The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1904-02-06
The LATEST Man in the World.
From the Cecil Democrat, January 80.

William T. Mote, of New Castle county,
Del, who was committed to the Maryland
House of Correction in 1901, by Magis-
trate Philip NJ. Groves, of Elkton. for two
years, at his own request, was again SEN
fenced for two years to the same institu
ton on Monday last by the same magis
trate At the Elkton Jail be told the fol-
lowing story
II was released from the Baltimore pris-
on last May, and few days afterwards
went to Homesburg, Pa, and was sent
from there to the House of Correction for
six months. | got two weeks off for good
behavior | want to go back to prison
Squire, and please send me for as long as
you can.
1.-The whole trouble with me, contin-
ued Mote, as he leaned heavily against the
barred door of the prison, seeming too in
dolent to stand up, is that | am too lazy
to live | am now AZ years of age and
have not done one stroke of work in all my
life that | was not forced to do by threats
of punishment.
Il could stay at my father house if |
wished for he is well to do and would not
turn me out, bat just as soon as am asked
to do anything, if only to post letter,
such an overpowering aversion to even that
trouble takes possession of me that | run
away from home as though it were pest
house, and then come starvation and rep
etition of the oldtime misery
"They have an idea at home that |
might be cured of this hatred for work by
careful treatment and by having little light
jobs to do. But | can no more stay where
| am expected to work without club
held over my head or a gun pointed at me
than | can live without eating. In fact 1t
is easier for me to starve than to work un-
der such circumstances, SO | invariably end
up By running away.
THE only thing | could think of was
to get put into some institution where
guard would see that worked. and 50 |
asked TO be sent to prison. | am happier
there than anywhere else, for | have the
knowledge that | am doing something
which is source of The greatest comt,r.
to me. 1t may sound strange but an
the most miserable man IN the world as
well as the --latest Laziuess never brought
me any happiness.
why don { | try to overcome my lazi-
ness Why, man, | have been trlius
ever since | was nine years old. and never
got within gunshot distance Of succeeding.
Il have had every Involvement ia the
world to change my ways Ny mother
was as kind as she could be Il Is one II
the most hear breaking recoleciiaus ct
ms life that when ! was youn= kept her
waiting up night after night for me, while
| was roaming around sleeping in the
woods aud in bitches, going anywhere and
doing anything TO get out Of having 70 do
ANY little work that might require to be
done around the house
She was always fearful that | would
be frozen to death some night away irum
home, and - she would sit up for me, not
to seolj, but TO try, - she had tried 10
vain hundreds of times, to turn me from
my worthless ways Her self sacrificing
love for me sent her to premature grave
That is another Of the bitter recollectinns
Of my wasted life.
1T SOUNDS ike the confession 1t
drunkard And yet | positively declare
that have no bad habits apart from
nv incurahle lanuess | DO not drink,
smoke or chew. l'm merely luafer, and
shall always be one unless impelled to work
by the fear Of man who stands over me
with the means of iufic,ing prompt and
effective punishment 10 the event Of my
failing to do his bidding
Il was always the black sheep Of the
family | guess it was born in me to be
nuisance to myself aud every one around
me Religious persons have tried % IN
still into ms lazy mind the notion that
there was higher power that would take
hold Of me and do for me what | could
never do for myself
IF such thing exists | must be too
lazy to grasp 1t, for it never did me any
good to try and change either by my own
resolutions or by the help Of others
II don want to do thing. If | cnald
eat without working ms jaws Id gladly
save myself that trouble If could sleep
without the necessity Of climbing into bed
I'd do that, preferring to lie down just
where | happened TO be rather than 20 to
any exer,iou to get comfortable bed. II
| had been born rich | suppose | should
have lived all my life on feather bed,
with one servant to bring my meals 10 the
bedside, another to feed me aud third to
fan the flies away. | IA the LATEST man
on earth. / IN the most miserable man on
earth | would end my worthless lie, but
/ IN too lazy TO take the trouble
All that this most remarkable creature
said Of himself was corroborated BY the
superintendent of the Maryland House Of
Correction, Mr.. J j Moore. In speak
ing of Mote. Mr. Moore said when
we set him to work with an armed guard
standing BY he will work like a demon.
He has never been accustomed TO exert
himself, so he soon collapses, but there can
be no doubt about his earnestness while the
guard is near. We give him light work
around the prison He knows that he will
be punished unless be works, and that Is
all that viii ever induce him to throw of
his habitual laziness. 1t will never cure
him He is beyond that Except as one
of the most interesting studies that has ever
come under my notice, | don't see what
excuse he has for being on earth at all.