Weekly journal-miner., 1915-04-28
DEAF MUTE WHO
 TALKS MAKES APPEAL
(From Wednesdays Daily.O

 Mexicans and Austrians? This is the position in which James Andrews self-admitted anarchist. I. w. w. and Socialist finds himself in the county bastile with the rest of the prisoners who all congregate in large ante room adjoining their cells daily.
 Andrews was arrested in Seligman and charged with falsely represent ing himself as a deaf mute begging for money, clothing and food, was found guilty and was sentenced to 30 days in the county jail which he is now serving. He asks what will society do with him after he is e. leased and offers the following ap- peal:
 By James Andrews.
 The readers in Prescott probably think that the crime l committed is unique. I will agree and so is any sort of thieving and robbing, lies or cheating, it is all wrong. l am prompted to give out this letter in desire to have this so-called mystery unraveled. I am even ostracized by my fellow inmates in prison. Isn't it a ve.y strange and intangible thing that one thief who is serving his term for this or that crime with others who are just as bad as he, II not worse, should be looked down on and despised by them. l am incar- cerated with men who are here for various crimes from petty thievery to murder, and they all argue on the best way to put me out of misery. This is really a strange thing to them, this fellow that pulled the deaf mute stunt. They all agree he Is somewhere past the limit and the Kangaroo court of and by the pris- oners decreed that I be punished forthwith, the duty falling to my lot to scrub the bath tubs necessarily.
 Now let's see who the object of their taunting is. The reader of this paper is probably at the breakfast table or otherwise leisurely engaged and it will be hard for him to realize my predicament.
 l was born of prominent people in one of the Democratic Southern States, but don't from this grasp the idea that l am Democrat for l am not, I am an infdel, an atheist. I am a dyed-in-the-woo Socialist and firmly believe that the l. w. w. and anarchists mean good instead of bad and that they are aiming at emanci- patton instead of ruin. But it is of TO use for me to talk of good things for I am here as a scoundrel. The first place I ever did anything wrong or framed up anything was at Selig- men in this county, and before that l had never thought or such thing and l blame my first offense to star vation and economic conditions Self-preservation by deceit, yes, that is my crime and I know it is one Of the most degrading. You say l deny the blame l do, am not to blame. No one is in particular. l accuse soci- ety and the system in general for my downfall. I said l was born of prom inent people of the south-barbarouS slave south-on my mothers side and in that southern States capital l have an uncle who is chief of police and one who is U. s. postal inspector. On my fathers side are school pro fessors and a municipal tax collector and you will see 1 am the black sheep of the family. The prisoners and trusties all agree, saying that l am a tramp and never worked in my life. The officers and judge at Selig- man say so and believe my appear ence bears them out. The prisoners don't come near me fo. fear of be coming tainted. I looked like a tramp of long standing and added to that my appearance would naturally make any one keep safe distance from me for the mossback is craw- ling and undesirable. But l assert this and can prove it, it has not been over five weeks since 1 worked for the Southern Pacific in the dining cars and hotel departments, the last place being the s. P Club at Sparks, Nevada Before that on s. P. dining cars for four years steady on the Ogden, Shasta and Sunset routes. Before that 1 was a carman in San Francisco, for many years also work ed as cooks helper in the kitchen at Bartlett Springs, Lake county, Cal. and before that with Henning & Sons, 3735 Foothill Bldg, Oakland, Cal. This covers a period of over l2 years and I can corroborate all I have said. I have had to lie and buy to hold jobs. If the details a-e wanted I can give them all. l as sert that the spy system of the R. R. in San Francisco was the cause of my dovvnfaII in rai1rOadinp the down