The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1895-10-05
JESSE PomERoY.


Jesse Pomeroy, whose nendlsh crimes
startled the public over twenty years ago,
is about 10 enjoy relaxation, to degree,
Of the rigorous life which he has led in
the State prison 1t Charlestown since his
sentence was commuted from death by
hanging to solitary imprisonment for life.
Pomeroy Vas found guilty Of numbering
two children BY heinous methods and tor.
turing another in bloodthirsty manner.
His imprisonment has been very close,
and during all it, years be has borne it
with seeming indifference. He has been
closely guarded, and all possible avenues
of escape have been zealously looked at
ter. Owing to his fiendish nature, his
keepers have regarded him as particu-
larry dangerous prisoner, and have never
allowed him any visitors, and have paid
more personal attention to him than to
any other convict.
This close surveillance, it is said, has
given Pomeroy the impression that he
was considered an important prisoner in
the strictest sense of the word, and as
consequence, his bearing toward the Of
fcials has been bold.
Pomeroy's sentence contained one con-
dition, an equal of which is found only
in the sentence Of Mrs. Robinson, the
woman prisoner who is now in the Lowell
Jail for life, having been convicted Of
poisoning her family.
The condition allowed Pomeroy an
hour in the yard each day, under guard
of an officer. Pomeroy refused to accept
the condition, stubbornly declaring that
he would not go into the yard unless he
could 60 alone and fraternize with the
other prisoners. Since then he has re-
NAMED in his cell, visited only by the
officers of the prison.
Now, however, Warden Bridges, who
has just finished very successful two
years. administration of affairs at the
prison, proposes to shed little light into
the life of Pomeroy, believing that 1t Is a
wiser and better policy so to do.
As first step, Warden Bridges has re.
moved Pomeroy to one of the cells in the
new addition, which has just been COM
pleted. This addition is building de-
signed on an extremely modern plan for
refractory prisoners.
The next step which the warden will
take for Pomeroys interest will be to get
permission from the governor and his
council to give Pomeroy certain amount
of work to perform each day. This will
be radical move, inasmuch as it is con-
sidered to constitute Encouragement of
the sentence. It is understood that Pom
eroy will welcome the expected change
with much satisfaction. Heretofore all
his walking hours have been devoted to
reading.
Warden Bridges will also offer to Pom
eroy the privilege of turn in the yards
with the new addition. He will
be allowed an hour in the open air each
day, always accompanied by an officer.
The warden has not made up his mind
as to the class of work that shall be given
to the convict. He says, however, that in
his opinion various branches of work
might be taught him in a short time.
Warden Bridges says that Pomeroy is in
general an excellently behaved prisoner.
He is of u taciturn disposition, and has
often told the warden that he did not
wish to see any one.
The warden says that Pomeroy is read
ing books Of higher tone than was for
merly his custom. He said that Pomeroy
had told him that he was led to commit
the crimes through reading the yellow
covered type of literature. He has ex-
pressed to the warden his regret that the
public should believe he was born with
such fiendish nature. Boston Traveller.