The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-05-18
LIKES PRISON LIFE.
A MAN WHO STOLE IN ORDER TO
GET INTO JAIL.
Many Years q Convict-noutineo Of Penal
Servitude Pleased Him-Turned Out Into
the World. He Found That Liberty Had
Lost Its Charm.

the World, He Found That Liberty Had
Lost Its Charm.
"Thank God, am homo again! The
world is wide, but there is only one
home for me, and that is the pen.
These were the words spoken by
"Dr." William Carter when the prison
gates of San Quentin. CAL, closed OH
him recently. Carter is fascinating
subject for those who study criminals.
The man has a long record of crime.
He is now 30 years old and seven times
has served in the prisons of California.
His record. taken from the books at San
Quentin under his various aliases, reads
as follows:
1875-William Carter, poisoning
horse, Napa county, sentence ten years.
1SS4-Robert Freeman, stealing
horse, San joaquin county, sentence
three years.
1SSS-Robert Morris, stealing horse,
Alameda county, sentence six years.
1S9S-William Carter, embezzle-
ment, Butte county, sentence one year.
1S95-Robert 4. Ritchie, stealing n
horse, Merced county, sentence one
year.
ls96-Robert f. Ritohie, obtaining
horse and buggy under false pretenses,
Fresno county, sentence one year.
1S97-Robert Il. Burgess, stealing a
horse and buggy, Los Angeles county,
four years.
The aggregate of tho sentences re-
ceived by "Dr. Carter amounts to &c
years. The man has prominent friends
md relatives in Washington, but since
the day of his downfall he has never
communicated with them.
When young man, Carter came
west and got into trouble and state
prison for poisoning horse OH Il race
course. Since then he has been out of
the penitcntiary but few weeks at IA
time. He apparently enjoys life III the
penitentiary, and since his first convic-
tion he has always pleaded guilty to
the charge against him. They call him
"doctor" because he graduated from u
veterinary school.
a few weeks ago Carter was released
from San Quentin and went south. He
stole horse and buggy and disposed of
it. Then he went to deputy sheriff of
Los Angeles county and offered to give
information about horse thief for u re-
ward of so. The officer would not ac-
cept the offer, and the next day Carter
offered 10 give the information for a
drink of whisky. The deputy yielded
and asked:
"Now, where is your horse thief"
II am the man., replied Carter.
He told where he had stolen the horse
and buggy, his story was verified, and
| Carter pleaded guilty. He told the judge
| all about himself and got Off with sen.
tence of four years The officers were
all pleased to see old Doc at the prison,
for he is a visit ICON"
1T was just this way, boys" he said
when telling of his latest crime. "Whon
went ont some weeks ago, promised
myself to be an honest man. / struck
| at least 1000 men who were all hus-
tling for work like myself. / could not
get u job, and was going hungry.
did not propose to beg. l thought Ut my
old home in San Quentin: the Only pfuce
| where haze friends, aid I thought OF
my three meals day and safe shelter
at night, so 1 said to myself that
would quit tho struggle as free man
and seek rest ut MY old hoiIie. So
stole horse and buggy, told the eff
GERS about il, aud here ! am. SAN
Francisco Examiner.