The White Pine news. [volume] (Treasure City, Nev.) 1868-1906, 1901-02-21
IN PRISON 80 YEARS.
RELEASE SEEMED LIKE BEING
BORN AGAIN.
Man Was Dazed with the Marvels
and Rushings of the Great World
Would Not Trust Himself to Go
About Alone.

Wou1d Not Trust Himselt TO 70
About Alone.
Thirty-three years ago Vincent Cody
left New York City in the custody OF
the sheriff to serve his life out In sing
Sing prison for murder. Yesterday he
came back here free man. All this
time he had been striving for the par
don which came at last from Governor
Roosevelt. to find him so welded into
the ways of prison life that he dared
not venture forth alone. The changes
that had come to New York since his
departure were beyond his comprehen-
sion and he was dazed as he looked
about him when once more in the tur-
mol of the city's streets.
1t was raining when he arrived, but
he did not mind IT, He went out into
the middle of the street and gazed up
at the Murray Hill Hotel, the Manhat-
tan, the great depot, the electric cars
running into the 4th avenue tunnel
and across 42d street. and was so over
whelmed that he could scarcely speak.
/ He was afraid. The noise confused
him. He could not remember his way
about. There was nothing familiar In
anything he saw, not a single land
mark that he could recognize. He
wanted to find some friends, for he
thought somewhere in this city there
would be a few to remember him, but
he did not know how to go about 1t.
Warden Johnson had consented to
bring him down.. so that he had some
one to rely on. The warden took him
across to Brooklyn, where he found
some relatives, and left him in their
care to get used to the new order OF
things.
Cody was sentenced TO Sing Sing for
the murder Of John r. Livingston,
whom he killed in quarrel at politi
cal meeting in the old Ninth Ward. He
was sentenced by Justice Ingraham.
Every member of the jury which con-
ylcted him is dead He entered Sing
Sing on Oct. %, 1867, at the age of ~
years. There is not a soul in the prison
row who was there then. The service
OF the oldest employees about the place
goes back only twenty-five years.
When Chief Keeper Connaughton
first went there as keeper Cody had
already been eight years wearing
the reputation of being the best-be-
hayed prisoner in the institution. He
kept up his record to the end. In all
his term there was never a complaint
lodged against him. He was a willing
worker and all the keepers came to
like him. For twenty years he was en-
ployed TO keep the sixth gallery floor
swept, and he was busy at this work
when the news of his pardon came.
Every new Governor that New York
has had has been appealed to by Cody
for pardon. He had few friends TO
help him and no pull, and as time
passed his friends grew fewer, but
Cody never gave up. He always de-
clared that he had no murder In his
heart when he killed Livingston. Re
/ fusal by one Governor did not prevent
his applying to the next. Success came
to him at last. A message was sent to
Warden Johnson from Albany the 9th
err day that Governor Roosevelt had
committed Cody's sentence to the term
he had already served The warden
went Immediately in search of Cody,
and found him, broom in hand, on the
sixth gallery.
I've good news for you from the
/ Governor" the warden said, smiling,
for he was glad to be the bearer of the
message.
The broom fell from Cody's hand and
his prison pallor was intensified.
as il pardon?" he asked, with his
eyes staring.
Yes" said the warden. grabbing the
prisoner by the hand. Its a pardon,
You are free to go. You may go right
now"
Cody was overcome for a minute.
Tears rolled down his face. He could
scarcely believe that after thirty-three
years he was once more to go forth
free man. The warden sent him with
keeper to the clothing shop, where SUI
4 PC AAhgtS hNAtd hiil Oul W I'LL
a suit Of plain clothes, the first Cody
had had on his back for thirty-three
years.
He went TO the prison office, where he
got his discharge, his ticket for New
York. and $50, all of which but $40
represented his savings during his i'm
prlsonment All the officials of the
prison who were not busy gathered to
say good-by, and the old man with a
shaky voice made them little address.
This going out into the world
again." he said, sis like being born
over. l do not know how to act In
these clothes, and the whole thing is
very strange. The thrty-three years
and one month have been here Is now
n dead past, and at 62 years am start
ing out again like a man transferred
to another world. | am happier than
any one knows, for did not want to
lie in n conyict's uit."-New York Sun
Sanding Waddino Draaauta