The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1912-12-26


come, all too soon, when the little
green door would open Tor them. It'll
was the first time IN the history of the 1
death house there had been any sing
ing on the morning "a man going
away. They went away from the
death house usually between54 and 5
O'clock in the morning. This mans
name was Charles Swinton. He lost
his nerve on the last night, and / think
his mind was unbalanced At the last
don't believe he knew what was hap
pening to him.
Lawrence Spohr was a musician in
the army. He shot man. At times
he gave us a concert on a harmonicon,
and he could make that mouth organ
talk. It was wonderful, the music be
made. He could play anything from
ragtime to the classics. He could have
the harmonicon whenever he called for
it. When he stopped playing he had
to hand it over to the keeper Spohr
succeeded in getting another trial aft.
er left and is now in the Tombs. JAIL.
Warden Kennedy Was Human.
Music we had in plenty, thanks to
the good heart of Warden Kennedy.
The warden was loved by every man
who ever went into the death house.
he was human. Before his coming
our privileges were few enough. He
made for us the best that could be
made of such situation. He had the
organ and the prison quartet and the
violinist brought in to play and sing
for US. He gave us Bibles and maya
zines and saw to it that we got the
daily papers, all the morning papers
except the Sunday papers. He fur
nished smoking tobacco and cigarette
papers. He brought us fruit and nuts.
He was a prince.
$50 was James Connaughton, the
principal keeper-'P. K we called him
in terms of endearment. He did all
orders were that we We're to have the
best that could be given in the circum
stances. We got it from p. K
Father Cashin, the prison chaplain.
was one bright ray Of sunshine that
came into the death house. He is a
Catholic priest and in every way
worthy of his cloth. He is a man and
gentleman He spoke with all the
boys, gave them consolation, talked
with them by the hour, gave them BIZ
bles and papers and tobacco. He was
Gods own messenger. ~&
"His predecessor, who called himself
the Rev. Jones, was as different as day
from night. The boys got no consola-
ton nor sympathy from Mr.. Jones. He
said to one Of them, well, if you'd
behaved yourself on the outside you
never would have been in here He
didn't have to tell that to the man.
The man knew it, s<,r ... -..-ss...,.
another man among men is Warden |
Ed Hanley at the Tombs. He is a fine
fellow and every inch a man.. T..
Lowry the Friend of the Condemned
''There are good men who go to the
death house and talk with the boys and
do something to ameliorate their con-
dition: One of these is John Lowry Of |
1856 Fifth avenue. He takes the great
est interest in the unfortunate. He |
visits many Of the prisons and reforma-
tories and is constantly doing good. |
He gives away books and papers. He
helps a man after leaving prison. He
spends his own money and asks no re-
turn for it except the reform Of the |
man for whom he is working. 1t is a
pity that there are not many more like |
him, but there are few. -56
"There are men in prison who are |
better than many who walk the streets |
free men. don't say this is universal, |
but there are many who have gone
there because they had no money to
hire good lawyers to fight their cases
in the courts. This is the kind of men |
Lowry and his kind aim to help 81 |
think I shall engage in that kind Of |
work when can get my head above |
water-when have the means to do It
"A man never looks on the sunshine |
once the door closes behind him in tie |
death house. He is never taken outsof |
his cell except for ten minutes each |
Saturday, when he has his bath. The
bathtub is a rotten old tub with TWEEN
ty years of dust on it. When you get |
shaved you put your head outside. The
rest of your body remains in the cell.
They use safety, and it is pretty |
rough affair. The food is served on !
two battered tin plates. You get
spoon for your coffee. Your meat you
eat with your fingers. The foo6 is
good, but the cooking is rotten. A man
In prison needs all the help he can get,
and am going to do my little best for |
the rest of my life to help them all.''-
New York Evening World.
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NO CHRISTMAS TREE FAMINE. !