The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-05-27

ne 10 Cheerful and Wen Liked and Keeps
on W Working Mt the Law.

their connections with tho outside world have
not been brokc on of so completely as in the case
OF convicts who have served many years Of n
| long term. One of these lawyers has not only
| not cut of his connection with the world oUt-
| side. but hc spends his spare time in the
prison In reading moro law and in working Mt
law papers. He docs not get fees Tor the ser
vices in money. but II is pleasure for him o
work at his profession rather than to
sit around and think idly during the moments
| when he Ia not doing the taska imposed upon
! him by tho prison officials II speaks highly
| for the reputation for ability and shrcwdness
! that this lawyer has that not Only has lie pre-
| pared his own case on appeal and prepared
tho cases Of other prisoners. but lawyers IN
| New York who know him from time 10 time
ask him to get up bills OF exceptions in cases
| on appeal for them
This interesting convict ia Abraham Suy-
| dam. He is serving n fvc-ycnr sentence for
grand larceny on July II. 1882. His expert
encc shows some otthc detects OF tho criminal
| laws Of tho State. though rs he said. It is not
| so much tho dcprvng him of his liberty as
| that IL GrIeves him as n lawyer to SEQ any one
| committed TO Sing Sing with such a disregard
| OF tho nicctirs ot the criminal law as was
| shown in his case. Although he was CON
! victed ia November l'<.a'. Il. was not sent 10
Sing Sing nn,il May -. 1891. The interval he
| spent in the Tonb- and did u fairly large law
business thcrc advising Other prisoners and
consulting about their "usrs.
In Sing Sing h" is Ia KIDD ON rs n great au-
thorty on Grim mai law. and he is preparing n
brief for james l.. nelcll. another lawyer who
is serving sentence of iwcni live years for
forgery. au1 Is crushed by it. while Suy-
dam Is bright, chilrrr. and intellectually
active. Both he and icdcll are at work on the
books OF the prison. TIA. highest class Of ON.
ploymcnt thee. They are we'll liked by tho
officials. rs they cause no trouble
In speaking Of the lawyers and other edn.
Gated men among the convcts. one OF the
keepers said: I've have little enough trouble
with any OF the prisoners. but tn. most easy to
handle OF all are men who had soma social and
intellectual standing before they came here.
Lawyers. bankers. and business men under
stand their situation aud tho necessity for dis
cipline in n prison and the advantages that
they will get from the Communication for good
behavior. We never have any trouble with
them. They are nil anxious to be well re.
garded in prison and TO get out as soon as
possible"
All the convicts have the privilege OF taking
the books from tho prison library and OF hav-
ing books sent to them by their friends.
Usually such reading as the prisoners do is TO
pass away the time when they are not work.
novels or books on religion. 1t is rare that
any one OF them reads technical works which
would be OF benefit to him afterwnrl
Suydam is an exception to the mass OF the
prisoners. Ho has a copy OF the New York
Code and n few law books. which he reads in
stead OF novels or religious books after he has
finished his days work on the prison books.
The other lawyers who have seen tho papers
which he has drawn in prison say that they
are very shrcwd and able. Recently lawyer
for whom he had done somo work called and
asked him to take part in another case. VIII ch
he declined on the ground that tho Warden
would not permit him to take part in litigation
IN which the man who was responsible for
mitted was involved. He also does not take
money tees for his work. as no does. not think
bars him unless It is reversed. His mental at
titude toward his imprisonment is SO dilIer-
prison officials are greatly interested.
The last Iapers which he drew were drawn |
three or four days ago when he prepared his
Clerk. He had heard that his counsel was. iii |
and had not been able TO take care OF all of his |
business for some time. and he was uncertain |
VI the notice OF appeal which has to be |
So. to make sure. he drew IN the regular no. |
tees Of appeal and had them forwarded TO the
m eht not loso any OF his technical rights.
Among the cases WHICH Suydam had in his |
the n musde he
Greenwald case in which he secured Q re-
ggsrsaI the Nnr"n case and the case Of the
getting $3.50 from firm OF builders on a con- |
tract to sell them property on Chatham street |
owned i by his aunt which he was not author
TToH Sent Sent ~ 1880; until May 10. 1891 he was
tia, before Judge lowing in .Sevember.
Ss aGa he the sPpe in his
after year and half Of service in the Tom ia
The REGULAR Tombs criminal LAWYERS We're
he had interferred a good deal with their prac-
tice IN the Tomts by giving advice TO prison
had gone to Sing Sing as soon as he was con.
victed his time would DO up next, year with
library at Sing Sing when Chief Keeper Con.
naughton took In the reporter of THE SUN
were glad to have the opportunity to state the
legal nsp Pc 4 his case to some one who was
cste to the PstriGt Attorney and County
18th Of May. and wanted to DO snro that my
appeal would get In on time. 1t is not liberty
that am after SO much as Judicial determi-
aont waat that i ihsmen to s ssa nj my It esG
mean thing; ! shall have III" case carried to
papers. There was no evidence on which to
convict me. as it was not proven on the trial
that represented that had already author.
ity to sell my aunt's property. All that really
said was that wonld get authority TO sell It.
Imprisonment here isn't SO bad after all.
am having Ms pleasant n time as any one can
considering the circumstances: but object to
the delay that it has taken to get a final Ju-
dicial determination Of my case. ! was tried
IN November. lSs!. After my conviction J got
new trial. Judge Cowiug did not decide that
until on in March. Then it took the General
Term siX. months T. decide the. appeal. All
This time was in ill.," romhs. In case the
Cour, Of Appeals decides against m. shall
appeal to the Governor to take into considora-
ton the time that served in the, Tnmhs TO
shorten my sentence. fGt, aitrr al, It Is n"t
for Judicial decentralization tha, an Iignt; ;,o
case of James L. B.'!"!l IN his arr'Iration for
q pardon IN the grounI,Il tha'' hayin& med
der the wei! -known rule which was lald DOWN
again Only rer"n,ly lay ii"r"r'!"r smith IN the
ca so IT Wallace W! o. having t"sti,"d against
Poll. who i, now here. haH a" indictment
against him dismissed. E"t"ll'- case is the
....i f'a,I ti.s u