New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-05-17
Englishman Once Havin,
Been in Prison Can
Never Come Back.
CAREER OF CRIME
ONLY WAY TO LIVE
Sentenced First for Abduction.
Musician Is Sent Up for Nine
Years for Burglary.
rFrom The Tribune Correspond.n,

IL
London, May ct want 10 make thi.
case n test case for others I wa,
turned out cf Dartmoor Prison with only
a shilling and my ticket 10 London. ],
is common knowledge among the ward.
ers that when prisoners are released
they commence their honest LIVELIHOOD
by picking pockets on their way to Lon.
don. They have TO do it, said Georg,
Percy Richards. r. musician. who was
charged at Holloway with burglary and
being an habitual criminal Rlchsrds
was released from prison on March & ana
after a pitiful month OF roaming throug,
the streets Of London. at last he was 90
desperate that he used his last shilling
in purchasing a burglars Jimmy and
broke into a house.
The story the man told in court was
extremely pathetic. and has created
something OF a sensation in tho London
papers.
L am man who never had chance."
he said. Twelve months for my frst
-abduction-ru!ned me. and I
have had no chance and harsh sentences
Il
mixed with criminals. and II was only
because the girls father wished ME 10
marry the girl and the mother did not.
The girl is still unmarried, and III.
last time l was out Of prison I helped
her. Why, twenty-five years ago l was
a newspaper reporter in this very court
"On the night OF my release l was
turned out OF Dartmoor with only a shil-
ling, and I went to the police station 70
borrow money. I said had been shame
fully treated, as | was entitled to Is. The
Aid Society had ic. and they are a pack Of
arrant frauds. who feather their own gor-
geous nests in the suburbs.
II went TO a hotel with the money Dor
rowed and then l paid the money back
Later l borrowed more money from the
officers. which could not pay back. but
| sold two copies OF God Save the King
for half a crown each 20 detectives The
police have been very good to me-"
Don't give a discharged convict a half
sovereign now and again, give him Job.
If It is only at 81 a week." pleaded Rich.
ards TO the judge. II called at the Aid
Society and offered 10 do anything. and
also offered TO do anything for the police.
I was willing to clean boots. The society
never offered me Job OF any sort, and I
did the best l could by playing on my
violin and on q 'megaphone' at dances
IT'S no use going round for a situation
I'm branded as a discharged convict and
people won't have me. l had TO depend on
the Aid Society.
II have offered to sleep in the police
station. and now, my lord. perhaps you
understand why l pleaded not guilty, in
order to help other poor devils"
why didn't you go TO the workhouse,'
asked juryman.
II never think OF warehouses;" said
Richards. II was brought up in dif.
ferent way. After a long time in pr!so1
you are bewildered. my lord. London is
wilderness and seems a fearful place"
Despite the mans story, he was found
guilty. He took his sentence quietly and
said:
81 have nothing to say, except that
hope mercy will be shown me. | thank
you for the patient hearing you have
given me- am quite sincere in that
Never mind what is TO follow"
The Judge said the smallest sentence hs
could possibly pass consistent with hs
duty was three years penal servitude and
six years preventive detention. Richards.
without comment, walked quietly out Of
the dock