Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1910-08-28

rev. u. u. .\e"COIllD VI ILLS CIly
who is interested in arousing more
interest in the parole system for pris-
oners in the state penitentiary, re.
quests the Tribune to publish the fol-
lowing article from the West Coast
Magazine, showing what can be done
by a sane and intelligent system OF
parole. The article is entitled "A
Seventy-five Dollar Miracle" and is
written by Leonard Mordaunt:
In demonstrating the amount of
good that can be accomplished with
ia snail sum of money, it will be ne.
cessary to conceal the names and
identity of the people directly bene-
fitted; for it my invariable rule to
preserve inviolate the condolences of
criminals, and to hide their person
ialities; except as they consent to the
contrary. as a necessary proof of
bona fides, or to help others in like
manner.
In September, 1909, learned,
through an ex-convict, of a man in
San Quentin penitentiary who had ex-
pressed his determination of living an
honent life, II he were given the op.
portul ity of doing so.
This man was considered to be, and
by his own confession actually was,
an habitual criminal of the best skilled
and most dangerous type; an expert
burglar, and one of those me1 who
plan and execute bold daylight crimes,
the robberies of bank cashiers, pay
masters, etc., in business hours, when
the opportunity and occasion are pecu-
liarly favorable for the undertaking.
He had served four previous sen.
fences, three of which were in the
California state prisons; and he was
now doing 80 years for a bold and
skilful robbery of $4,000 worth of dia-
monds in the city Of Sacramento.
Deducting the good conduct time
provided by the Goodwin act for obedi.
ent prisoners, the actual time to be
served on a 80 year sentence would
amount to IS years and months;
and of this the man had already served
II years; and wrote to him, introduce
ing myself, and was so impressed with
the sincerity of his replies that l ap
piled for his parole, engaging to secur-
ing him employment, and to furnish
him with bond, clothes, money and
everything required by the provisions
of the parole law.
The board of prison directors parol-
ed him in September; he came directly
n opA Of Tn III
for large corporation at 1925 per
day, and seven weeks later he repaid
me the cost Of his paroling ($60.OO),
having saved this from his earnings;
and during eight months he has work
ed without days lost time. He has
now in the bank $4,000 of savings,
beside personal property of the value
of $500, and is earning $500 per
month, house rent, light, fuel and over
and reliable of the 1900 men employed
by this corporation, and is highly es-
teemed by his associates for his per-
sonal qualities and good nature.
He recently informed me that while
confined in the penitentiary, he had
resolved that if there was enough
goodness in the world to save him
from the remaining years in prison by
helping him to parole, that he would
hencefortn live a blameless life; but
that If he was compelled to serve out
his sentence he would undoubtedly re.
turn to his former life of sin and vice
and crime.
was so pleased with the result of
this experiment, that resolved to use
the repaid money for similar pur.
pose, and notified the warden Of San
Quentin that l had in my possession
the sum Of $500 donated for this
purpose by a philanthropic gentle
mani, which l expected to use as a
perpetual paroling fund for worthy
friendless prisoners; and the prison
board of directors responded very
heartily, promising me every lawful
aid and their sympathy in this under.
taking; and they have done this in
carefully selecting good men and send.
ing them to ne at the least possible
expense; indeed, they have uniformly
evinced the utmost courtesy
My next experience was with man
who had been sentenced to death fol-
an atrocious murder, committed while
under the influence Of liquor; he had
been under sentence of death two
years, and In this period had been
twice placed in the execution chamber