The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-06-19
JON JoNsoN AND HIS PIGEONS.
Pathetic Story of a Life Convict and
His Biped Friends
From the New York Times


Columbus, Ohio, June 9.-When Jon
Jonson stepped outside the Ohio peniten-
tiary Monday morning, free man, after
over nineteen years solitude in a virtual
tomb, one of the most unique and inter
esting incidents in the history of that in
Stituuion came to an end. For nearly
decade Jonson has been one of the char
acters of the place. He was the only
Swede in the prison, life man" SEN
fenced in Cleveland for the murder of a
friend in drunken quarrel.
During the last ten years he has been
known TO all as the old pigeon man"
The mutual devotion of birds and
keeper was one of the pathetic sights of
the prison.
When Jonson was committed, he was a
man of much strength and vitality. He
left the institution a physical wreck.
Ten years of hard labor had something to
do with the change, but the injuries re-
ceived in 1885, during mutiny in one of
the shops, when Jonson saved Guard
Brooks life, nearly at the cost of his own,
was the most potent factor in reducing
the man from a condition of vigor to one
of feebleness. His service was recog-
nized, and he was given an easy position
in the prison kitchen.
Shortly after the old man was assigned
81
he had done a kindness sent him pair of
young pigeons. With nothing else in the
world TO center his affections upon, Jonson
became greatly attached to the birds.
In the broad gable of the low kitchen he
fixed a small box for pigeon cote, and
the great flock which now inhabits not
only this gable, but many crannies and
crevices about the shops and outer walls,
thus had its beginning.
old FaA ,.,Al co. IL,
devotedly as if they were his children.
They multiplied, and Others came to Join
the colony, until there were over 300 last
week when Gov. Mckinley pardOned
Jonson, at the earnest solicitation of the
Grand Army posts of Cleveland, Jonson
having been a member of the Fifth New
York Heavy Artillery during the war.
1t was touching sight in the old gray
prison when Jon Jonson fed his pigeons.
He knew each bird by name, and they
would fly down about the bent, white
haired old man to be fed from his hands.
Oftentimes a dozen would be perched
about his shoulders or on his arms, wait
ing for the morSels he delighted to give
them. When surrounded thus Jonson
seemed, for the time, to forget his dis
grace and confinement.
The love of the birds for their prison
surroundings was almost beyond belief.
In all their flights, they were never
known to go outside the encircling wall.
Nothing could tempt them away, and
even when pair had been taken by a
member of the board of managers TO Gin
cinnati, they found their way back. and
were at home in the cote the day after
they were given their freedom in the
Queen City.
Il believe the old man would have gone
mad" Supt. Munshower of the prison
kitchen said, "if the pigeons had been
taken away from him He knew each
one by name, and could tell the age of
every one of the 100 or more that had
been Matched about the prison, and the
time when each new recruit had joined
the cote His knowledge OF the birds and
their affection for him were wonderful
'srhe only time in nine years that ever
saw the old man angry was about i've
years ago, when a negro, at the request
of the warden. captured half dozen
pairs one night without Jonson's knowl-
edge. The old man was in tears the next
morning when l found him out here by
the cote. One of his old pets had been
taken and he was disconsolate. / told
the warden about it. The pigeons had
not yet been sent away, and Jonson was
finally allowed to select those be cared
least for and given back the dozen cap
tured by stealth"
With Jonson's departure for the sol
diers' home at Dayton this morning, how
ever, the pigeon cote will be abolished,
and the old man 'spets viii be disposed of
to the hotels and restaurants. The few
dollars they will bring will go to Jonson.
"Sir" said the indignant constituent -
am compel.e1 to say that you nave acted
part OF a knave."
Great Jonah, replied the as.onished con
gresham, would YOU have me be fool;'-
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