Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-25
LIKES LIFE IN JAIL.
Mysterious Man Joyfully Pleads
GUILTY of Stealing Food.

GREENVILLE, Ohio, February ga
man who is a mystery to the city officials
here has just been sentenced to a life
term of Imprisonment, practically at his
own request. He openly robbed a dozen
houses In Greenville and allowed himself
to be captured and then pleaded guilty to
the charge against him, saying:
Il would plead guilty to the indictment
even If the penalty were more severe; the
electric chair for instance"
To Sheriff John A. Hober the prisoner
has intimated that he has committed
serious crime in some other part of the
country, and fears he is pursued by
avengers who intend to torture him. The
authorities are mystified by his case and
are endeavoring to solve it.
The prisoner gives his name as William
Welsh. He is a medium-sized man. about
twenty-five years old, with dark hair and
dark eyes. He has slight Irish accent
His manner Is not unpIeasing and he ap-
parently understands perfectly that he has
brought about his own Imprisonment.
On the night of December 20 last Welsh
appeared in Greenville. He was stranger
In the city. Before midnight he had en-
tered the outkitchens of twelve homes.
The burglar was not equipped with dark
lantern or housebreaking tools of any kind
and in no instance broke lock- He sim
ply walked into outkitchens that were left
unlocked.
The burglar" stole nothing but food,
and undoubtedly he could have begged all
of that he wanted. He helped himself to
pie, cake, chicken, wine and whatever else
appealed to him. Welsh did not try to con-
ceal his actions and by midnight police
headquarters had received alarms from sew
eral families that had been robbed
The entire police force was detailed to
capture the intruder. This was unneces-
sary, for as soon as policeman appeared
Welsh gave himself up and went meekly to
Ha hafa~
Mayor I. G.. Mahn next morning and held
for trial.
Sheriff Hober and others became inter-
ested in the strangers queer case and tried
TO get him to talk. All he would say was
that he had strong reasons for wishing to
be behind iron bars. He declared that no
matter what charge was brought against
him he would plead guilty in order to be
put in prison for term of years
The only admission he would make con-
corning his family was that he has
brother-in-law living In Newport, who
works for man named Taylor, the pro-
prietor CT large stock farm. He said that
his brother-in-law had met with an acct
dent year ago which cost him an eye and
part of his nose. Welsh said his sister
who married the Newport man, died seven
years ago.
This part of Welsh's story has directed
the investigation to Newport, and it is said
that detectives have discovered that the
Welsh family has had several violent
foul play in nearly every one.
Welsh says he was employed as elevator
man in New York business house. He
has a sister here and started to write to
her for money, but fearing his identity
might become known he abandoned the
plan. The prosecuting attorney has re-
ceived several letters of inquiry about
Welsh, but at the request of the prisoner
he has not answered them,
When Welsh was arraigned in the court
of common pleas the Indictment was plain
ly read to him, and he was advised that
if he pleaded guilty it meant life imprison-
ment. The prisoners face lighted up. and
he Immediately replied that he wished to
enter a plea of guilty. The judge endeav-
ored to dissuade Welsh, telling him that If
he stood trial he would probably be let off
with a sentence of about thirty years.
Welsh refused to change his mind.
This is the only case of the kind known
of here that has called for such seVfre
sentence for comparatively minor offense.
When Welsh was taken to prison after
his conviction he called for food, and ate
hearty meal, the first he had eaten in two
days. He said he was afraid he might go
free.