The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-12-12
A GENERATION IN PRISON.
AUNT POLLY FRIsCH BEGINS LIFE
ANEW At 6S.

People and the Buildings Surprise Her.
Aunt Polly Frisch. who was released from
the Kings county penitentiary on Saturday
after spending thrty.three years In prison. Is
slight little woman. 90 years old with dark
blue eyes. pleasant face. and gray hair. Her
appeals for pardon were presented to each
new Governor OF this State regularly for twen-
ty-fve years. and at last Gov Flower par
doned her
Aunt Polly was accused In 1850 OF poisoning
one OF her children. The attempt was also
made at that time to show that she had pois-
oned another child and her husband. both OF
whom had died suddenly about fifteen months
earlier. Their bodies we're exhumed. but tho
trnces OF arsenic. which 1t was alleged
she used. were so slight that no evidence
could be found against her. 1t was proved
however. that Mrs. Frisch had poisoned one
OF her children. and utter four trials she was
convicted and sentenced to be hung. Not
until then was her sanity questioned.
To-day Mrs. Frisch would not have been
tried at ALL" said Lawyer Foster j. Backus
yesterday. Her sanity would have boon
questioned. and she would havo been treated
as sick woman and not as a criminal"
But it was not until an application for elem.
ency was made to Gov. Morgan that an inves-
tigation as to her sanity was made. An expert
from New York pronounced her insane. and
her sentence was committed to Imprisonment
for life. She was sent to Sing Sing. and IN
1878. with number OF other liteterm female
conyicts, was transferred to the Kings county
penitentiary
There is no doubt now as to the woman's
sanity nor has there been for many years. DR..
Honor l. Bartlett. the physician at the peni-
Tertiary. assured Gov. Flower that Mrs.
Frisch was in full possession Of her mental
faculties and that there was no reason to
believe that she would again become mentally
unbalanced. Mrs. Frsch said yesterday that
her release was In answer to her prayers.
Lawyer Foster L. Bnckus was the instrument
through whom she finally obtained her
pardon.
Mr.. Backus became interested In Mrs.
Frisch's story flvo years ago. when he visited
tho penitentiary one day with his wife, To
Mrs Backus she told the story OF her many
was not DISCOURAGED BY her failures. however;
and she said that she was confident that God
Mr.. Backus looked up the evidence IN her
case and became convinced mat IL WIS
hat sho
she was only IL years old. During the next
twelve. years she bore him seven children.
broke down. Mrs. frisch's father spent most
Of his little fortune in Paying the expenses sset to
prison She was without influence and almost
without friends.
few years that she spent at Sing sing She is
unwilling to talk about that neriod OF her I'M
prisonment now. Her HE in the kings s County
She had two cells in the row set aside on the
lower tier Of the womens prison Tor eiemma ..
FrIsch has occupied one OF these cells as y
sleeping room and the other as reception
r yiohi days She Was Very proud o! her little
reception room. over the door we're huns sn9,wy
Whit, nsat ayd e en- he was wero
s one n WIN uopEs IRA ! there ss Ts5s
signed to the hospital. and she believes t nat
by her earH and Lrsyets she Gtonea en- aoT h he1
patient t your. Eli. was supposed to be sick
beyond cure. Mrs. Fri,ch says that she saved t
and and day. ana tic rirl recovered. Tho prison
authorities have found her in every respect
model IA me- d 1uet uno az
It was feared that Mrs. ,Frisch was not
strong enough to bear the shock q hef SIIoa
obtained her pardon from Coy. Flower, on
Friday. but he REACHED the prison too late
s sl assrnps and Mrs FrseE Who had
Received no :ntimation q the good
o osTs WAS Y: sasmHhsa IT, fs had
been looking ont, f1r hcr interest in he. her
es1as and sGS aous he nt was the
o onIa and sat down. Mr. Backus told h,r that
he wanted her to sign paper necessary for
Frisch signed it, and then M Backus said:
in aH yanI snd hs S. t Woud
You You" say II he refused to pardon you q"
II should say" answered Mrs. Frisch. that
he refused because he thought that was I'M
What would you say II he, pard?ned you"
81 should say" answered Mrs. Frisch slowly;
!":HHere is what Gov. Flower said in writing
about your case" said Mr.. Backus. handing
IA Aunt mt Folly untolded her hands, which had
been resting on her lap. dropped them at her
chair. She was silent for half a minute. Then
"I"i.I have forgotten my glasses. and
She listened intently as Mr. Backus read the
pardon. and then she said simply:
There was no sign of unusual emotion ex-
cent the hands convulsvely c!utchnG the
f Perfectly =" Su!et. Warden Hayes and the Ma
iron watched her closely. Mrs Frisch slowly
mch o e %d snd
prison bars that liberty came to her as some-
thing difficult to understand. She accented it
that She did not want to leave the penitentiary
Aunt 70 !y went back to her little reception
room packed up some OF he ,h thiGGs; and gave
she she knew She dressed herself in ' neat baeH
gown and bonnet which had been furnished by
gentleman who had been interested In her
called for her.
Aunt Polly babe good by to the Warden and
her other friends. She was not half as excited
about her pardon as they WERE MIR: Backus
had invited her to go to his house in Flat bu sh
for few days. AS he helped her into his sur
rev. which was standing ut the gate. he said:
Aunt Polly. where do you want to 20 first 2"
II should like first TO see DR.. Burtlctts
house." answered Mrs. Frisch.
and he has been very kind to Mrs, Frisch. Mr..
Enskms droHs through the Ea5f and down
Mrs frs,h was too fun CHE, Of her new sense d
world. The busy streets and the long blocks OF
tall buildings amazed her. Mrs. Frisch began
eaw something OF the change that has been
wrought IN the generation which she has
lived behind closed gates. she was astonished
When she reached Mr.. Backus's house the
called on her. Mr.. Bass said that his wife was
sick. Mrs. Friseh had Ire received ,f an invitation
her to spend two weeks at her house. but she