The Savannah morning news., 1904-12-25

DO not suppose that because we are
inmates of the Old Tombs Prison that
we have ceased TO be human. Not in
the slightest degree. Since to err is
human. here are collected the most
human of human beings. Amongst us
YOU will find the same old sins of omis-
sion and commission-mostly the lat
term all their perfection. True, there
is something Ishmaelitish about it all,
but we are compensated somewhat for
our Punishment from your world by
having one entirely our own, full of
hopes and fears, sorrows-and 1 had
almost said delights.
To be denied this fearful and Won
derfui existence is to miss something.
II is an experience in which one stud
les character at first hand and gains
the faculty of taking interest in tri-
fes for things of Importance to you
outside, such as presidential elections
are no longer of consequence; we have
no share in such friVolities. Instead,
we sit like gods absorbed in watching
destiny weave her web among our fell
lows.
Like gods-gallery gods, perhaps-for
the old Tombs is very much like
theater, with it's endless repertory of
tragedies and comedies, in which each
of us in turn must take a part. All,
that long performance, to witness
which you must be one of usi This is
the story of a little comedy 1 attended
there.
1t was at the time of the Dewey pa
rade. During these naval days I'VE
were crowded in our cabins" since
every crook already in New York and
those arriving by every boat and train
were gathered up by the inspector and
shanghaied to the Tombs. We were
two in a cell. three in a cell, and even
four in our five by Fights" 1t was
then that William came to live with
mel called him William because that
was not his name.
Not only was William at war with
society; society was arrayed against
William, and for the moment society
had the best of it. There was also the
needle man." another guest, who came
from Switzerland. tarried with US
while and shortly went to place
whose name resembles a request for
vocal music twice repeated. Accord
ing to the traditional usage of the
place, l fed them, especially Bill; Tor,
as the needle man remarked, bill
isl"
There was that about them which
l have learned recognize as the one
universal and never failing test for the
professional offender. 1t differs from
the noveist's idea; / shall be disputed
by students of physiognomy. 1t is not
the little head with the receding fore
head and weak chin: not the furtive
eyes; YOU will not find it in the skulk-
hands
nothing to do with the matter. More
over, a cruel mouth is not an indica-
ton of crime. Still it is something
about the mouth-the mouth that won't
stay closed. There, you have it.
1t is the old demon pride. differing
only from other varieties in that it
cometh after the fall. In word,
boastfulness is the criminals darling
sin. He centers everything in and about
himself. The crook has an ingrow-
ing conscience.
They slept by day, and during the
long nights, over my cigars, which
served us as torches, they cheered and
instructed me. l learned that time is
money" and that to get the one with
out dong the other is the noblest I'M
dertaking of life. They told of all the
tricks" they had turned off," of
riches "copped out" of desperate
they had solved, to the undoing of 9TH
ers Oh, the iniquitous things they
recounted lilies, for the greater part,
and all for the sake of vanity. And the
way they told their romances each
striving to Guido the otherl If only
the great American author who is to
come has heard them, then the great
American novel which is to be would
have been written then and there.
oil Of n sc ole
hated him. A man may be a villain,
but why not be decent about it? Why
bore others with the details and enor-
mites of his reflections? All of which
Bill did with a vengeance. Then he
would discuss the crimes and point out
each and every mistake made in their
trade by our fellows which had land
ed them. He never would have been
caught, and once, when a confession
was distracted from some one, Will
liam lashed himself into a fury of
scorn. He would never take water
like that! Oh, no; not he! Take
water" was his favorite expression. /
heard 1t morning, noon and night. He
had made the police take water, he
could make the warden do so. and
every one else. for that matter-but
he, William. neveri
The needle man" went to his "coun-
house (the musical place. and later on
William was taken to another domi-
cile-a nice dark cell across the tier
from me-and / was at peace again.
did not lose sight of him, however
since had to walk with him at exer-
else time. and listen to him try to per-
suade Apple Mary to try to bestow
upon him out Of the contents Of her
fruit basket. Every day he would ask
her TO marry him, assuring her of his
respectability. How she would ieer
back at him, sometimes Offering him
appropriate advice as to where To
spend the future.
William had no friends; he had Ia
eat the prison food, sure proof. he
became thin and thoughtful. At night
ne would yell TO me across the tier 10
send him over my newspaper. and con-
tinued TO yell until ! did so. Then
would be Informed that his cell was
dark-an inkpot. as he expressed it
an inkpot with adjectives. I lent him
candles. / have my regrets. Every
night he received my paper and a can.
die. Every night he read every word
OF the paper before he slumbered.
A great change came over william
a change which brought 10y unspeak.
able 70 the amateur missionaries. made
and female. He worked them an: ov.
cry denomination. Not even the rabb
escaped, who comes every gaturda,
and says, Vel, vent What ees a ?
just like those great and good mer
Weber and Fields. They am went
around quarrclinR with each other "A,
% which had foWn The fructlfvlng ecfl