The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1891-03-12


daiued programmed"
4 discussion is rampant in the pres;
to-day, and The text is, "Can convlcs'
reform?'
Reader, did you ever tell Z lie? Die
you ever commit theft? Did you oiel
do anything dishonorable or mean arc
dirty? IF so, and you long since repent
ed, don't you know the possibility O.
recovery of reason? Don't you under
stand that under favoring c:rcumstan'
ces your little effort can be made stur
dy and grow up into desirable proper
tons for good among your fellow men
and can't you therefore understand
that if, having been detected, you were
followed necessarily, exposed there
made shameful here, pushed by un-
kind hands from every opportunity Of
recovery, how you might have said tc
yourself some time in a moments bit
terness, "What's the use?" and then
throwing up the sponge Of endeavor,
plunge back again into your old time
habit?
Why, of course, you can understand
it, and fyou can't, 60 and see the con-
victs, any one of them marked and
branded as Cain is said to have been,
with his portrait printed in books and
sent from one station house to another,
with his record published to the world,
with the Superintendent of Police in
every city informed as to his name, his
appearance, his record and crime, the
date of his release, and then tell me, if
you can, how it is possible for con-
vict, unaided, to recoup himself and
stand once more man among his fel-
lows?
I can't give you the particulars, but
within ten days a story has been told
here of man released from Sing Sing
some little while ago without clothing
of a decent make, with no money, sent
adrift upon the world.
Every ybody who is adrift seeks the
great commercial center.
The moment that man passed the
boundary line of New York city he was
recognized. Being recognized he was
spotted. Being spotted he was follow
ed. Being followed he was watched.
Being watched he was suspected. Being
suspected in these days is as bad as be-
ing guilty. He tried to get work. a
policeman told who he was. He tried
to get work. a detective showed his
picture in book. He tried to get work.
Somebody Informed his would be en-
plover who and what be was. Finally,
iD despair: be turned up on Fourteenth
street as peddIer of bone buttons.
Now, be couldn't get much lower
than that.
To he sure be was on the sidewalk,
and there was a gutter, and fearing that
he wouldn't get in the gutter police
man walked up to him and said:
"Here, l know you; get out of here, I"
and drove him away, amid the jeers
and taunts of little boys, who in time
will join that great army of malignants
concerning whom the poet sung, "Man's
inhumanity to man makes countless
thousands mourn
PRETTY TOUGH YARN.
The story Of my Sing Sing man at
tracted very widespread attention, and
1 received many letters about it, one
from an esteemed correspondent in
Lynn. Mass, who very humanely ex-
,.ressed her desire to be of practical aid
and ordered the man something to do.
Her letter came just at the time he had
secured the situation to which l refer,
and she, as others, will be interested to
know the unfortunate termination Of
his endeavor. /: seems that an ac-
quaintance of his in q neighboring
State has a brickyard, in which the
convict found employment. Being a
man Of parts he was put into the office,
where he had charge Of what they call
a delivery book For the services rem
dered he received his board and $50 a
month. He had DO relatives, and be-
came very much interested in a young
woman who lives in Williamsburg.
While he was in New York, prior TO
his brickyard employment, he was
under the surveillance of the police
continually. Havii , no money he
could pay nothing in the way Of black
mail, and, as may be remembered,
from every position he secured he was
driven away. l was very glad that
good luck procured for him the posi-
ton he finally got, for two reasons.
In the first place and more especially
it removed HIN from New Ior. and
he had, I thought and he thought, i
chance to recover and rebuild himself
up. He met the Williamsburg woman
while in this city and corresponGcd
with her after he went TO work. One
day he came down 10 visit her
That brought him to New York.
He took her to theatre, where he
was recognized by detective, who
pointed him out to 4 policeman at the
door. He was followed to the Crane:
Street Ferry, where he bade the young
woman good night, and hurried to the
Grand Central Depot to take the J.
O'Clock train for his town The detec-
tive crossed the ferry in the same boat
with the young woman, followed her
to her house. and as she assembled the
steps spoke to her. She was frightened
at first, but the mans manner re;:s-