The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-06-10

said. CHANGING into the other cell into
which his door leads, and pointing his fin
ger to solitary gas jet. he exclaimed:
There, that is all the light they will give
me- It's shame"
Po leroy told how when he found a
book that was interesting he would s.. on
the floor of his cell, close up TO the iron
bars in the door, and strain his eyes in
his attempt TO read. Time and time
again, he complained, the light was
turned very low and he was obliged TO
throw his book TO a corner of his cell. He
spoke with earnestness, and as il the OIL
Gals had no right to deprive him Of the
light.
WHY HE IS DENIED LIGHT.
On the morning of Nov. 10, 1881, with
tools that he had made, he succeeded in
saving the bars of his cell. He had also
arranged the gas so that an explosion
took place. Just what his purpose was in
causing the explosion no one knew, for he
| had the bars of his cell cut, and would
have got into the corridor had not the ex-
plosIon, which followed about that time,
partly deprived him of consciousness. The
records OF his attempts TO escape show
that it was solely because OF this that he
was deprived of the light.
WAS it not because OF the explosion in
your cell2" the reporter asked, THAT your
light was taken away2"
at may be" Pomeroy answered, "but
they are afraid"
Back to the subject of books went the
conversation. This time the question,
''What kind of books do you read2' was
asked. His answer was that he was fond
of anything of mechanical nature, and
had studied every book in the building in
which that subject is referred to. He
told how by the use of Rrammars, he had
learned three languages and could trans
late fairly well. He could talk but little,
however, in any Of them, because his
pronunciation was bad and he had no OPP
portunity TO improve. He knew the
books, however, by heart. His object in
learning these languages, he said, was
that some day he was confident he would
be liberated, and then the more he knew
the better off he would be. The law was
not of sufficient power to keep him there
all Of his life, he maintained, and some
day he would be able to show it.
WANTS TO PLEAD HIS OWN CAUSE.
Pomeroy then referred to the time
when an application was made to the
prison commissioners for his release on
the ground that a statute provided that
no person should be sentenced to solitary
confinement in prison for period of more
than twenty days, ami because he had
been confined so many years they had no
right TO keep him in prison longer. He
had studied the public statutes and knew
what he was saying, he said. A wicked
look came into his eye, and he finished
with the words: If would like an oppor-
tuuit to argue my own case before those
who have the power TO judge on such
matters. That's all | ask"
Ia no way do the officers of the prison
fear Pomeroy. He is ugly at times, but
when in an ugly mood, he is left 10 him
self to do what he pleases and TO get as
much comfort from his solitude as he can.
II is an old trick of his to make a noise,
to play sick, TO attempt TO escape, in fact
to do anything he can think of TO get the
officers near him. At times In the past
he seemed to fear being left alone, and all
of these tricks he practiced from time TO
time solely for the purpose of getting an
officer stationed as guard over him. OF
late years these tricks are practiced but
seldom He knows the officers are used
toithem.
Pomeroy SCOTS at religion and laughs in
the face of the chaplain. That much be-
loved gentleman in the institution seldom
visits him. And so the story of his prison
life goes on. Since 1875 he has had only
to eat, drink, sleep, write, think and try
to escape. Some day, he says, he will
succeed, but if he does gee from the prison
without an officer seeing him he will nave
TO run the gauntlet Of bullets for the orders
are that he shall be shot without hesita-
ton if he once gets into the yard.