Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1915-10-08
MODERN RIP VAN
Wrinkle RETURNS
George ". Cram at Eighty
five MaTysIs al Sights.
PRISONER Twenty YEARS.

Electric Cars, Autos and Women's
Styles Amaze Pardoned Wife Slayer.
Remembers Seeing Henry Clay Play
ing Game of Poker-Praises Warden
Osborne's Mutual Welfare League.
New York.-GeOrge W. Cram, a mod.
ern Rip Van Wrinkle. awoke here after
alternating over twenty years near
the foothills of the Catskills. But un-
like his legendary predecessor. Grams
exile was involuntary. He has been a
prisoner in Sing Sling and was the
patriarch Of the grim prisons con-
victs. At eighty-five he was freed by
pardon from Governor Whitman aft
er escaping death In the electric chair.
10 which he had been sentenced for
killing his wife.
On his return here the aged man.
who. despite his years. was known In
prison as kid" Cram. rode for the
first time in an automobile and an
electric train.
a long drawn "A-h-h!" was the only
exclamation he uttered as he emerged
from the Grand Central station and
gazed with bewilderment ut the busy
scenes.
Gosh. how it's grown!' he said as
soon MS he got his breath. That's one
Of the electric street cars. eh? They
ire big things. all right. Gee. when ]
went away they had just got cable
airs. and we thought them wonder
full"
Cram had left the prison after bid
ding gOOdby to all his old cronies and
the officers at Sing Sing.
On the train the old man becam,
reminiscent.
1.-The old rum Is nc good for an
one" he said, land my advice to u be
is. don't take your first drink. ! re
member my first drink. all right. II.
was way back In 1S4S. on MisAssip
pi river steamboat.
II was young lad then. and saw
Henry Clay playing Il game of pokel
with some other men. He took MI
between his knees and gave me his
hand to play. After it was over Ii
gave me his glass of wine to drink. !
don't remember whether l won thu
game or not. but l know I've played
many games since then.
Say, boys he began suddenly
veering his conversation to Sing Sins
Warden Osborne's Mutual Welfar.
league Is the greatest thing that via
ever instituted in prison. When J
first went into the prison it was !;
hell on earth. Now it Is a paradise"
.Reverting 10 his own case, he SAID:
When was lighting In the Indian
campaign near the California line u
lo4U was hit in the nose with an In
dian musket. think that old wOun.
was the direct cause Of my trouble
You know. served In three wars
the Mexican. Indian and civil wars.
Il had been out OF work for some
time and began to worry. After that
don't remember thing. until woke
up to find had been In the death
house ut Sing Sing for over a week
AID was under sentence OF death for
killing my wife. ! never quarreled
with my vie"
Cram took walk along Fifth ave
nue. before going to the home Of his
granddaughter.
Gee" he whispered. "how the wo-
men dress nowadays! In my time
they would have been locked up If
they went about with as little clothes
on as that.
II don't think I'll go down to Coney
Island yet. It's thirty-tive years since
4 was there. I'm going to California
after few days here. haven't been
there since the days OF 40.
Cram was given $40 when he left
Sing Sing. He had earned one and a
half cents per day.
II sent that to my family" he said.
Altogether earned 1916 while was
there think they ought to pay con-
victs dollar day. They earn it"