Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1914-07-14
Pathetic Appeal Of Montana Convict;
Through Sale Of Hand Made Birdie
He Hopes To Buy Engineering Books

In a prison ccll IN PARKWAY Deer
Lodge. Montana. v convict lies awake
nightly dreaming uf he time he will -
cure his freedom mi Mlrn A. will ~.
permitted 10 again assume his heritage
among The people III ihs world. aS i ~,
II engineer prepared ~ cs'r, his life "a
a brighter and better tf This man ~
William Riggs. and H. w in The Mnnta.
ma pcnitcniiafs f.r q Niul i;iun of one
81 Montana'S laws
II was IN cNr-r,nii vfittrn. straight.
forward lrttcr ihui Nh N. pBrirn. Srr.
rctarA of the Cham Y '',piacicr ~
Brownsville. recently r~rtvi,al ~ M vii
liam Riggs. convict IN the Montana prni
Tertiary. and the appeal made Nv il went
straight a. the heart N the man whose.
birthplace was ia the Emerald Isle.
Hiag~ letter tells IT, own story. and
here il H.:
"Non will doubtless ~ surprised 10
receive his letter from %a~iramgrr III
Iri>on Ny apulngr for wriiin. is 10 n
trfrSi ,uu Ia my handiwork.
Il am serving a term here for a viola
ten NJ the laws W Montana. and while
my punishment may l~ just. ! 10 not be-
liryr thli the time here should b.. entire
~ last. Feeling thus | have applied my
self - the stud, ~ civil engineering. but
am sail, handicapped for the want Of
books.
with the purpose III view ~ raising
the ma,ey 10 buy hooks ! need 10 pursue
my StinicS. | have. during my spare
hours. after my task for the state II
done. made a handsome horse hair rid
ing bride. This bride II made ~ thou
sands of strands Of horse hair. beautiful
~ woven into many pretty designs N H.
strong and durable and is - adjustable
that II will fit amy horse. 10 ~ fully ap.
prcciatcd II must be- seen.
Now sir. thinking that perhaps You
could bc ~ assistance "a me IN dispoS-
ing Of this bride | am going 10 ask your
kind permission "a ship " ~ Won ia the
hope that YOU will undertake 10 sell or
rattle il for me. with the distinct Hn
d%crStanding that you are ia no way Oh
~ligatcl 10 keep or pay for ID If y"a ~
not desire "a 10 "a. Please remember
that mm.h depends on the sale Of the
bride. a. the money will H. put "a the
best possible use.
The bride represents many tedionS
hours in the loneliness Of a prison cell.
and shall always hold snn ia grateful
remembrance II YOU will kindly under
take to dispose Of il for me.
I'm conclusion. I will say that III the
bride does not meet with your approval
Won NAV send ID back IA NY expense. 4
feel confident. however. that YOU will
find ID even more than ! have dcScrib
ed"
The letter i written ON the station
cry of the Montana State Pcnitentiarv.
The writing was plain and clear.
Mr.. OrBricn wrote Riggs. agreeing %
his proposal that the bride be- forward
ed and asking that the convict name \
minimum price. As 4 result the bride
il held IN MIR. OtBficn. who seeks To Oh
tain $lOO.
The description by the convict Of the
beauty ~ the workmanship il distinctly
modest when one sees the result IF what
must have consumed days and days ~
labor. Various colorS of hair woven in
and out through tho lines and the vari
oms parts of the bride are regular and
show great csVc on the part IF the work
man. To appreciate the work d must
really see il. and il is ON exhibition al
the Chamber III Commerce.