The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-08-06
LARRY GILL IN DARK CELL ON
 CONVICT SHIP
Promises, Under Duress, to Quit Politics to Gain
 Freedom
Mayor Wilson, Who Also Occupied Cell, Formally Opens Exhibition of His
 toric Vessel.

UQA 4O " OhOsSOAs
 They locked Larry Gill in a black
 cell aboard the Convict ship Success
 today and kept him there until under
 duress he shouted to John F. Brady
 that he'd keep out of politics until
 Then Captain B. W. Nottingham.
 navigating officer of the ship, released
 the genial assessor. A little later they
 got Mayor Wilson in another black NceH, but Captain D. H. Smith, the
 commander, would not consent to
 keep the executive there more than a
 minute or tWo-
 This happened this forenoon when
 Mayor Wilson and a large party of
 city officials were guests of Com
 mander Smith on a tour of inspection
 through the historic vessel. Moored
 s.t the Stratford avenue Steep1echase
 dock, at the east end of the Lower
 bridge, the gaily decorated, ancient Hooking barkentine was the center of
 attraction, following its formal open
 ing at 10:3O. Hundreds visited her
 fhroughout- the afternoon From the
 success of the opening day it appears
 likely that the ship will enjoy a large
 attendance throughout its limited stay here
 The Success. built in 17sO for Q trading vessel and a few years after
 ward bought by the British govern ment for use as a. transport and prison ship, is a veritable treasure house ot romance, and 1t takes but little stretch of the imagination for the
 animation of the realistic WAX figures behind the iron gratings, and for the svfvffying of the heart wrenching .episodes graphically described, and :partially depicted by figures in various parts of the gloomy hulk.
 Captain Smith and his crew received a large party of notables at 1o:SO when the gates were thrown open for I#he Euestz The visitors were divided into squads and taken in tow by the various officers wFlb escorted them about the vessel and described inter- l Asting5y the uses of the equipment of l the prison ship
 of historical value are many inpli- l rnents used for the punishment of re- fractory prisoners. Shackles of almost every conceivable sort manacles. leg irons. pfI1ordes, many a. time and use worn cst-0' '-nine-tai1s, the compulsory bath, the wheel, the ball-and-chain, and many another device of brains l lseeuaingly set on causing excruciating1 l4orture are preserved and kept ranged 1 in their customary places on the ship. i
 The upper deck is paradise com Dared to the two lower compartments Below are cells extending completely | around the ship, and still further down the hold is another cell deck. It is in the lowest deck that the black 1 cells are found. Here prisoners were | confined anywhere from one to 30 | days, on bread and water, ironed to | the slcping hull. unable to stand or sit with barely room to move, with | absolutely no ray of light, and with 1 naught but the groang of their com- panions in adjoining torture chambers to keep them from going mad with 1 despair.
 The lecturer explained to the visitors that the Success has been changed 4w, frzrz- ir1r. Tef1 nne of the original spars of lockwood re- mains apparently as strong as if brand new. and the hull itself has been changed in practically no detail Last taken from the hull, and replaced, and tthe old metal was melted. From it were cast many souvenirs, and one of these, a handsome ash tray, was presented today to the mayor with the .compliments of Captain Smith when the mayor had written in the guest book his signature and the comment. ''rvery interesting and instructive
 Captain Smith was congratulated by n7is guests on the admirable arrange hnent he has made for the exhibition sDf the vessel, and the rare historical thanks to his skill in its exploitation.
 There are scores Of stories to be told lDf the various men, many of them in- nocent, who were prisoners on the Sue EeSS- CapEa1n Nottingham told or Inet --Six Men of D0rcester,'' who were 5ehrust into the Success for terms of geven years for having led 8, strike of Farm laborers for a raise from $1.50 to s1-75 per week, of their having served four years until there was such pop 'uIar clamor throughout England that they were pardoned. Figures of these men, in the cells they occupied, at- tracted great interest.
 He told of the careers of men who Bad left fhe ship, some of them living 90day- One Is successful merchant 1n Australia, 80 years of age. He vie- 8ted the ship, told of his life aboard I her, but disapproved of the wax figure l used to impersonate him. In Provi- f dence, last year, there was found an i other alumnus Of the Success while i less than a fortnight ago in New York ' city there appeared a man who had $ been a prisoner.
 Wax figures depict the tragic mur- I Ger of Captain Jones of the Success g when he went ashore to investigate t complaint of food among the prisoners t Another group shows tine Kelly group C lighting the constabulary. s Every nook and corner of the vessel T holds relics of tra gedy. Unnumbered suicides and murders are told of the { occupants There were live such ships. all of them known as floating hells. but none was so noto- -fous as the Success
 Among the guests on the Success to- 1ay were Mayor Wilson Assessors L. r Gil1 and Frank J. Hughes, Captain william H Lewis and Charles J. J 3vrne. of the board of relief: William v H IsIeberum. president, and pr. w c a Ryan and John F. Brady of the o ,oard of education; Dr. David M Ire }
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