Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1891-11-14
WASTED TALENT.
A Crippled Convict with wonderful Me-
chanical skill.


chanical skill.
BALTIMORE, Md, November H.
Among the many inmates oil the Mary
land penitentiary, Tobias f. Hudson,
cripple, is probably the most inventive
as we'll as interesting. He Is so years
OF age, and was born In Tazewell
county, Va In his early life he was
clock make, and during the civil war
served in the confederate army. Later
he was employed as an engineer on q
blockade runner. At the close OF the
war he became q wanderer and travelled
nearly around the world. He crossed
Central America in fact and visited all
the important capitals OF South Amer
lea. Upon \ returning to the Uni
ted States he took up his resi-
dence in the mountains OF Pennsyl-
vania, where he purchased some prop
erty and distilled moonshine whisky,
which, he claims, was his only viola
ton against the laws. All Of his prop
erty was destroyed by fire. and becom-
ing discouraged at hts loss and the bad
treatment OF people whom he had be-
friended. he left his few acres OF noun
tain land and went to Washington
county. Md. After remaining here some
time his rowing spirit got the best OF
him, and the next heard Of him was his
Rrrest in Tennessee on the charge OF
stealing two valuable horses from Mr..
George Stonebrakcr OF Washington
county. The horses were stolen on the
night that Hudson left the county, and
although he strongly pleaded his limo
cence. he was convicted on the charge
on June 20, 1883, and sentenced TO
thirteen years in the Maryland peni-
tertiary. After several months brood
ing In his small cell. on the second tier
OF one OF the dormitories, where moth
ing meets the view but the cells and the
brick walls OF the dormitory and work.
shop, he concluded that occupation OF
both the mind and hand was the better
way to pass the time. BY working
overtime he earned small sums OF mon
ey, which was expended for material.
He brought into use his early mechan-
ical skill In clock-making, and the re-
suit was that his small cell was soon
frightened by handmade bric-a-brac,
etc. From the marble works in the
prison yard he procured small pieces OF
marble. which he formed into miniature
monuments. and into which he set little
clocks. Out OF small pieces OF marble.
onyx and other material he made
crosses. watch charm pendants and
other devices, neatly set in frames OF
gold.
From the occupation in the mechan.
ical arts he turned to literature, and
hogan to purchase books. He has been
careful in his selections, and in one
corner OF his cell there are nearly 200
volumes including histories OF the
principal nations and books OF refer
ence. He became interested In cleo
tricity, and purchased few standard
works on that subject. The result was
the construction OF half dozen differ
ent electrical appliances, including o
burglar alarm which he has just COM
pleted for Warden Wheeler's bedroom.
He also made curious looking clock,
which adorns the wall OF his cell. The
dial Is semi-circle OF white marble,
with ! 2 Ut each corner and the other
hours marked along tho arc. It has
one hour hands and two minute hands
set opposite each other. so that both
are seen only at noon and at midnight.
The seconds are marked on separate
dial by a hand that moves from
right to left. By an arrangement OF
the mechanism spring that would run
an ordinary clock "a hours will run his
clock Sc hours.
One OF Hudson's latest achievements
was the invention Of paddock, which
lie says cannot be sprung, and will,
therefore. prevent escapes from prison
BY that means. He claimed that he
could make such o lock, and set to work
to do it, and the result Of his thought
and labor really seems 20 indicate that
he has made good his promise. 1t is
we'll known that many OF the padlocks
used at the present day can be opened
by tapping quickly and hard on the
curved staple. but in the case OF Hud-
sons the harder you hit, the deeper
the fastenings are set, and you might
batter 1t up, but cannot open 1t. War
den Wheeler was so well pleased with
the lock that he exhibited 1t to the
board OF directors. who adopted 1t for
use in the penitentiary. AS a result OF
this, machinery was purchased for HUI
son, and it was placed in Hudson's cell
and he went to work manufacturing
lOolrc