The Savannah morning news., 1901-09-06
ABE BUzzARD OUT OF JAIL.
WELSH MOUNTAIN OUTLAW SAYS
HE'S GOING TO BE GOOD.


Reading, Pa, Aug. 29-Abe Buzzard,
who has just finished his latest SEN
tence in the Eastern penitentiary ar
rived in this city this week. He is
40 years old now, thirty years of
which he has been in custody, either
awaiting trial or serving sentence. He
entered the penitentiary at Philadel-
phia to serve his last sentence on a
Sunday and seven years later got his
liberty on last Sunday. Then he Wis
tied a few places of his early man.
hood and then came on to Reading, full
of courage, and he says with a stout
heart and an earnest intention of be-
coming a good citizen"
For years the Buzzard boys were no
torious on the Welsh mountain. With
them were a dozen other lawless men
who knew no fear. To-day a halt
dozen of the band of marauders, just
out of the penitentiary, are having a
vacation on the Welsh mountain and
will shortly seek honest employment If
they can get it. Abe BuzZard, their
once famous leader, will do the same.
In a long conversation Abe, after his
arrival here. said:
Never mind the past. What has
been done cannot be undone. l only
look to the future now. AS you see
1 am in good health. If 1 am 49 years
old, 1 feel still young and active.
am sure the Christian people will for
give the past, if / try to do my part.
1 will try to get job and work faith
fully Surely the world will not turn
me down when it sees that I am pen
itent for the past, that / have reform
ed and that l am willing to earn my
bread.
ITO speak the truth, all my tricks
of the past were not done with de-
sire to harm any one. We were born
and brought up on the hills. We were
fond of a wild life. The opportunitd
for tricks was ours, and we went on
and on. Our hearts were not wicked,
but we lacked the religious or the CIV
iiizing influences that you people in
the cities enjoy, and what more could
you expect? Our parents were good
people, as mountaineers go, but they
could not restrain so much eager VI
tality as was centered in a half dozen
careless and tricky sons, so they must
not be blamed.
II have no desire for notoriety, or
to see 'scarehead articles in the news
papers about me. l intend to be a
good citizen, and as such. l am enti-
tied, l think, to be let alone. and not
exploited as a reformed outlaw or any
thing of that kind. 1 only wish to
be a plain citizen with some work to
do Since my arrival here l have
been staying at my sons house. Here
1 met my brother Ike. This is Ike
sitting on this rocking chair He is
weak and ill, stone blind and paral-
lyzed. Poor fellow, he has done about
twenty years. My brother Mart is
still in the Eastern penitentiary with
about two years to serve. My other
brothers, who were with us on the
mountains, are not here. Some are
dead.
LAS for my last sentence, 1 was
never guilty man. Seven years ago
1 was doing missionary work. l went
about trying to do good. I exhorted to
various congregations. Then l heard
was accused of a crime / at once
gave myself up. On perjured testi-
mony / was convicted Those who
swore falsely against me are dead.
forgive them. No, / never knew what
fear was. never was afraid to face
a court or jury. In fact, / never cared
for anything. 1t was all because
had not the proper education. l did
not see things right, as 1 think 1 see
them now. When / got back to the
pententiary the last time they said to
me. We'll. Abe you are back again.
Guess we'll put you back at your old
trade again / went to work at shoe
lasting They allowed me to work
overtime. Sometimes I toiled until
midnight and earned about $3.50. all of
which I sent to my people, never for
getting my brother Ike here, who was
so helpless. My son has three bright
young boys. They are named after
me and my brothers. ! hope they will
grow up to be good, Christian men. I
think they will because their parents
are that kind of people and are doing
their Christian duty.
'I want to take a good rest before
get to work. I mean what / say. To
be penned up for so long a time at
hard work is wearisome and laborious,
and | want a good rest. / know it
will be hard to escape notoriety or pub
lie attention, but will carry my name
to the grave. l am Abe Buzzard, and
with that name l will live on until L
go to a better world, but 1 will try
to outlive the result of the tricks /
was guilty of when / was younger and
more thoughtless.
"Fifteen years ago when I sought
people were afraid of us boys. sim
cerely hope that the Christian people
of this age will have more compassion
and extend a helping hand Yes, have
a wife and married sister in this city.
They are we'll and honest people, work
ing for their living. When l get job
we will go to housekeeping here, and
of the Lord spares my health l will try
for all that is in my power to make
amends for the past. l may go in the
tobacco business in a small way first,
by keeping a cigar store: but t~lt
might bring me too much into publicity
or notoriety. I don't want that. / just
want to work as an honest citizen and
to be let alone. The world owes me
that at least.
There is no truth in the report that
/ am going to be a camp meeting ex-
horter again and to travel in a star en-
gagement at camp meetings. have no
objection to camp meetings, but ! want
to have job that / can earn an hon
est living at honest toll. l would be
the happiest man in the world with a
job at $1.75 or 81 a day. got an extra