The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-05-26
IRA TERRILL
NOT DEAD
NOR INSANE
Well Known Oklahoma Man
Is Still Alive.
HARDSHlPS AS A CONVICT
He Spent Thirty Days in the
Dark Cell.

Oklahoma City, o. T, Nay 25.-The re-
port that Ira \. Terriu was dead, which
was published extensively two months
ago, is not true. Terriu is alive The
previous report that he was insane is
alike Incorrect. He is Of sound mind.
Both reports are chargable to partially
legitimate origin. for Terrln has had a
heap Of trouble
An Oklahoma man who recently visited
the Kansas penitentiary saw and talked
to Terriu. He had understood that Ter
riu was dead, and when he found that
he was not, he was naturally surprised.
and asked leave 10 talk to him. TerruI is
employed on stone work. He came up to
his old friend with his arms folded
hands out. protective measure used in
penitentiaries. but did not recognize the
caller at first
The first thing Terriu said, after shak-
ing hands. was: Il am not convict I
am wrongfuly imprisoned. I cannot have
time I suppose, to tel you how that is,
but 1t is true, and ] hope some day to be
permitted to see a lawyer"
Terrin is a massive man, and appears as
strong as he used TO be in the old pre-
Oklahoma days in Wichita His nous
tache IS gone, of course. He wears a
drab suit OF clothes and a square cap,
somewhat Of the fashion used by bakers
in large cities. His eye is clear and
bright and his voice low and even, and
his mind sober In its presentation Of
propositions
II expect to get Justice some day" he
continued, without passion. The best
thing Governor Stanley ever did was to
appoint Judge Jewett, OF Wichita, war
cen Of this institution. He IS a fair
man, and 1 know shall be treated fairly
hereafter. I have not been"
In an these years. what have you
heard Of Oklahoma
Not much
"Or Of Oklahoma legislaturesT'
wei, yes hear they are rather bois-
ferrous sometimes. Maybe planted tares
early. and they are hard to get cut. I
tell you. Oklahoma viii be all right as
soon as the people are all through with
their pernicious contests over land Near
ly all the unhappiness OF the territory
can be traced back to that"
when you get out, viii you go back
20 Oklahoma
No said Terrin, without hesitation.
Il shall not shall go TO Oswego. kan
Eas. where ray family now IS. Oklahoma
Is a rich country. And [ mean that in
more than an agricultural sense. The
territory is rich minerally. You win re-
member that I WAS among the original
boomers and traversed the territory many
times ] know where there are splendid
Indications of quicksilver and other
metals. Some one VIII find them some
day"
TIE interview was necessarily short,
ana the parting question was this:
DID You know that il was reported
you were dead2"
Yes They have had me insane, too
The big man, once a leader in the Ok
lahoma legislature, shook hands. folded
his arms and walked to his work again.
From another source the Oklahoma
man learned that Terriu has had enough
in the last five months to put the ordi-
nary man in his grave. Terriu believes
that be is wrongfuuy in the penitentiary.
Two sentences apparently rest over him,
one for life. one for twelve years. A man
cannot be serving two sentences at once.
and in the tangle. Terrin. who is a law
yer. believes that there is opportunity for
an application for writ Of habeas corpus.
1t was found that TerrlTs commitment
Is for twelve years
In his contention for a chance for ha-
beas corpus. Terrin was so persistent as
70 offend and annoy a former regime at
the penitentiary, was charged with being
unruly, and was sent to the dark cell on
bread and water for thirty days end re-
duced it is said. almost to a skeleton.
lie was shaved and put in stripes. which
Is now great degradation ia the institu-
ton. His contention for a writ of habeas
corpus LED to the insanity story and his
long Incarceration in the dark cell caused
the rumor OF his death. Four or five DAYS
IN the dark cen. from which every posi-
BILE ray OF light is excluded, usually
breaks down the ordinary man. and Ter
uls endurance was remarkable.
lie is not an old man. and when ne sets
0ut VIII take his place in the community
which he chooses as d useful citizen. Hs
is as proud-splrited and strong temper.
amentauy as ever. according to the Ok
lahoma man who saw him. end who felr
sympathy for him.
IT RAINED BOOKS.