The morning news., 1892-03-31
CONVICT soNessukG IN SING SING.
Sad Verses Written by Unfortunates
Serving Sentence.
ON ne Ne,c York Recorder.


From fhe Netc York Recorder
The unfortunates who, because Of crime.
are locked behind prison bars are regarded
by their more fortunate brethren in much
the same light as the wild beasts exhibited
il menagsrie.
To watch them toiIing sullenly. hopelessly
In the various shops connected with our
state prisons gives no idea OF their condi-
tions or thoughts when locked alone in their
cells at night. Then the wretched criminal,
who is often q man of education, gives way
70 thoughts Of other and better days. Vis-
ions OF nome and mother thrOng around his
lonely heart; he Is filed with the poetry OF
remorse and penitence, and TO relieve his
feelings writes what is known as Convict
Song" These verses are adapted to some
popular piece of music and are sung by his
fellow convicts In chorus as they labor at
the bench or march to the one two, three
lock-step OF the chain>gang.
These songs. like that of the dying swan,
are never printed and seldom heard except
from behind prison bars. 5uo
Through the courtesy OF james Con-
naughton, the principal keeper Of Sing
Sing prison, the following examples were
obtained.
The first was written by Alfred Sheridan
while serving life sentences:
LIFE. LIFE, LIFE.
In plodding through this weary world. how
many are cast down
And either trampled under foot or passed by
Not thinking they have feelings and a heart Just
Ike your own
That once again might rise in life If sympathy
How many men are ianguishing within prison
CELL
Who, IL they had another chance. would use the
Just think what must the feelings bC of those
men day by day
Who gaze upon the living tomb wherein they
have TO stay.
CHORUS.
For life, life. life, no hopes of Tomorrow,
In this life. life life Of weary care and sorrow,
Let your mercy in the convict's lonely CELL
And may your souls with the angels ever dwell.
Forsaken by both God and man, the convict
With none to give cheering word nor lend a
helping hand
He seems to be an outcast that no one cares to
own
The agony and misers he suffers are unknown.
How often thoughts of childhood's days will
come to him again,
w hich cheer him while they last, but leave be-
hind singing pain
To think that all those happy times Of life he'll
never see
1t makes him curse the fate that robs him of
When mercy pleads with justice to spare the
awful rod,
Then man becomes, as shakespeare says, more
like unto his God"
If all the hearts of men could be seen by the
naked eye,
Some now who freely use the rod for mercy
then would cry.
Remember all are mortal and that none are
free from stain,
And none can say they're sure to see the rising
sun again.
Our earthly joys are only few, and life Is but
span;
Then let US hope they make some law 20 help
out every man.
The following was composed by Jack
Conners, who served fifteen years for piracy
| and was afterward drowned off the Twenty
third street dock in this city while trying to
| escape from arrest by some officers who
were pursuing him.
SING SING SOCIETY.
| I'm stopping at present as most of you know,
| Where the beautiful Hudson serenely does flow |;
| It's valleys and hills far aud near l can see,
| Which, candidly speaking, has charm for me.
| l listlessly gazs on the beautiful scene,
/ But bars 'twixt my vision and it intervene;
| long, like the birds OF the afr, to take wing,
And fly far away from you, old Sing Sing.
CHORUS.
Sing Sing! That's where the crooks 90:
Sing Sing Comforts take wing;
They fly away while do stay,
Paying the piper here in Sing Sing.
The reason I'm present with you here to-day,
l tried hard to live in number one way;
|
1 When hitched up together make but a bad pair
| And so / bethought me at once OF a scheme,
| To make the two work as an elegant team:
1 But in writing it up too much ink did sling,
| Which leaves me sojourning up in Sing Sing.
| In this place we've all kinds and conditions of
men;
Good knights Of the jimmy, the club and the
pen;
/ We've statesmen and con. men and artists
galore.
| And cashiers who failed to reach Canada g
| shore.
| We've bankers and brokers, boodlers in tribes,
/ And some of the slick reportoriai scribes;
| Musicians and editors, too, In the ring,
| All iumhled toRether I'D in Sing Sing.