Waterbury evening Democrat., 1892-02-22
BIDWELL IS HAPPY
The Bank of England Forger
 Reaches His Old Home.
HE DESCRIBES HIS PRISON LIFE.
For the First Time in Nineteen Years He
 Breathss the A of Freedom

Bidwell Says He Will Live Quietly Until
 He Can Arrange to Make an Honest
 Living, Being Determined to Keep in
 the Straight Path in Future-May Go
 Into the Lumber Supply Business in
 Chicago.
 HARTFORD, Conn.,, Feb. 22- Austin Bidwell, the Bank of England forger who arrived from England on the Etruria, has reached his old home in East Hart ford. He left here twenty years ago, and nineteen years of the time he has passed within English prison walls, alternating between Newgate, Pentonville and Ehatham.
 He came from New York in company with his brother George, who was re, leased in 1887, and has since become known as an author and lecturer. He was also accompanied by his sister, Mrs. Mott, who has passed the last four years in England working for her brothers s release. She is a gray haired old lady, with kind, sympathetic face.
 He wore a London suit of large plaid and appeared more like typical English tourist than an American, and affected the English accent. During the three months he has been out of prison he has grown full beard, which is tinged with gray. The prison pallor disappeared during the sea voyage.
 'When was released,' said Mir. Bid well, ''I was hurried aboard the train and through London to Liverpool. where 1 was placed on board the Etruria l was not permitted to stop anywhere or speak to anybody until I reached the steamer. Then the officer handed my ticket-of-leave to me, and l was for the first time in nineteen years at liberty. II he official document accompanying my ticket-of- leave informed me that I must never again set foot in Great Britain or any of her colonies. The government gave me no clothing on my release. My friends furnished the suit I am wearing The only thing I received was e6 cash, and my friends paid my passage to America. This was my compensation for nineteen years hard labor. My sister, Mrs Mott, joined me at Liverpool The voyage across was rough and l had d hard time My brother George met me and we took the first train for Hartford Il am now determined to aid in secur- ing the release of Mcdonald and Moves, who were convicted with my brother aud myself, and when George lectures on Thursday evening of this week at Chick | ering Hall 1 shall join him on the plat form
 What are your future intentions?' 'l shall live quietly for awhile until can arrange to make an honest living l was in the lumber supply business in Chicago before the great fire, and it is possible that 1 may locate in that city again and start in business. My friends are anxious to assist me. Hereafter | shall keep to the straight path have had my lesson, although it was more severe than was warranted by he facts. v What was your treatment ill prison5' ''l was so careful to obey the regula- 1 tions that got along easily. For the past eight years 1 have had d compara- I lively easy time as head man in the Chatham cook house, and have been well | fed and we'll treated. To this attribute my present excellent health and condi- tion rather than to any excellence of the prison system. Chatham is very bad for | the men, physically and morally" ''Is there anything that appears strange to you on regaining your free l dom:''
 ''l am delighted with everything. The | first thing 1 wanted when I got ashore was oysters. 1 never tasted one for nine teen years Electric lights are great curiosity to me, and have never seen a l telephone. Railroad trains are faster than they were and the elevated trains ill New York are simply marvellous. And the people, after nineteen years expert ence with prison suits, appear by con trast to be a lot of aristocrats."