New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-01-12
PICTURE OF WILSON
FROM PRISON PEN
Cell in Sing Sing His
Studio, Convict Works
with Stub of Pencil.
PHILANTHROPISTS
ANXIOUS TO AID HIM
Life Story and Drawings of Presi'
dent and Mrs. Wilson Sent
TO White House.

When President Wilson reaches
Washington tomorrow. after his Naca-
ton on the Gulf Coast he will INA
awaiting him two pencil portraits. one
Of himself and the other of Mrs. VIII
son There will also be story, the
like OF which he has not met with
every dav since he entered the White
House.
The pictures are the work Of a con
yict in Sing Sing Prison, and the story
is that Of his life. Both pictures ana
story are remarkable 50 much so mat
several philanthropists in this CITY
which was the scene in recent years oI
the crime Of which the prisoner was
convicted. have seen that the pictures
were sent TO the White House ana
have tried to implant a bit OF nope III
the man behind the bars.
Under one consideration only was the
story Of the pictures and contents OF
the letter which accompanied them re-
vealed yesterday by the philanthro-
niSIS. ana lndt NdS oboRANNN
10 the prisoners name and the details
Of his crime.
at would be most unfortunate II MS
name should become known" said one
pf the persons interested, "for 1t would
immediately recall attention 10 the
crime. To do so would injure the man
in prison. He has turned his back on
The mast. He has become model pris-
oner Besides, il would be a crushlng
bIow 10 the mans family, occupying
as they DO a place Of some prominence
They long ago disowned him. ana
rnore's the pity"
The convicts letter 10 the president
was as follows:
ITO the President Of the United States.
Your Excellency: It is not desire
10 present a work of art which prompts
me 10 send you this picture, for real
lie there must be many crudities' oW-
ing TO the fact that l never took
drawing lesson in my life; rather is II
a token Of highest regard and sincerest
esteem which have been engendered
within one of your humblest admirers
This picture and that OF Mrs. VIII
son are the only ones ! have ever at
tempted: there were no mechanical
aids-iust the naked eye. All the work
was done with an ordinary lead pencil,
and 10 il were devoted the leisure mo-
ments Of three months. 1t was exc
cuted in a cell whose dimensions are
81 by : by feet. The cell was illu-
minated by an S-candlepower lamp,
and the enlargement was made from
newspaper print, which accompanies
the pictures.
In view Of these things II is hoped
the crudities shall be overlooked, and
each line and plane will testify 10 the
respect and veneration in which the
President is held by an obscure young
man so low down in the social scale.
Respectfully, -
This brief letter omits the kernel Of
the impulse to execute the pictures. Nor
does il retail the increasing interest Of
several prison visitors in the growing
= pictures.
one day the convict saw another
prisoner at work on picture. Later d
small bit Of lead was doing cOnsidera-
ble work each night in another cell.
This time it was the photographs Of
the President and his wife that served
as originals. They were being repro
duced on pieces Of paper two feet long
and foot or more wide, fastened TO
the wall Of the cell.
Then came a visit from the philan-
thropists For long time they had
been interested in the young man. In
fact. for five years they had sought to
get inside the armor Of moroseness
that seemed to envelop him. At inter
walls they saw the pictures developing.
gave their encouragement and finally
one day they were completed.
"A remarkable result of the work, -
said one OF the philanthropists, was
its dispelling of the hopeless attitude
Of the prisoner He grew infatuated
with his work. His mind took on a
new lease of life from having some
thing to do. The man talked about the
pictures and about himself. The shell
of moroseness was cast off. He was in
deed a study in psychology
The pictures were brought 10 this
city. framed and forwarded TO the
White House Through the philan-
thropists Joseph p. Tumulty. Secretary
TO the President thanked the convict
FOR the pictures.