The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-03-22
GREY HAIRS OF SORROW.
How George sunern Broke His PoeI
Mothers Heart.

now george Su6erm Broke His Poor
Mothers Heart.
George Sufern and James Finnegan.
the men who burglarized the postofice at
Port Townsend and were captured by
Chief Thomas R. Delaney and deputies,
Friday morning, were put aboard the City
Of Kingston at 10 O'Clock yesterday morn
Ing and taken to the scene of their crime.
Suffern, who was shot twice while max
ing break for liberty, suffered but little
from his wounds, and was handcuffed to
finnegan. The prisoners, accompanied
Dy Chief Delaney and Deputy Sheriff Jack
Mcdonald were put into guruey cab at
the county Jail and were then driven to the
dock where they met the steamer.
At the dock quite crowd collected and
gazed at the prisoners, the news of their
capture making many people curious.
Just after the men arrived on the dock. 3
tall, slim man, with a decidedly tough ex-
preston OF countenance advanced, and adj
dressing Finnegan in low tone, said:
heilo, Jim, you've coppered the wrong
card, eh?"
Finnegan made no reply in words, but
gave the man who addressed him q eau
tious look, and at the same time ierked
his left thumb in the direction of Deputy
Mcdonald, who stood few feet away ar
ranging some baggage.
The signal was understood, for the man
skunk away and quickly left the dock. The
men were then put aboard the boat.
The two young burglars got but little
sympathy from the public but everyone
who knew the members Of young Suffern's
family felt sorry for them, for they are
estlmable people. His father, Captain
John A. Suffern, was q very prominent
man in the earlysdays of Seattle. and was
highly respected in the community. He
owned drug store and was one of the
leading steamboat owners, several of the
best known boats now on the Sound hay-
Ing at one time been his property. He
owned that now very valuable tract of
land betwean Seneca and University
streets west from Second street to deep
water. After his unfortunate insanity his
property was dissipated and what should
have been fortune to his heirs passed
into other hands. Mrs. Suffern is refined
woman of excellent character and no one
has ever suspected her of having any
knowledge Of her sons recent misdeeds.
Her boys wild course has broken her
heart and, although she is not aged, her
hair has been made snow white by trouble.
When her son returned home after serving
three years in the Colorado penitentiary.
he made promises of amendment. He
told his mother that he had en-
gagged in freighting on the Sound
with his small boat in partnership
with Finnegan, whom he brought to the
house to live there. The kind mother was
deceived into believing that her erring SON
had really reformed, and his arrest was
the first intimation that she had of his
duplicity. The new load of sorrow has
completely crushed her. Yesterday MANY
Of the best people in the city called at her
home to express sympathy.
Mrs. Suifern called on her SON in the
morning. The boy was not melted by the
piteous spectacle of his aged mothers
tears and braved it out. He vowed that
he would never go to the penitentiary, and
said he would die first.
Mrs. Suffern says that her boy is undoubt-
edly insane. and she evidently thinks that
he is This plea will probably be advanced
in his defense.
Finnegan had no friends to say a good
word for him yesterday. His father was a
drunkard. He Is evidently child of mis-
fortune. His mother married J. T. ARM
strong, and not T. ]. Armstrong, of the
Newcastle saloon, as stated yesterday.