The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-11-29
QUEER STORY OF A CONVICT.
Experiences of a Man Pardoned From
Prison.
Hom the 81. Louis Republic.

Prison.
Ffora the 81. Louis Republic
81 beg your pardon, sir, but can l speak
with you few momentsp said q young
man accosting a reporter on the street yes
terdsy. He was fine-looking, athletic fell
low, some Is years Of age, 6 feet high. well
proportioned, possessed of a handsome,
pleasant face, cleanly shaven, expressive
dark eyes and black hair clipped close. Il
am in distress and wish 70 ask
not for money but for advice. NV
name Is Frank Joy, and while
never committed a crime in my life l
am. sir he hesitated and his face
flushed, while hiIeyes became suffused with
tears. II am an ex-convict, though as God
is my witness 1 was guiltless OF any crime
and most wrongfully and cruelty punished.
Only last Thursday was pardoned by the
President, my alleged offence being a
government one, and | was turned adrift
on the world. to be, as find, avoided and
spurned by all, for as you doubtless per-
ceive sir. am still virtually in prison garb.
am nearly out of money, can find no work,
have no friends and-my God. l do not
know which way to turn or what to dor
DuuDR this recital the reporter had
noticed his dress before he referred to it,
aud had recognized that be was, to all
familiar with state prison regulations, as
markedly clothed in prison garb es il he
still wore the striped uniform. IL consisted
Of pantaloons and coat of dark, coarse ma
terial with small white stripe, a peak cap,
with flaps for turning down, and pair
Of brogan shoes. Being encouraged to con-
tinue his recital, he said:
81 am by calling q telegraph operator and
a Newspaper correspondent. About May /,
1890, l was engaged by Box Of New York, a
weil-known manager Of newspaper syndi-
cate, to visit and write up the military
forts OF the west, public interest having
been attracted 10 them by charges Of gross
mistreatment of the soldiers. / secured this
engagement through the kindness and good
offices of Col. john c. Bittinger, of the st.
Joseph Herald. l started on my mission
Immediately, but got no further than
Kansas City when misfortune came
upon me. / was, on the information Of a
man never saw or heard Of before. arrested
on charge Of having forged the signature
OF this man 10 money order and obtained
the money on IL. There were peculiar cir
cumstances in the case which 1t Is needless
for me to explain, that initiated against
my plea OF innocence, and on the testimony
OF the prosecuting witness l was on May 9,
1899, con victed and sent TO the penitentiary.
Being guilty of no offense / was naturally
crushed and Inundated with shame and
modification at the lifelong disgrace that
had come upon me-so strangely and unex-
pectedly; but bore up under IL as we'll as
/ could and hoped for deliverance. How or
IA what form l could not tell, but, thank
God, it came.
1.-THE man who had so grossly wronged
me became conscience stricken, and, CON-
Tossing that be had put up job on me aud
had cashed the money order himself, he
surrendered to the government authorities
In - yhar hs lam Itch
In jail ! was accordingly pardoned by
the President, as stated, last Thursday,
and, being supplied with this suit OF
clothes and few dollars, l was
given leave to depart. / took the next
train for this city in hopes of finding
employment. Coming down on the:train l
was soon made conscious that all who no.
ticed me at once recognized that was an
ex-convict and Stunned me as they would a
viper Just before reaching Grand aveuen
the conductor came to me and said: See
here. young fellow, il you do not want to
be pulled again you had better leave the
train at Grand avenue, for as sure as you
go down to the union depot the police will
nab you
II was greatly worried over this and pom
dered in my mind what | should do. II
occurred to me that perhaps the conductor
was net as much interested in having me to
escape trouDle as ne pretended, ana that he
hadprobably autographed TO the city author
tiles that would get of at Grand avenue.
Being impressed with this view, the more I
thought Of it. finally determined not to
follow his advice, but continue on the train
TO the union depot. did so, aud was not
molested; but had hardly proceeded a
square up town when was met by an officer
and closely questioned before he would al
low me to proceed. A like experience oc-
Cured 20 me every few blocks while in
search Of some place to stop, for it was no
easy matter for me TO find a lodging-place,
as all seemed to know from whence l came
have tremped this town all day, from
place TO place, hunting for work, but no one
will listen to me or even give me an encour-
aging word. am continually being tracked
by detectives, and time and again
to-day have l been stopped and questioned
and made to show my papers before allowed
to proceed. am really now afraid to 90
back to my boarding house for fear will
find the police waiting TO apprehend me. If
they do know that means am to be taken
to the holdover where / will, without a
hearing, be confined as held for the chief
and kept there for twenty-four hours at
least. Thus am l sir, beset on every hand,
with starvation staring me in the face
and, my God, do not know what to do"