Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1891-10-09
A Wonderful Prisoner.
he CAN DO ALMOST ANYTHING IN TIE
WAY OF MECHANICS.
baltimore SIM
Baltimore Sun.

WAY OF MECHANICS.
Baltimore Sun.
In little cell on the second TIER OF one
of the dormitOrics in the Maryland peni-
Tertiary Tobias f. Hudson has passed
nearly nine years of his life. Cut off from
intercourse with his fellow-men, nothing
meets his view as be gazes from his graf
ed window but the brick walls Of dOrmi-
tory and workshop.
On June 90, 1883, Hudson was convicit d
in HageTstOwn of stealing two horses
from George Stonebraker and was SEN
fenced to thirteen years imprisonment,
He says he was not guilty of IKE charge,
but that fate and tho testimony were
against him end lie is only waiting for
his release to collect evidence to clear his
name.
Hudson was born IN Tazewell county,
Va, about fifty years ago. In his early
life he was a clockmaker. During the
civil war bis sympathies were with the
South, and he entered the Confederate
army. Later he was employed as en-
gineer on blockade runner. After the
war closed he became wanderer, and
travelled nearly around the world. lie
crossed Central America on foot. and
visited all the important captols of South
America. Returning to the United States,
he took mp his abode in the mountains Of
Pennsylvania where he purchased little
property, and occupied his spare time in
tho distillation of moonshine whisky,
which occupation, he said, was the only
violation of law Of which he has been
guilty.
One day, upon his return home from
short visit, he found his little home burn
ed to the ground and everything he pos
sessed, with the exception of few acres
of mountain land, destroyed. DiscOur-
aged by his misfortune and the treachery
OF persons he had beiriended in the time
of need, he left his few acres and went to
Washington county Maryland.
The same night that he left Washing
ton county, two valuable horses were
stolen from Mr.. StOnebraker's stable.
and few weeks later Hudson was ar
rested in Tennessee and charged with the
crime. His conviction and sentence fol-
lowed speedily. At first he was dazad
and stupefed and continually brOoded
over bis condition, but he gradually real
lied that occupation was the best means
of diverting his thoughts. Before he was
sent to the penitentiary he met with an
accident which rendered his left arm al
most useless, but with his right hand, as
sisted as far as possible by the crippled
member, he accomplished more than
many able bodied men having their lber-
ty ever accomplished. By working over
time he earned little sums of money with
which he bought material for occupation
when his tasks were finished. He brought
into use his knowledge of clockm liking,
and soon his little cell began to show the
result of his labor. From the marble
works in the prison yard he procured bits
of various colored marbles, which he skill
fully carved and polished, and into which
he set little clocks From smaller pieces
of marble, onyx, bits of stallgmite and
lava, he made crosses, watch chains, pen
dants, &C., neatly set in frames of gold
plate.
He found ho could not work all the
time, and he commenced to purchase
books, which he eagerly read. he was
careful in his selections, and one corner OF
bis cell is filed with nearly two hundred
volumes, including histories of the prin-
cIpal nations and books of reference.
A short time ago, when electric light
wires were being placed in the prison, be
became interested in electricity and rur-
chased a few standard works upon that
subject. The result was the construction
of half a dozen different electric appll-
ances, including a burglar alarm which
he has Just completed for Warden Wey-
ler's bedroom. He also made a curious
looking clock, which adorns the walls Gf
his cell. The dial is a semicircle of white
marble, with II at each corner and the
other hours marked along the arc. 1t
has one hour hand, and two minute hands
set opposite each other, so that both are
seen only at noon and midnight The
seconds are marked on a separate DIAL by
hand that moves from right to left. By
an arrangement Of the mechanism a
spring that would run an ordinary clock
II hours will run bis clock 80 hours.
The man is constantly seeking diver
sion in new and untried fields of work,
and when a prisoner escaped from cell
i'm the prison yard by hammeIing on the
paddock which fastened his cell door I'M
til the bolts dropped back and the lock
opened, Hudson determined to invent a
! paddock that would preclude future es-
capes in like manner. The result was TIE
production OF lock which seems to be
all that he claims for it. being so arranged
that hammerng on it drives the bolts
deeper into their fastening. He exhibit
ted model OF his lock to Warden Wey-
Ter. who was so much pleased that he
showed it to the board OF visitors, and
they at once adopted it for use in the
prison. Castings for the locks were made
in the prison foundry,a lathe was pur-
chased and set up in Hndson's cell. and
he was relieved OF all other tasks so that
his entire time could be occupied in the
manufacture Of locks. I'm a short time
they will be used in all the dormitOries
of the prison. The locks are neatly flu
ished with brass riyets and key-holes, and
to all appearance might have come ont of
some factory.
Hudson has always been an exemplary
prisoner and Is entitled to twenty-slx
months communication Of time. lie will
therefore be released April 5, 1894.