The evening world., 1892-06-01
APENNyWEICHT MAN,
He Has Reformed and Lives Now
at the Home Of Industry.
An institution In Which Ex-Convicts
Find Shelter.
Darwin j. Meserole Is Superintend-
ent of the Home.

prooklyn Home OF Industry is now located,
there is o "pennyweight" man.
The Home was established last December
for the benefit OF eX-convicts, aud affords a
Judgment to many poor fellow who mas
been turned out Of prison and cannot find
anywhere else 10 CO. Darwin j. Meserole,
the slayer OF Theodore Larblg, is manager
and treasurer, and j. COnnor superintendent.
There was a hOuse-warming last week upon
the occasion OF the removal OF the institution
from its old quarters at HOyt ana Livingston
streets 20 It's present and far better location.
since then the inmates have settled down to
work again and the concern Is running like
clockwork
The "pennyweight " man was sick to-day
and an EVENING WORLD reporter called to
inauire after his condition. Augustus Set2 is
the name the invalid gives. MIR. seit1 is very
ioauaclous and cordial. He rose to sitting
posture and extended his honest, reformed
right hand In welcome.
"wbat cau do for you ?" he inquired.
"Tell me a story" said the reporter, drop
ping into chair.
Don't know thing. Don't know what is
story for a newspaper, anyway"
"Tell me some man In this Home now who
has a long record-somethlng out OF the
usual. I don't care for small fry."
"Pm the man you want. I have got a
record. You'd think so, II you'd served as
many hours, days, weeks, months and years
10 jail as have. I've done many Job and
many a bit In a good many different coOps."
6eitz was not complaining OF hard luck.
II there was not a CLEAN OF pride In his eye
It would be hard to say to what human emo
zion the light that had come there while lie
spoke was due. lie talked rapidly and loud
enough to be heard by others OF less impor-
tAnee in adjoining rooms.
"les, sir, was a pretty active penny
weight man." he continued.
Explain what you mean by penny
weight man."
THAT was my line, the trick used to
turn"
"What Is the trick p
"Dont know what pennyweighting is
Jewelry, OF course. Lifting 1t. That suits
ME better than anything else. I've walked
out Of mems stores with 200, 81 800 yes,
sl,SOO and $1,000 on me. mean, that Is
what would get out OF It, and | never got
more than 80 per cent. OF the money after
running all the risk"
"Were the tricks you refer to the ones for
which you served time?"
"NO. I've had better luck on big Jobs than
on little ones. A man don't get caught his
hrst time. or course not, that's understood
You may do good many things before you
get caught"
allow much time have you ever sorved?"
"SiXteen years. was In Joliet Prison, the
State Prison Of Marty land, Columbus, o.;
pf al,
at Philadelphia. People hear good deal
about Sing Sing. There are lots OF worse
places than that.
"fou have no pleasant recOllections OF
Moyamensing? Did you stay long enough to
get acQualDtedf"
81 stayed long enough-thirty-two months
but my circle OF acqudintances was not
very large when came out. When a man
enters his cell In that prison on the first day
he never comes out until the DAY he is set
Tree. Charles Dickens said 1t would Kill any
man TO stay In one of those cells five years.
know man who stayed In one over thirty
years. SO you can't tell what man can
stand"
"You never did anything but steal In the
criminal line, did you?"
mo, scarcely nothing"
Never killed anybody"
"ob, no, not yet, and don't think ever
VIII now. Ever since was converted at Hoyt
and Livingston streets last December have
oeen honest with God and man"
Af' seltz here displayed q disposition to re-
ispse Into religious ecstasies. lie slapped
himself on the chest, turned his eyes 70
nea'en and thanked God that all danger was
past so rar as he was concerned
nc mas lived at every Home for ex-convicts
ESTABLISHED since old Michael Dunn, reformed
o"'giar' started the first In San Francisco
many years ago, and he has changed his resi-
uehce from Home to prison several times, he
says But this time he knows IN his heart Of
nearts that there can be no backsIidlng.
"hcn a man is honest with God he cannot
entertain thought OF evil.
NO one could sing the praises OF the homes
iofeN'conylcts and OF their founder. Michael
punn, more loudly than the " pennyweight :
man does lie seems to look upon himself as
part OF them.
There's johnny Hogan, downstairs" he
sN'a' y lie mas had three months liberty IN
4'o"rS' lie Is house mun. Well, Hogan
sNs 10 M: This Is great place, SeltA' /
'o'u MN IL would be home for him as long
49,, ~Np' su"lS am tlrHl or being In
!Hn, ne said. = must have more liberty |
wa MIN to make IN his mind to let the old
pat alone, and we shook hands on #
NOW there Is not more honest man in
brooklyn than Johnny.
But for these places a man coming out Of
Hnoh couldn't get work. or any place TO eat
', "eep II he got a place, an honest detcc-
'e would come round and tell MS employer
suA' he had a Jail-blrd in his house. The very
.Aen VINO tell YOU the town is down and TO 20
SUI 10 your work because they have got to
14Ae living will do that when they find an
'A'eoh at work in business house"
How many men have you in the Home
now, Seitz1"
About sixteen"
whats their lay7"
uiuerent kinds. We have house man
s,soyaokers' pennyweights, scratchers,
'"ong Arms and pushers."
one thing l want TO tell you" said the
weight man at parting. "Thls Home Is
TSuucted on broader basis than the others.
cnS.I nolhes were started for the benert OF ex-
Sue only, We throw the doors omen 10
1Ns,.N Oums, tramps, or anybody who needs
S.., Ss.'i.cr, We don't bar any man Just aeeau,e