The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-03-16
TROUBLES OF
 EX-CONVICTS
Often Railroaded to Prison
 When Wholly Innocent

New York, March 16-"It's hard for an ex-convict to keep out of jail. They igo back to jail for crimes with which they have no connection just because suspicion readily attaches to them after they have once seen the interior of prison walls. Jur:es that otherwise might require stronger ev1- dence are ready to accept the most flimSy."
 Billy McQuere, a >stocky greyhair- ed individual sat in the office of the Living Waters Mission on the Bowery. Day after day, Billy listens to the stories of the lex-convicts who drop in at the little mission and then he tries to reform them.
 "The stories these fellows have to tell are enough to keep you awake every night. They would keep me awake only I've lived the same story myself John Hollis had to leave this mission because of the strain of nine years spent in trying to help the fel- lows along the Bowery to their feet. What ugliness and hatred they feel for the society that sends them to prison for crimes uncommitted, is kept in their souls and not often put In words,'' said McQuere.
 Suspicion readily attaches itself to an ex-convict. When fellow once gets a shove downward, seems as though he can't get oil his feet again. There's always somebody there with the push but it's generally the wrong way! Then too, there's the Police de- partmnet whose business is to send cops get busy and round up all the fellows they know have done tine.' There may be flaw in the alibi of several. Whether they know anything about the crime or not, they are rush. ed off to Sing Sing.
 fhnys { n go to jail for. A professional thief of the middle class thinks he Is do- ing well to have a run of year without going to jail.
 Many a poor fellow has been rail- roaded to prison. Remember that case of Owney Brune who was sup posed to be the leader of the Whyo gang? Owney wasn't a crook, though he never had a chance to be anything else
 "One day he was in a store next door to a saloon, playin' cards, I think. He went through the hall connecting the two places to ask the barkeeper went back to the card table. Just thenu, the barkeeper fell with a bullet in his groin. Owney stepped out of the hall. The police nabbed him. He was sentenced to seven and a half in
 "0wney didn't shoot the bartender. He comes in the class of ex-conv1cts because he was a suspicious charac- ter. The man who fired that shot is in the Living Waters Mission today. He's straight now. I'm not giving his name away for reasons enough.
 "Joe Burns was a. truck driver in the Eighth Ward. He wasn't pro- fessional thief. But anyway, he as- sociated with theives. There was a hurglary in King street in a woman's arartments. Joe was in the neigh borhood that same afternoon. He was arrested and served about eight years for that crime. Before he was, re- leased, it was found that the woman s two sons had done the work them selves. They were sent up, I think. for some job in another connection.
 ''Burns tried to keep straight after being released, but drifted naturally into the old surroundings. While walking home one night, a woman with him stumbled over the foot of a saloon keeper who was fastening down the cellar door with a clamp. The saloon keeper, who was known for his terrible temper, sailed into Joe He He was bea ting. Joe unmercifully when Joe pulled knife and stabbed him in the abdomen. Joe disappear ed. Positive it was case of self defense, Joe surrendered to Inspector McLau aughlin.
 ''The saloon keeper recovered but caught cold and died. Joe was sen- tenced to twenty years for man. slaughter. I believe that if Joe had not been an ex-convict, he would have been freed''