Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-08-24
CONFINED In A DUNGEON.

CONFINED In A DUNGEON.
MILLER,s TALE OF HIS PRISON LIFE
AFTER TIE ESCAPE.
One Kindly Keeper Who Helped to Make
Life Misunderstanding the Last Mo-
ments Of Dying Convict-An Expert
ence of the Flood.
As to what James W. Miller suffered in
the penitentiary after his short dream of
liberty can best be told by the people who
knew him ten years ago and who say
that he now looks so years older. A par
tial story of his experiences as told by him
self follows:
After my extraditfon from Canada and re-
turn to the prison in Allegheny City, life
was very hard in every way, and made much
more so by the vindictiveness of several of
the officials connected with the institution.
First, let the reader remember that the
average life of the prisoner is seven years.
while it is true that many old criminals
will be found who served longer time than
that, yet that has all been considered. In
fixing the limited time which a man can
endure imprisonment, have no desire nor
wish to say anything that would seem to
reflect on anyone connected with the West
ern Penitentiary during the time of my i'm
prIsonment there. That 1 was unjustly
punished often times will not, think, be
denied by those acquainted with the cir
cumstances
"Still, even among jailers, you will find
kindly-hearted men, and one of the kindest
we had in those days was keeper called
Hastings, who was affectionately termed
Daddy" by those confined in the prison.
He never was known in the memory of any
prisoner to have reported man, and there
was never a man who refused to go with
him when sent after him to take him
to the place of punishment. Among the
prisoners it was considered an exception
able piece of good luck when dad" had
charge of dungeon in which man was
confined, because your slice of bread would
be larger, and if you showed any disposition
at all to obey the rules in future, "Dad''
would intercede for you and secure the
mitigation of punishment.
A Story of a Kindly Keeper.
1 relate one incident as it was told me
which shows the perfect kindliness in the
man s nature and his disinclination, even
while performing a duty, to inflict an in
jury to the man placed in his charge.
One foggy morning dad" was acting as
inside guard along the wall of the Western
Penitentiary and at the same time taking
a surreptitious puff at an old clay pipe.
He heard noise, and looking up, saw a
prisoner disappear over the other side of
the wall.
In loud voice he said: "What are you
doing up there?" The prisoner answered
back: IT am going to escape" ''Dad"
sternly ordered him: "Come down out of
that. Some of these guards will come along
here and see you on top of that wall they
would shoot you as sure as fate. Get down
out of that" 1t must be borne in mind
that dad" was arIed with a repeating
rifle himself at this very moment. The
prisoner came down and Dad gave him
cuff on the ear and locked him up
During the many long days spent in the
dungeon, dad" did many kindly act,
which will always make me recall his
memory with pleasure, and none were
prouder nor better pleased when my i'm
prisonment was ended and 1 began to make
nv way in the world than "Dad'' Hastings.
Charles Reade, in his book called ''Never
Too Late to Mend" tells of the horrible
torture endured by one confined in soli-
tary dungeon, and that it could not be en-
dured for more than three or four days at
the time without affecting the mind If
confinement in dungeon for that period of
time is productive of insanity, l and
hundreds of others would have been raving
maniacs year ago.
Plenty of Time for Thought.
he oh fha
limits of one of those dungeons, and had |
ample time for contemplation and refec- |
ton The big flood of 1884 found me so |
confined, and as the water rose higher, flood |
ing the whole lower portion of the prison, 1 |
heard the waves lap against the floor under |
meath my feet, and when 1 asked the keeper |
what they would do in case it still con-
tinued to rise and invaded the dungeon, he |
told me with sneer that he would quietly |
lock the door and leave me there, and to be !
confined in space 6-foot long, 4-foot wide
and 9-foot high, with q knowledge that the |
door was locked and double barred and that
you might be drowned like a rat would pre-
vent you enjoying sleep during the days
that flood went swirling down the Ohio Val
ley.
One of the saddest things that came under
my notice while in prison 1 witnessed at
the deathbed of man who had been shot
by one of the officers. He was a great
stalwart fellow full of animal life and vigor
and the shot had passed through the mans
At first it did not seem to be a
mortal wound, but after the doctor had
made his examination he told him if he
wanted to write to his friends he had better
do so. And it was pitiful to notice the look of
amazement and horror depicted on the mans
countenance when he realized that he must
die. Everyone left him and II o'clock at
night found me by his bedside in the
hospital giving him such attention as a
nurse might give. As the dawn was break
ing he aroused himself from a sort of
lethargy into which he had fallen and put
ting out his hand, already grown cold in
death, he whispered, 'Don't leave me, stay
with me until its done, I'm SO lonely"
Lonely he must have been and lonely he
must have felt and sad must have been the
thought that surges through his mind lying
bare on prison bed with life but ebbing
and no father, mother or sister, hand to wipe
away the death damps from his face. Death
is hard at any time, even when surrounded
by the nearest and dearest, but death under
the circumstances which are Just related
is the most horrible thing conceivable.
Of course, these are but few of the ex-
periences which made up Miller's prison
life, but the very recital of his sufferings
brings back memories that he would rather
crush out and forget the weary years that