The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1908-07-24
CHANCES
CONVICT FOR u YEARS FINDS A
NEW LAND.
Trolley Is a Revelation-Auto Pleases
Man Who, Young in Years, Has
Grown Ola Behind Prison
Walls.

Chicago AFTER spending 27 OF the
best years Of life with the horizon Of
his world limited by the stone walls
Of Joliet penitentiary and his ambi-
tions ground down by the routine Of a
conyict's existence, John Gale, aged
49, but appearing TO be so, stepped
into the outside world the other day.
He began his sentence when he was
22.years old.
Mathew j. Huss, president Of the
Luxemburger Brotherhood Of America,
through whose efforts the pardon was
obtained, met him at the gate Of the
penitentiary. Gale came to this coun-
fry from Luxemburg 2S years ago. He
mad been here only few months
when in fight at Evanston he killed
a fellow laborer with a hatchet.
A trolley car stopped in front of the
penitentiary and the men clambered
on. Even in the penitentiary walls
the prisoner had heard the clatter Of
those cars, but he had never ridden on
one, and his ideas Of what they were
like came only from surreptitious ac-
counts by younger prisoners.
But he showed no surprise. An
ordinary man might ask questions or
attempt some pleasantly, but some
thing more startling is necessary to
evoke a flicker Of emotion from a man
who has lived a convicts routine for
n years. II was not in his life to ask
"Why?" but to 90 forward, unseeing
and unthinking.
An automobile swished past the
open window and he jumped. That
was a new sensation, and he glanced
apprehensively at his companion fer
the result OF the involuntary emo
lion. Then he looked relieved, for
he was no longer in prison, where a
breach Of discipline would evoke pun
ishment
Every mile they rode into the city
unfolded a new wonder. The released
prisoner had no idea there we're SC
many human beings almost within
sound of the prison walls but yet as
far away as the equator. On one side
were piled the miles Of stone. and Mr.
Huss explained that they we're from
the drainage cana. Prisoner Gale wai
Interested in stone piles, for he was
familiar with breaking big stones intC
smaller ones.
At the end Of Archer avenue thel
changed cars. and he was told that h
was in Chicago. Miles and miles 0
houses, in every one of which wer'
people coming and going. whirled pas
his line of vision. and he was dis
traught with the .strangeness Of tn
scene. He realized the narrow life h
had left. He had seen the same face
every day and the life had grow
natural Here were hundreds hurry
ing past him on every side, and VIII
I shouldn't they all be against him VIII
! for q years hadn't known a friend?
When the men left the car at Stat
street Gale started ahead in the stead
9 prison step. He bumped into ma
: and was pushed aside woman CAV
, him a shove. Again he started an
a the jostled passer-by scowled at hiI
Z in anger. Confused and helpless h
b stood in the middle of the sidewal
until Mr.. Huss, grasping him by tn
J, arm. led him down the street
s The men who obtained the pardo
g believe that in few days the form'
y prisoner win adjust himself to Ill
$ OF freedom and be capable Of star
i ing at some work lie viii make b
i Some with his sister.