Wheeling majority. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1907-192?, 1914-07-30
Labor Prisoner
! Gives Impression

Ernest Howald, one Of Judge Day
on-West Virginia-P Pittsburgh Coal Co.
prisoners from the from the Golfers
strike, has just been released after
serving three months in prison for
violating the injunction" He was
left stranded outside the Jail door, nun
lreds of miles from his home, penni-
less.
Following is his letter to the readers
of the Majority:
July "a, 1914
Mr.. Walter B. Hilton, Editor,
Wheeling, w. Va.
Dear Mr. Hilton:
Today walked forth from the coun-
ty Jail at Morgantown, a free man
again, and my only regret is that all
my comrades who were sentenced with
me are not free as ! am. I must say
that my experience has been an awful
one and can never, in the future, look
upon imprisoned men but with a great
pity, born of my own understanding OF
what misery they suffer. / suppose
until men and laws get more perfect
that jails will be necessary; but am
firmly convinced that no punishment
or correction will be of any benefit to
a man unless it is tempered with
mercy and charity and kindness
Were good Christian believer when
l went to Jail, can truthfully say l
would not be now through any exam
Iple or Influence of the man who con-
fined me or had me in charge. But l
think that my term Of imprisonment,
even unjust and unlawful as we think
| it was, has not been without its result
ant good-because have learned to
feel, even more deeply than before,
Tor the misery of others; and, believe
me, every day and night Of my con-
fnement l was made even stronger
in my loyalty and faith in unionism,
because felt, day and night, how I'M
Justly ] was being punished, and those
Thoughts made my allegiance to union
principles stronger than ever.
1 With what joy we heard of the re
lease Of poor Fannie Sellins. Not even
To-day, when breathed once again the
Nree air, did / feel such pleasure and
gratitude as when the news came that
| she was free. / want to say here, Mr.
Hilton, you and your paper have been
a trueSf.iend and champion to us and
the G6ion we represent. Your paper
cheered us up With its scrappy talks
and good, clear articles tearing the
shame and hypocricy away from oul
lenemies false statements. To you anc
your paper every union man owes
debt Of gratitude that we can only re
pay by giving your paper our loya
support; and to you is due, in larg'
part, the success we have met with
If it wasn't for you believe Miss Fan
ME would still be in the cells at Fair
mont. So accept my hearty thank
and sincere appreciation.
Your little call on us at Morgantowl
the Fourth, was kind and cheering tt
us. Some day, Mr.. Hilton, write ;
series of editorials on the subject o
jails being made the big medium of
mans reformation, rather than an ap
prentice school for crime. How cas-.
it would be-just put man in charg'
who would be kind, merciful and 81
good in his example that every maj
there confined would feel the influence
and go forth, when his time was up
a hopeful sman; because in thes'
county jails the hardened or haD1tua
offender is greatly in the minority
and the good men and women who d.
their little to help are handicapped
the daily treatment of prisoners tend
to embitter them. I
Also, how is the new liquor LAY
going to be enforcedA How importan
it is that the laws must be execute
and carried out by Intelligent an
honest officials. Let the VIC. T. {
not forgett that there are great man
men being arrested daily whose viola
ton of the law consisted in buying
pint or quart for a friend, not maxim
a cent in the transaction, who are nc
Intentionally violating the laws an
who, once in Jail, are forgotten by Al
1.-THE temperance societies and leave
1.-The jail in exactly the same cenditiO
of mind as regards booze as befor
Ibis arrest. How can the good Chris
liam men and women satisfy their col
Iscience by simply enacting a law, lie
police officers browbeat and threate
people till they "squeal" or perjur
themselves or friend, see them jaile
flor a long period, and never do
thing to help that man?
1 guess am too low an order of il
Intelligence to grasp the fine ideals thes
Ipeople live up to, but do know the