New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-11-24

~ who spent fourteen years oenlhu
Il n the bars gathering his material
ought to have value as human docu-
rnent When the writer, furthermore
wields his pen in the manner of the Slavic
realists and is compared by critics with
such men as Dostoevsky and Andreieu
his work must possess a tremendous fasci-
nation as well as a social value. What
ever the defects Of such an achievement
and regardless Of any prejudices against
the author. it's merits must be surprising.
Alexander Berkman is the prisoner au-
thor. His story of five hundred pages was
lately got out by the Mother Earth PUP
fishing Association under the title OF
"Prison Memoirs Of an Anarchist In
tile preface HutChins Hapgood advises
verybody TO read the book, chiefly on the
ground that il is a truthful document
that it shows the futility Of prisons that
it is a vibrant picture Of life and study
of an agonized soul that survived. Dur
Ing the Homestead trouble Of 1892 Henry
CLAY Prick was shot and wounded by
Berkman. then a boy twenty-five years
old, who thought that militant anarchism
was a social panacea. Berkman refused
the services of a lawyer and was sem
fenced 10 twenty-five years Imprisonment
on several charges With communication
his time in the Western Penitentary OF
PENNSYLVANIA amounted TO thirteen years,
and he put i'm another year in the work.
house.
Berkman declares that his book, so far
as matters Of fact are concerned, is
photographically accurate. lie sent out
many letters from prison, openly and
secretly. and accumulated a mass Of data
which ne later turned to good account
Some of his records, wrapped in pack
age covered with Oilskin, were hidden in a
sewer pipe for months until they could be
struggled out Of prison. 1t is aVerred by
Perkman and his friends that the book Is
all his I; nobody helped him or elaborated
with him Its astonishing literary quality,
its technical command Of the English
language, is explained by the fact that the
author had very fair education when
he went to Jail, was even then a student
Of languages and spent a good part OF
his fourteen years Imprisonment in read
ing al the books in the extensive prison
library. He devoured Webster's I'm
abridged Dictionary from cover to cover
twice in succession, and read more Eng
iish classics than any college grind -
Moreover. his studying meant life 10 him
He studied to save himself from suicide
or insanity.
eERKMAN'S NEW PHILOSOPHY.
Berkman was advised that If he would
leave out some Of his philosophy his book
would be a best seller" He replied that
aside from the question Of principle, he
set out to tell the whole story Of his pris-
OIL lie. including his thoughts and feel
ingg The reader infers that the author
views were not a. little modified by his
suffering. There is less Tancor and Bit
terness. more love and sympathy, as the
prisoner struggles on through the night
mare of confinement toward freedom. AT
FIRST he was a hard, fanatical idealist.
he becomes a warm, immediate humani-
tartan who ministers TO the sorrowing
souls who are beside him. In his memoirs
there are the poignant quality Of Dostoi-
evsky's "Ten Years in Dead House
and the psychological analysis OF Leonid
Andreien's story OF long time convict.
Soon after his arrival in the penitentiary
at Allegheny Berkman planned to kill
himself with a spoon ground to sharp
edge. He was discovered in possession of
the spoon and taken TO the deputy Mr..
McPane.
'In the rotunda, connecting the north
and south cellhouses the deputy stands at
a high desk" writes Berkman. Angular
and bony, with slightly stopped shoulders,
his face is a mass OF minute wrinkles
steamed on yellow parchment The curved
nose overhangs thin. compressed lips The
steely eyes measure me coldly, unfriendly.
"'Who is this?'
''The low. almost feminine, voice sharply
accentuates the cadaverlike face and fig
ure. The contrast is startling.
''A7.'
..'What is the charge, officer?
1.-TWO charges, Mr.. McPane. Layin'
in bed and tryin' sooicde.'
~ smile of satanic satisfaction slowly
spreads over the deputys wizened face.
The long. heavy fingers Of his right hand
work conyulsively, as II drumming sunny
on an imaginary board
'Yes--h-m, h-m-yes AZ. two charges
--h-m. HIM. How did he try to-h-m
h-m-to commit suicide?
with this spoon, Mr.. McPane. Sharp
as razor
'Yes-h-m--yes. Wants TO die. we
have no such charge as-h-m, h-m--as try
ing suicide in this institution. Sharpeneu
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