Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-08-09
STORY OF ALLEGED WRONGS.
w. q. Symonds Served i'm Prison for a
Crime Which He Denies Having Committed

~
Crime Which He Denies Having Committed.
If the story told by William George symonds,
ex-convict of the eastern penitentiary in Phila-
delphia, is true he has been greatly wronged by
the law. After serving n three years sentence
for a burglary which he says he never com
mitted. he now desires an investigation Of the
charges against him in order only to restore 10
him the good character which he claims he
always before his conviction possessed The
burglary of which he wv convicted, he now be-
heves, or at least says he has been informed.
was committed by Purnell. the notorious col
ored burglar who recently sentenced to
forty years imprisonment for a serious Of bur
glaries one ofwhich came near sending to prison
another innocent man.
When Symonds came out Of prison last Thurs
day he Immediately called on Richard vaux.
president of the board of inspectors of the east
ern penitentiary, and stated he had been inno-
Gently convicted and badly treated during his
term of imprisonment.
Yesterday SyInonds who is an Englishman.
again called on Mr.. Vaux with q letter from
Capt. Chpperton, the British consul, which
stated that the bearer had claimed to be a Brit
ish subject. had shown an honorable discharge
from the English army after eight years serv-
ice. had claimed to have been innocent of the
he had been badly treated at the penitentiary
Mr.. Naux Immediately investigated the
charges of bad treatment Mt the penitentiarv
and last night stated that there was not a word
of truth in the accusation.
''Symonds." said Mr.. Vaux "was one of those
unfortunate beings who are ALWAYS unhappy,
under conditions which do not suit them. " Mr.
Naux said that a report of Symonds' conduct
and treatment at the penitentiary will be sent
to Consul Chpperton today. The report will
positively deny ill-treatment. Mr.. Vaux will
not investigate the claim that Symonds was
innocent when convicted. He said that was not
in his province.
Symonds was sentenced on December 8, 1889.
to three years Imprisonment by the court at
Media Delaware county. Pa. on the charge of
breaking into the wine cellar of his employer
Murray Rush of ST. Dayid's, and with stealing
harness from the stable.
Symonds says he was born in Manchester,
England, and after serving eight years in the
English army. during which he was presented
with number of honor medals. he was honor
ably discharged and subsequently, came TO Phil
adelphia.
On September II. 1889. he was employed by
Murray Rush coachman. On October IA the
wine cellar of Mr.. Rush was broken into. On
October 10 Symonds, who had been given no.
tice TO quit on account of a weakness in his eve
sight, which was Objectionable to Mrs. Rush,
advertised for situation. On October 20 two
on October % Symonds was arrested by De-
tective Lewis kershaw for burglary. He claims
that he not only had nothing TO do with il. but
was convicted on the strength OF a portion Of
Mr.. Rush's night shirt and a horse blanket
found among his effects. The night shirt he
said. was given to him by Mrs. Rush to make
bandages for the horses leg, which had been
injured by q fall. He was tried on December
3 following, convicted and sentenced on the
same day.
During his imprisonment he claims he was ne
elected when needing treatment, was black
lacked, doused with cold water and generally
maltreated.
Whether he was innocent or not of the crime
for which he paid the penalty, he certainly was
at one time an honored and brave soldier il he
is who he says he is and the medals and dis
charge from the army are his. The discharge
shows that he served eight years and 202 DAVIS
from the time he sixteen years old in the
tenth hussars. OF that time there were six
years service in Indian and thesAfghan and
Egyptian campaigns. He has the Egyptian and
Afghan service medals and the star. He says
that with the disgrace of an imprisonment
hanging over him he cannot bear to wear the
emblems Of his past honor. He strongly main
tains his innocence and says he can bear the
loss of three years Of his life il he can but
brighten the future by clearing his character
and restoring his honor.
So far as his charges OF cruelty at the peni-
Tertiary are concerned. however. an ex-o16cer
Of the Institution who was thoroughly &C.
quainted with Symonos gave 6ymonds . bad
character while he IVES serving his three years
santcnca