Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1907-09-18
ECoENTRIo MIILIoNAIRE
Who Said he Would Build His own
Prison Loses His Mimi.
(From the Atlanta Jousnal.,

NSAOM ShC AtldAtd JOuNHal.1
Louis A. Gourdain, the eccentric
millionaire who made himself famous
few years ago by declaring that
unless the Courts sent him to Jail
ne himself would build prison and
De his own warden, became utterly
Insane at the Atlanta Federal peni-
tentiary early last week, and on the
afternoon OF Thursday was taken to
washington, d. g., where he will be
paced IN the government asylum for
the insane.
Accompanying Gourdain was John
Peterson, who also went crazy at the
Federal prison here while he was
serving life sentence for having
robbed the United States mails.
Side by side, the pale featured,
gentle hammered man OF wealth and
family and the bronze skinned ruff
nan OF the plains entered a Southern
Railway Pullman car at the terminal
station shortly bfore noon Thursday
morning. Surrounding them were
the watchful. eyes Of company OF
Federal ofncers, headed by Chief
Deputy Marshal Rinard. They were
on their way to the government asy-
lum for the insane at Washington,
where they will probably spend the
remdlnuer OF tne1r lives. 1H
Two Remarkable Lives.
These two prisoners are remark
able, both for the singular lives they
have led and their personal contrast,
Louis A, Gourdafn came into ma
ttonal fame few years ago when
he declared that unless the Courts
sentenced him to serve time for hay-
mig used the malls for fraudulent
purposes, he himself would exhaust
his vast fortune IN building prison
and would become his own jailer.
AT the time Gourdain was on trial
for having illegally used the postal
service. The facts Of the case were
strongly against him, but through
his wealth and social position, and
through the aid OF shrewd ATTORNEYS
in the employ OF his family, he was
about to go free. 1t was then that
he made his remarkable threat.
A few months later, while he was
being held at Chicago, then his home,
his wish was granted. He was sem
fenced to serve four and a half
years, and placed first in the peni-
tentiary at Joliet, Ill. Shortly af-
terwards he was removed to the
penitentiary in Atlanta, arriving on
June 7th last. "e
John PetersOn's Career.
Not far from the apartment to
which the millionaire was assigned
was another In which a stockily
built giant-looking man slept after
his days work on the prison grounds
and this was John Peterson, the like
of whom has never been seen since
Jesse James terrorized Western ira
velers a% ha sf So Ps
Pearson had been in stripes since
1902, and came from the Indian
Territory. The two men passed each
other every day and came to know
each other we'll. ,adically differ-
ent in rearing and history, both were
being singled out for an identical
destiny.
what had once appeared to be
mere eccentricityi in Gourdain and
mere savagery in Pearson, developed
more and more strongly as the days
passed. y % @%
The millionaire became more pecu-
liar, TIE train robber more fierce.
Two W, eks ago their manner was SO
unusua that an examination into
their 81 nifty was held. They were
both ad judged insane.
So II T.ursday morning the million
aire was taken from his books-for
he was "a constant reader-and the
highwayman from his pick. They
were prisoners of a more terrible
jailer than the law could ever create
On the drive from the peniten-
tiary to the terminal station neither
showed any signs of violence or any
wish to escape.
I'm glad to be free again." said
Gourdain. "It's beastly thing
this having to stay shut up within
a big wall all the time"
Peterson was sullenly silent.