Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1890-07-11
D1CKENs's DuTcnMw,x
Hardly the Abused Creature
Painted Him. Nos

SauGC f1lln. ~'cltnl
1t is rather q trite subject ~
the prisoner whom the rreot refer ID
made famous by his pity and and" WIN novsial
ward became known as sn W. attssl|
Dutchman," and yet there are D% fsa.
of the marvellous manner in :" ei% leatasel
gave the lie to the story WING" vi sa b
which Richard vaux told me-. vi B94lj
he is a part, which may not no y, Why
ally known, The reminder " genesI
man, Charles Langheimer. wo .laf III
the prisoners with whom Dict one 4
versed, of whose condition be 60 So
such a mournful picture, is :" so. ats1
necessary. He compared the e'a l,!|
garden leading into the main I os lltal
grave. "A more detected. yell taI
broken, wretched creature it von Isai
difficult to imagine. l never saw sv"'at
a picture of forlorn afflictiop S sna sla
tress of mind" wrote Dickens. s sau y
on he added: Il never saw or 1 Ia' lay
ny kind of misery that impresse es'a !
lore than the wretchedness oi :. d
man." What a spectacle! Tbis ~
creature being driven into his ara,E ~
the heartless regulations of thu sss.
of solitary confinement! That wa at
ls4l. In 1870 Dickens died. 10s,
Charles Langheimer was still ~
But that is not all the tale. Whea n \
novelist saw the German thief Ia
serving his second term Of imnri..
ment in the penitentiary. Alter "
he served twelve more, or fourtaos
all. In the same institution. y,
saw him in the Quarter Sessions ~ ~
he had been sentenced to q briaf N
prisonment in the county prison, vi
tears pouring down his cheeks
begged to be sent back to the nen;,1
tiary, even if his time was donII]
His request was granted.
With Langheimer stealing was .
ease. Mr.. Vaux tells me that al
time he could have trusted him
carry a thousand dollars in gola
bank, but upon his return, if he 81,
doorway open, he could not resist
temptation to enter it and pick up
first thing he could lay hands
After his last Imprisonment his lap1
ter, who is married to a very respecta
man, refused to have anything more
dc with him. He was then eig
years of age, and without a penny.
was given an order of entrance ia
almshouse. With this in his hand,
entered Mr.. Vaux's Office and 81
See what I have come to. PIE
don't let me go to the almshouse. 81
me out to the prison. It is the
good home 1 ever had. Please s
me back there
If Dickens could have heard III
words 1 wonder what he would
said.
Charley" said Mr.. vaux, Il d
know whether or not the Warden J
take you in, and then. too, you al
dreadful nuisance. But if you prom
to behave yourself you "a go ou
the prison and ask the Warden fle
11llu IOOu1 1OI NOu.
He presented himself and made
request and pleaded earnestly thai
might be granted. Finally the g
hearted Warden said: "Well, ii
behave yourself I guess We can
room for you and enough for YOU
eat" The old man actually leaped
JOY and tore his almshouse pass
bits, which Mr.. Cassidy, the Ward
afterward collected and pasted
gether, and the card is now one Of
curiosities of the big building.
next time Mr.. Vaux visited the pr
he met Langheimer, who began on
his customary complaints = SIM
probably, to that which deceived
ems this time the trouble being Of
alleged rheumatic character.
Naux loosely seized him by
shoulders and shook him till
screamed. The next time they
the old man said, l%aughingly:
Vaux, shake all the rheumatism Of
me-" But in a few days the pain
old age, whose meaning he did not
derstand, returned with renewed
lence, and he sent for the WaFd
When MI. Cassidy saw him in lis
he knew that poor Langheimers
had come, and two hours later
quietly breathed his last in the pd
in which he had spent the greater
Of a prolonged life. Solitary con
ment had permitted him to die Of
age.