Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-12-14
MIGHT BE LOST IN NEW YORK

Fri9htened py StoTieS oI E'eSasoe
 Railroads, Subways and Other New
 Things to Be Seen In Gotham, Franz
 Hofmann is Afraid Being Run Over. New York, Dec. IA. - Forty-seven years a convict and now free man, Franz Holman, in years of service the oldest prisoner in New York state, is afraid to leave Sing Sing prison and come to this city, where he fears he may be run over or lost.
 Holman has heard of elevated rail roads and subways and of the new and strange things to be found in New York, and the thought of it all fright ened him so that he begged leave to remain in prison until next week, when a keeper will accompany him here. Holman was convicted Of mur- der in the second degree forty-seven years ago.
 .I have heard of the trains that run up in the air" said Holman, and of those that run under the ground, but don't quite understand it. I'm safe on a horse and wagon. Yes, I'm scared, 1 never was so nervous and frightened as have been since I learned that can go free"
 Tried to Forget Crime.
 "I never saw anything like it" said Dr. Irvine. This man has been be- hind bars for forty-seven years, has lived on prison fare all that time, and he is as sound as a nut. He is abso- lutely free from any organic trouble and fine specimen of manhood at sixty-seyen years"
 Would you like to come to New York with mel" asked a reporter. Il will show you the sights
 You are very kind" said Holman. q would like to go, but I cannot do it."
 But you are free" was suggested.
 That is true, but I am afraid,' said the old man.
 Hes the first man 1 ever heard of who refused to leave prison," exclaim- ed Prison Keeper Connaughton.
 Don't you like the idea of being free man again?" Holman was asked. "Tll tell you," said the old man. "When was convicted had been in this country only four months. They found me guilty of murder and sent me here for life. I tried to make the ! best of it. I remember very little about the crime I have tried to for get it. was not in my right senses i that night.
 ''I could not speak a word of Eng fish when they put me in this prison forty-seven years ago. They took me to Dannemora, and there I passed nearly all my life.
 Where is your homeT asked the reporter. Have you any relatives?' Home Sounds Sweet. "Home: that sounds very sweet" unused Hofmann. Well the only home I knew was in Leipsic. Germany. used to be a cigar maker there. I was fond of gardening. Perhaps l can be a gardener when leave here"
 Have you nobody to whom you can go:"
 ''I had two brothers in the old coun- try. but not a soul in America. don | know what has become of my broth. CTS. Maybe they are dead"
 What wonders do you expect to see when you come back to New YorkY'
 "I don't know what to say about that said Hofmann. You don't al ways believe all you read, and somC things you can't understand. Boys who come up from the city tell me they ride on a railroad under the street. How can that be- Isn't the street going to fall in on the train, Suppose it should fall on us if We gOt in it. Then there's the road up in thC air. I am safe in a horse car or in q wagon, but I'm not sure about the rail road in the air and the other under D ground. They say. too. that cars art running along the streets and n, horses to be seen''-
 You mean trolley csrs, of courseY
 was suggested
 Yes" said Hofmann. You see. have lot to learn I am going to keeI
 on the regular life have been IivinI . for the past forty-seven years. I an l. going to be a gardener. hope. Mrs
 Booth is going to take care of me She is a good angel ' Well. pop said a fellow convict /. "I suppose you will have a good tim I, when you strike New York" il No strons Drink Fer Him. - T don't know about that repIieS
 Hofusnn- but I dO know one thing fl and that fs there wfH be nothing q l. drink for ne that is stronger than va F. ter. If it had not heen for strun. ' drink would not have spent all thes f years ia prison
 s- Being in such fine heaIth. may 1t D. r assumed that ysI recOzue1d a foEty
 seven rear prtsoa term zs a cgre fo n all S5cknsSsY- said Dr. Irvine. s T doa-t do thzt.~ rspZied H0fmanz .- Tzt do know that regular living anl .