Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1905-08-13

friend, who released them there.
and six hours later the birds arrived in
their home inside the prison walls,
| having covered in that time the dis
lance OF over 20O miles. a few months
ago his flock of pigeons grew too large
Tor their owner to care for properly
and he therefore disposed of them
Another convict who made pets of
pigeons and who was remarkably sue.
| ccssful in tanning them was an old
Swcdc named John johnson, who was
par'Ioncd about eight years ago, after
serving nearly 20 years Of il life sen
tcrce for killing Il man in Cleveland
as the result Of IL saloon brawl.
Johnson was n kind hearted old man
and delighted in feeding he large
flock of pigeons that for years had
made their home among the caves of
lie prison buildings.
by persistent caring for the birds
AMI feeding them every day he finally
tanned them To such an extent that
they would align, on his oustrctchcd
arms and shoulders and cat their food
on, of his hands. Johnson named the
different birds and hey knew their
call. The old man declared that he
knew each bird by sight and coul,i
readily distinguish them apart by
their respective faces.
When Il. l.. Harper, The wrccker Of
[ he Fidelity Bank of Cincinnati, was
an inmate Of the pcnitCntiary. he gain
ell permission ni the warden To have n
pair of pet canarics in his cell. Soon
Tour little canarics were Matched and
as they were fine singers they found Il
ready sale among the people that visit
cd the prison.
More birds were Matched. which
were sold i'm he same way, and Har-
per built up quite IA large trade IN the
fcathcrcd songcstcrs, often dispensing
fcathcred songstcrs, often disposing
When Harper was released from
prison he sold all the canarics he had
left to Il fellow convict. Bob Garnes,
who has spent the last "a years be-
hind The walls of the pcnitcntiary,
having been given IA life sentence in
1851 for the brutal murder of an en-
tire family mt MarysvilIc
GHrncS has added considerable to
he traffic in canary birds started by
Harper. He frequently receives or.
dcrs for birds from distant parts of
the United States and ships the songs
tors to their destination in neat little
WUll'H cages Ildue ny IllTnSpI.
Several Of the other prisoners have
| pct canaries in their coils, that were
given to them by either Harper or
Garncs, upon which they lavish the
icndcrcst care and affection
Quite number of the other con
victs, whose quarters or employment
will permit, have pet dogs or cats,
which they care for Zcalously. and
many of these pets have been trained
to perform wonderful tricks
| Harry Hoover. former bank
cashier, of Newark. Ohio. and Richard
Davis. banker from Indiana, both
sentenced to five years Imprisonment
by the United States courts for steal
ing the funds of the banks by which
they were employed. are the joint
guardians Of an ugly. hut gond.natircd
little mongrcl pup that rcjoiccs in the
name of Rags.
When not more than two or three
lis old the it'll" dug. then dirty
and ii-kcpt. s,rAf!i lite The prison Of
flee from the str.h. lis; fnrlnrn ap-
pcarancc touched tho heart; Of The iwo
banker convcis and they Immediately
took the lii''r cur ui:'irr ,hcir prn.ct,-
ton. with the result that he il never
more than fcw feet away from one
of them and 1lwiyS accompanies. ;hcin
on their dail' Walks rn exercise about
The grounds Of the prison.-Collmbu
| PrcSS-POst