Crittenden press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1879-1907, 1906-03-15
CONVICT'S ROMANCE
ODD wAY IN WHICH A LIFE PRISONER
WON HIS FREEDOM.

Price of Gcnius Who saw aud
Grarped His Opportunity.
Vouchcd for by the late Henry Smith.
who said he learned the fact through
being speaker of the assembly, there IL
an interesting bit Of history connected
with the old statehousc at Albany,
whore II has stood for years. the finest
example OF pure poric architecture IN
this country. on the castorly side of Ia
Gle street. between Pine aud Stcubcn
streets. its walls and partitions all OF
solid stone very much a. II rs halls
rooms and stairs had been carved out
/ within q huge block OF marble.
Ii was completed i'm lS42 costing the
state about S35O.Oo0 1t Is built entirely
of Sing Sing marble. quarried and cut
within the prison walls
The old capitol being Inadequate TO
ommodate the increasing business
Of the state this additional building
was planned and built and In stu used
FOR the Offices OF the state comptroller.
the state engineer aud surveyor and the
state banking department
In spirit OF economy IL was decided
10 have As much as possible Of the
work done 10y the prisoners from the
material found within the prison walls
az sing sing fairly good material. too.
but not the best as IL il soft marble.
as evidenced by the wear which now
shows So plainly IN the steps and by the
crumblimg Of some OF the stones from
exposure 10 the weather Al the mate
rial Was cut to completion within the
walls 81 the prison under such plans
that when shipped 10 Albany there
would hc 40 further work necessary
except practically to lay one stone up
uu another ana 80 ON until The whole
was assembled In the completed build
.ng
To accomplish this detailed plan q
system 81 marx ing the STONES was nee
n~sary The plans were carefully made
and system ~ marking deliberately
laId out - the architect ia chnrgv. who
found iu f'c prison ~ Siug sing ife
prisoner whose record showed him ~
b. an engineer 81 the highest ability
and who SEEMED as competent a. any
man in the country 10 Gritty ont the
work 90 h. done iu the prison and nat
urslly BE- was not unwilling 90 follow
his chosen profession ln preference 90
lotur the manual labor - cutting or
uuarrvlng stonr -. following 90"
spirit ~ economy referred to above. the
plans On detail and The system ~ mark
Inr were turned over 90 him and the
whole work GO that end given over %
his mll supcrIutendcnee anil absolute
control
Ia due time the stones In their vnri.
Gus shapes and Sizes and In quantity
Tor the whole building were delivered
" Albany aud thc WORK ~ ronstruc-
zion commenced .n accordance with the
llaus aud system ~ marking original.
is nru ~hoi With the very nrst stone
there Ms trouble % not only dill MT
o. .lr place hut none ~ the stones
markoi to adioln 20 ntt~i 10. AMI. fur
ihct. 10 did not s~rm ever Intended Tor
the place the number Indicated. IN
P vo>r-nti'n brought out that M" stones
were mot ~ The sizes or shapes ~pcri.
fest Iud shown eu thr plans and. as 10
the system OF marking. 10 WIS quite
violent thlt tho Stones brought togcth.
p- hy 60 bad no RELATION whatever to
rarh "'hrr
Th, hr,,Iflcrsd ARCHITECT hardly karw
whether De- was candidate Cor ne
asylum or possibly FOR Sing Sing How
over. careful Nerihcation ~ iIs plans
aud hi- marking system proved their
.Drr.,tu,.s and the blame Zen square
Us upon thc civil engineer the NE pris-
nuer lie was questioned. taken severe
ly 200 task aud rouudly rated for Dis To-
competence and threatened AMI abused
Ilr met 10 Hll calmly III looks to me
Ikea mighty good joke on you fellows
ANYWAY 10 Is tie best joke have heard
-.acr I came to Sing Sing
As to their continued threats he said.
What can you do to life prison
crt"
Finally. In answer GO the abuse unl
.ur- ls 10 his capabilities as uu en-
giu.,r Dee said be- had changed Tie
plans both iu dimension and ~h1ps
where they had diycrscd from purity
Of style. aud the system Of marking
hc bad changed altogether. hut II thcy
could nud some One who understood
his system the building would 20 ul.
complete and perfect cNccllIug The
original plan. But hr added. with a
grim you can probably get ont new
stone good deal quicker than YOU
.Ju work ont my system
Then the state officials said. we will
take ylu 10 Albany ana force you To
put up the building
lie .ad. $50"
They pointed ont the advantage u
h,o foo Albany for time in preference
g. slug Sing.
lie said. 40"
They tried TO bargain with him.
lie said. Secure my pardon and
viii stand by You until tlie building f.
COMPLETE"
They offered 10 have him plrdoucd