The Washington times., 1915-07-09
CONVICT TELLS WHY
He DESP|SES A RAT"
No. 11,794 Writes to the Star
of Hope In an Ethical Prison
Discussion.

NEW YORK, July "a convict at
Dannemora prison, known as No. 1l79i.
replying to a hypothetical question re-
eardng prison ethics recently rro-
pounded by an Inmate Of Great Meadow
prison. has written an unusual article
for the Star Of Hope, the official paper
Of the State prison department uphold
ing the prisoners code Of ethics.
This convict believes that II would be
better to suffer any torture than to be-
sarded among criminals as the most
despicable creature on earth. He cites
the experiences Of his own friend In
support Of his belief that 1t Is never
,asaaole iosa ,i0.t f0, one R.,son'r to be In
This was the hypothetical question
to which the Dannemora prisoner re-
Piled:
Should a prisoner in a prison main
ianat formation m whieS IS might lead to the ap-
prehension Of q parole breaker. go to
the front and give that information to
the authorities?"
Framed Up BY q "Rat."
~ have found the answer to this
question In the case of very dear
friend OF mine," writes the Dannemora
prisoner. "A short time ago I had the
pleasure Of living under an honor sys-
tenn and my friend was also an inmate
Of the same prison. One day founo
my friend in trouble. was surprised.
for he was a model prisoner. l made
Of the offense charged. I went to him
and asked him that inane question SO
many Of US ask: Why did you do it?'
At first he refused to tell me. but finally
man, why he had broken his promises.
I did a Job for another fellow:
We were both arrested He squealed
and received a much shorter sentence
half he was released on parole.
within a month after he was re-
leased began to receive letters from
my wife telling me my partner was an
ssT fs1 s9ns haye h. psroe haa h but
Just couldn't squeal and become a rat.
Shortly after that my wife ceased
to write me and I didn't know what
had happened. wrote several letters
she had been arrested. could not be-
lieve this. and wouldn't. for knew she
was square. But six weeks later l re-
ceived a letter from my wife telling me
other rat, had framed her up. and that
she had been removed to a hospital, as
she was very Ill.
True To Convict's Code.
"'I did not know what to do. There
was my wife in a hospital and I was IN
prison dead broke I had sent her my
earninss only q few weeks before. so |
wrote some friends Of mine asking for
a loan Of q few dollars. Some Of them
refused and others simply ignored my
letters ! knew OF a way I could get
few dollars, but would have to
break the prison rules. thought II
over and came to the conclusion that
my wife came first. got the stun and
gave II to a fellow I knew was a rat.
but l didn't care whether he squealed.
Just had to have money so my wife
could huy little comforts while she was
sick. He did squesl, and I guess It is
up to me to take my punishment
II turned to him and asked: Why
don't you tell the boys the whole
truth
Whats the use?' he replied Only
a married man would understand and
I'm not going to get out of this by
sacrificing my wife's name. No she
stood by men and am going to stand
by her. -
so the prisoner was placed In a soil.
tary confinement cell. He did not say
word to the authorities. He remained
true to the convicts' code Of ethics.
But this is not all Of the story. When
the criminal was finally released from
his dark cell an official handed him a
telegrsm. 1t was from the superin-
tendent Of the hospital where his wife
had been sent. It read:
Your wife has been taken to the
-- Insane Asylum.