Of insolent intention. The governor looked
down again.
IL advise you to be careful what you do. You
may make yonr position more uncomfortable
They took the man away. They introduced
him TO the wheel. On the treadmill he passed
the remainder of the morning AT noon morning
tasks were over. and the prisoners were marched
into their day-cells to enjoy the meal which, in
prison parlance was called dinner In accord
anoe with the ordinary routine. the chaplain made
his appearance in the rOundhOuse To interview
those prisoners who had just come in and those
whose sentences would he completed on the NOR
row. When Markell had been asked at the gate
what his religion was. he had made no answer; Sc
the warder, quite used to ignorance on the part
of new arrivals as 10 all religions. had entered
him as a member of the Church of England. As
a member of the Church Of England he was taken
out to interview the chaplain now.
The chaplain was I a little fpssy gentleman
of prisons and prisoners had bred in him per.
haps unconscious habit of regarding, criminals as
naughty boys-urchns who required a judicious
combination of cakes and caStigatiOn
Well, my lad, I'm sorry to see man Of yoni
lain made TO good many of his new friends II
was intended TO give them the impression that al
least the chaplain perceived that they wer,
something out of the ordinary run. Then he
dropped bis voice to a judicious whisper. WHAT
For telling the truth
This reply seemed little to surprise the chap
lain; He settled his spectacles upon his nose.
z" For telling, the truth" An idea seemed al
To s Ra hs n hit
hand. En- see that here i is written fals'
pretences. Was it stumcr?"
we nave Sten III mentioned somewhere tna'
stumer" is slang for worthless check. II wa,
way with the chaplain TO let his charges Sc,
that he was at least acquainted with their phrase
ology. But on this occasion there was no re
sponse. The officer in charge of MARKELL whC
possibly wanted bis dinner, put in his oar.
Telling fortunes, sir.
Telling fortunes. Oh! Dear me- How sad
You see what telling fortunes brings you to
ihere Will be no difficulty in telling your forum,
morning after chapel,
Inc chaplain turned away. But his prediction
provea 10 be as false as Mankells stated I,
have been. He did not see him the next morninl
etter chapel, and that for the sufficient reason
tase on the following morning there was NJ
chspei' And the reasons why there was chape