The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-01-13
JOE FOR an EX-C0NVICT
WARDEN MAKES DAY
MOUNT A HAPPY MAN.
II Joseph ID. Keith Is n,
the State Prison n Warden
Has a New Plan.

People who CHANGED to be In the lobby
of the Denison Hotel about 4 o'clock yes
terday afternoon noticed two men of stocky
build. wearing new black overcoats and
black hats, earnestly wiring the hand of a
third man In a sincere farewell and hurry
from the hotel. The man who remained was
Warden Shideler, of the State Prison.
The two men who shook hands with him so
earnestly were ex-eonvicts. One was Ed
ward McDermott, who was paroled day
before yesterday after spending twenty
years in prison. and the other was Day
Mount, who has just completed a term
Of three years for petit larceny.
McDermott's parole was carried to him
by Frank 3. Burke, who twenty years be-
fore prosecuted him on the charge of MUIR
der at Jacksonville. McDermott and
Mount ended their prison life on Friday
night and as Warden Shideler was coming
to Indianapolis yesterday he arranged to
have both men leave the prison at the
same time and accompany him to this city.
McDermott was on his way to his home
In Jeffersonville and Mount knew not
where he was going. The warder with his
wife and little son arrived at the hotel
about $3.50 o'clock yesterday afternoon. On
the way to Indianapolis yesterday the
warden talked a good deal with McDermott
and Mount. The former had friends who
were waiting for him at home. Mount was
apparently adrift. He had a new suit of
clothes and overcoat, a railroad ticket and
ten dollars in money when he left the
prison yesterday morning.
On the way to indianapolis he spoke very
discouragingly to the warden about his
TTOSD6ctS- 81 don't know what I'm tn az -
he said, and the pathos in his voice touched
the warden's heart. IN Just get YOU A
job" said the warden: and when the train
arrived at the Union Station he told Mount
TO come TO the Dension Hotel in half an
hour. Arriving at the hotel the warden
at once called up one of his friends in an
other city by long distance telephone and
procured a place for him. Within a few
minutes McDermott and Mount arrived at
the hotel together. McDermott. who for
twenty years had been shut off from the
world. looked about him in a dazed sort OF
way. He and Mount left together when the
latter learned that a place had been pro-
cured for him. you'll never regret this
he said to the warden as the men shook
hands at parting. I've been in prison be-
fore and 1 know it is things like this that
keep men out of prison." McDermott was
also affected as he took the warden's hand.
You have the respect of every man in that
prison." he said, for they know that al
ing. they get Justice" McDermott had
been in prison so long that he could not
remember the size of hat he required.
On the train yesterday morning Warden
Shideler gave him the first cigar he had
smoked in twenty years.
THE DEATH PENALTY.
Warden Shideler has a new plan which
he proposes to employ in the event he is
ever called on to carry out the courts de-
cree where sentence Of death has been
passed on a prisoner. The matter was dis
-.---I u. A. ~.or5o, - oooroo4.1- -...l
the Keith case at Princeton. Joseph D..
Keith has been found guilty of the murder
of Nora Kifer and the death penalty has
been imposed. Just at this time there is
some confusion in reference to the place
where a legal hanging should take place.
Warden Shideler said last night: eff the
matter Is left to the Legislature and it is
decided that executions should take place
at the State Prison 1 should carry out the
decree of the court, not as a pleasure, but
as a duty of office. If Keith should have
to pay the death penalty 1 would proceed
idea is that I would have three
electric buttons, one of them OPP
Grating in such a way that it
would spring the trap. L would select
button. One of these men would hang
the condemned man. but neither Of the
three would know who did ii. / should
| adopt this plan. because ] should not want
10 ask one of my deputies TO do a thing
that his conscience opposed
Warden Shideler says that Councilman
! Higgins. who was sent TO prison recently
from indianapolis. is just now beginning to
realize that he is in prison. Up TO this
time" said the warden, lit has been a sort
of case of hero and a joke with Higgins.
He has rather had an idea that If he came
back TO Indianapolis he would be received
as a returning hero. He is beginning TO
realize now that there is an utter absence
of the hero in this business and that there
Is very little humor in il. He looks we'll
and seems to be in good health.