Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1908-06-26
GOOD HUMOR OF
RICHMOND MAN.
MR. BURNETT LEWIS, MEMBER OF THE
VA S. ID. d b. BOARD, DESCRIBED
AS AN EX-CONVICT, WRITES
NORFOLK NEWSPAPER
ITS COMMENT.

ITS COMMENT.
The Norfolk Virginian-Pilot of few
days ago published the following self
explanatory card:
The Virginian-Pilot with pleasure
gives space to the following communica-
ton, giving beated correction to an
unintentional misstatement of last
November:
Richmond, Va, June 3, 1908.
Editor Virginian-Pilot, Norfolk, Va.
Sir:
After an interval of seven months l
learn with some surprise that in your
issue of Nov. you presented me before
your constituents rs convict, who
had served a term of nine years in the
State penitentiary. Some OF my friends
with delight which does credit TO their
sense of humor have fished from the
files and sent me what appears to be
an extract from your reports OF the
State Convention of Charities and Cor
rection, in which appears this curious
statement:
''Fhe chief speaker on this subject
was Burnett Lewis, who was for nine
years convict himself, and who has,
since he was released from prison, re-
| formed, married and become desirable
citizen of Richmond.
AS a matter of fact, have the honor
to be member Of the board of direc-
tors of the Prison Association of Vlr-
ginia, member of the board of visitors
OF the Institution for Deaf, Dumb and
Blind at Staunton, and president OF
the EX-Prisoners' Aid Society Of Vir-
ginia, in association with some OF the
most honored and distinguished citizens
of this city; have lived here all my life
add during most of the time since my
boyhood have been a merchant of fair
repute and respectable standing, and
50 far as l can recall, never have come
under the supervision Of the police or
spent any of my time in Jail. can re-
fer TO the business men here or to any
of the pastors who laYe served Cen
tenary Methodist church here during
the twenty-five years of my member
ship. They can inform you that what
{ yer other reformations | may have
been able to effect in my course of life,
! certainly never have figured as re-
formed convict. 1t has been my pleas
ure to do great deal of prison work
and to have an humble part in the up
lifting of some unfortunate men, but
personally l have been so blessed as tc
! avoid the stripes and lock-step, how
ever deep my sympatnies may have
been with those who, at the sugges-
ton of juries and the urgent solieita-
tions of the authorities, have assumed
4 those unpleasant aecompaniments O
! prison life.
!. | was born of Virginia parents in thu
. city of Richmond and have lived here
all my life and married a Virgini;
girl, who, together with my mothe
and seven children, are now with nj
in our home at 506 East Franklin
\ street. My father served through th'
entire Civil war, from 61, to '65, ant
was with General Lee at the surrende
D at Appomattox. My education, sucl
\ as | have, was obtained in the priyat
{ schools of Richmond, finishing up will
Mr.. Thomas III. Norwood, who con
I Quoted at that time the leading schOO
& in the city. After leaving school il
my teens l obtained employment in
! dry goods store at salary less than !
Z per week and remained with the sam
9 firm until | became partner, and th
= partnership continued for nine years
= Since then have been alone in bus
z ness .on my own account. Flttee
i years ago l became interested in th
( Sunday at the penitentiary an
= have been teacher there ever sin(
. and consequently come in contact wit
= many of the prisoners while they a
serving their time, and then after the
release. On the occasion referred to
you | was the chairman of cOmmitt
at the annual meeting of the Virgin
Society of Charities and Correction
jamestown, and the subject for O
presentation and discussion was Il
''Criminal. | spoke on that subjet
as did Mr. M. +. MarcuSe, charm;
of the board of directors of the Virgin
- penitentiary. Mr.. George H. Vile
superintendent EX-Prisoners' Aid S
ciety, and Mr., John Calvin Burton,
ex-convict, whose prison name W
Frank Cole The theme of his ia
was the inner life of a convict and
spoke from experience. While he {
not say in so many words, any c
who heard could read between
lines and see he was talking of hi
self. Your reporter was correct in
statement as to Il mans reformati,
but he gave credit to the wrong m;
| tell you this to show you thai
have beautiful opportunity for S
for damages against the Norfolk \
inian-Piiot, but am so constitu
that no temptation to secure money
that way could for one minute Ell
my thoughts. | recognize that y
:. enterprising reporter made slip ;
Al do not feel at all damaged or disturb
u but | think it is well to ask your
tention to the matter and to reql
q you to publish this card in my beh
y 1t may be that it shall be my
fortune TO visit my Methodist breth
.< or some other friends within your
culation territory and l do not care
have them receive me with the so
what condescending courtesy and
q strained cordiality with which
- average good family, however its