The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-09-30
SHE DIDN'T FORGET
Promise Made by Girl to Aged
Convict Fulfilled.
Pretty Irene Irvine Won Free
dom for Patrick Casey.
SENT UP FOR LIFE.
Baby Daughter of Prison Ply
sican His Chum.
Worked for Fifteen Years Be-
fore She Secured Release.

New York, Seut 30-One of the mast
remarkable romances of it's sort has
! just been revealed through the release
of Patrick Casey, who several days ago
walked out of Sing Sing after % years
imprisonment for murder.
| Casey, now old. gray and bent. is
with his relatives in Long Island City,
while in camp up in the Adirondack
mountains is Irene Irvine. sweet faced
| and 10, daughter of Prison Physician
Irvine, whose whole life is entwined
with 16 years of Caseys' period of ex-
piration.
She first saw him when she was 2
years of age and it was a childish
promise forgotten by all but Casey and
the little girl that eventually brought
about the restoration of the old prison
er to his children and to the grand
children whom he had never seen until
Thursday night.
The strangest feature is that the girl,
now a beautiful young woman, has not
learned that her life work has been
successful She was not present to
take the hand of the man who wept
for her when he walked out from the
grim walls to which he had been DOOM
ed for life.
Casey was sent as a life prisoner to
Sing Sing % years ago, because, while
in fit of intoxication he had walked
into the Long Island City police sta
ton. where he was stationed a pa
trolman, and killed Sergeant Comiskey,
one of his friends.
His life was a blank for nine years,
the sort of hopeless life to which every
life prisoner settles down in the hope
that death may come quickly.
He was employed in the Sing Sing
hospital kitchen when DR.. F. Irvine
ago. and although he did not know it,
that appointment was to bring him his
freedom in after years.
DR.. Irvine took his charming young
wi . ~ ri hal Nv RI
Ossining. One day he carried Irene to
the hospital. When she saw the pris-
oners in their striped suits she chung
to her father and hid her head, afraid. |
Convict Wins Baby Girl.
Dr. Irvine took her into the kitchen |
and while she was toddling around |
Casey surreptitiously handed her an |
orange and smiled at her. From that |
instant Casey and the child were /
friends.
Dr. Irvine took the little girl to the |
hospital with him frequently after |
that and almost invariably the child |
found her way to the kitchen and into |
Caseys arms. One of the first words |
she learned to lisp was Paddy" and |
soon all of her conversation was about |
PADDY" 49,. 1syes5 z-- ,sA.s-..f'a
Every day she wanted to go to- see
him, but DR.. Irvine, believing that too
frequent visits to such surroundings
would not be good for her, limited the
visits to once a week Casey always
hurried through his work so that he |
could have few minutes to spare for
her. Through cajolery, he got the hos
pital cook to make occasional dainties
for Irene, and she was just as much his
prisoner as he was a prisoner OF the
Empire state.
Casey began to smile more frequent
ly He looked upon the childe visits
just as much as for those Of his faith
full wife and his own daughters. In
some ways little Irene came to be more
to him than any one else in the world.
He was one of those who taught her
the alphabet. When she was or
years old Casey loved her as much as If
she were his own child. He would beg
time from his superiors to sit down
with her and help her learn to read.
The great Empire state never lost one
minute of its time out of Casey's life,
because he always worked twice as
hard as was necessary to make up for
the minutes and hours he spent with
the child.
Then one day, about IA years ago.
Irene was sitting beside Casey, who
was beginning to age after nearly Is
years confinement. Casey was think
ng deeply, with his hands covering his
face. The little girl heard him moan:
"Oh, God, when will 1 ever get out
IF here?"
when I'm a big girl. Paddy. I'll get
you out then" she whispered with all
he confidence of childhood.
Casey turned to her and smile came
over his face. 1t seemed to him like
he promise of an angel. Moreover, it
was a promise that was to be kept to
he letter.
When Irene had the center Of the
1oor at her home she always spoke
about Paddy, and when she visited the
ZONES of other prison officials she al
ways spoke about Paddy. In this way
,he created for Casey the friendliest of
ceiling on the part of all the officials.
Casey Warns Child's Father.
A year or two later, Casey went to ,
Dr.. Irvine
lon,t think you love your little girl any
more than do, and I'm afraid it is not t
good thing for her to care so much !
or me. She is growing up now, and
ONE Cay she will learn that 1 am here G
or killing Comiskey, and the shock will t
Re a bad thing. What had 1 better do c
bout it?''
why. Casey replied the physician, 7
I don't know what to say. know the
HID is a great comfort to you and that /.
-ou are part of her life. Perhaps we
an LET her understand some way