The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-07-10

THRIFT in PRISON
Convict Discovered Selling
Delicacies to Fellow
Prisoners.
BETRAYED BY HIS cELLHATE
How He Managed to Get
the Goods From
Outside.

~
Especial to "The Jersey City News.'1
trenton. July 10, 1s9s.-Thomas >.
dark q prisoner in the New Jersey State
rsan sentenced by a United States
kourt for completely in abstraction OF
moi, 900 from the First National Banh y
Dover. Del. and served a five year SEN
tence. has startled the governing ooaro
of the New Jersey States Prison py an
achievement that reads like a chapter
from a fairy story. 1t Is nothing less
than the establishment of an 'uuuer-
ground commercial system in the prison
bv which delicacies of all chosen kinds
were served to Clark and a few OF those
whom he took into his confidence
There is some doubt as to whether the
conspiracy by which the transaction was
erected embraced deputy keepers in the
nrison but the names of two are men
tioned who may be charged with negil-
gence in permitting the success OF the
scheme. These are Major Alexander A.
Yard of Monmouth county, and Johnson
Bergen OF Mercer county
The Board of Inspectors Of the prison,
as soon as they learned of the affair, ap-
pointed a committee last THURSDAY. OF
which Major Anderson was made chair
man. The committee will examine into
the matter tomorrow and report at the
next meeting Of the board.
The /. scheme of Clark was the most
audacious in copception and the boldest
In execution of any ever devised by a
State prisoner where the aim was not es-
q ~ On discovery he was removed from
the position of trust he had been favored
-rE 80 ~a.+ e., n call Nv T1fln<nif.
Clark was attendant at the gateway
where teams drew in and out and was un-
der the charge of Major Yard. His cen
was in the old wing, numbered four, IN
when johnson Bergen has charge of the
prisoners. He succeeded with or Withpus
the knowledge of these deputies IN get
ting many delicacies into his cell, ana
from thence into the cells OF the otnef
prisoners. From what is known OF the az
Fair. it is thought that Clark ingratlated
himself with The drivers of some OF the
or leave it with the commodities that are
made in the prison. In this way ne sue
ceeded in getting communication by letter
with friends on the outside OF the prison,
such Anissfves. He received in this way
tt& means to start his underground de-
paftment store, and he was soon IN re-
ceipt of various delicacies calculated to
make the mouth of the convict USED TO
the plain prison fare water
Sugar was one of the ~luxuries. as much
as ten pounds being served to a convict at
one time. Broiled saad. cherry roly-poly
and canned chicken and other delicacies
were among the contraband goods that
fickled the paiates of the convicts.
An arrangement was invented by which
the gas in the cells could be used to heat
the contents of the cans that taste best
hot. In the same cell with Clark is
Colonel Cooper, convicted of the same
offense as the wonderful purveyor and
sentenced to eighteen months. He knew
of the AFFAIR, and when Clark let his good
things out TO the other prisoners Wing
1 cautioned him.-His caution was un-
needed and the game was discovered.