The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., 1916-08-24
RAN AWAY FROM ENGlAMO
TO ESCAPE COMSCRIPTlON;;
NOW IN REFORMATORY

the state reformatOry at Buena vista
for the theft of his roommates cloth
ing in Denver a few weeks ago Is
an English lad nineteen years OF age.
who was sent to this country by his
parents last spring to escape British
military conscription.
According TO the story told the writ
er by officials Of the reformatory dur
| ing recent visit to that institution
the lad is the descendant of a wealthy
family in London. who were anxious
to keep him out of the army until the
war was over. Realizing the danger OF
transcription in the colonies 1t was de-
cided to send him to a neutral coun-
try and the United States was selected
as the best place for him. The father
presented the boy with a thousand dol
lars and accompanied him to LIVER
pool to see him safely started across
the Atlantic. A regular stipend of
eight pounds. or forty dollars. a month
was promised the lad for his maintain
ance during his stay in America by his
parents. which has thus far been COM
piled with.
ton and Chicago were too much for
the friendless boy and in a few weeks
his money was dissipated and he
found himself penniless and alone in
Chicago. Unable to find congeniai en-
ployment there because OF the neglect
of his education in fitting him for
clerical position and his abhorrance
of manual labor he drifted into bad
company and committed plumber of
petty larcenies TO replenish his depict
ed purse. Fearing arrest by the police
for his crimes the boy left the city
for the west secreted in freight car
After some adventures In Omaha and
other points on the way the lad final
room in cheap lodging house to
wait. Micawber-iike. for -something to
turn up" His stay in Denver was
repetition OF his experiences in Chica-
70 and to satisfy the demands of an
importunRte landlady for the rent due
from his lodgings he stole the be-
longings OF his roommate and took
them 10 a pawnshop for loan to meet
his Indebtedness. The police found
the missing property and the lad was
taken into custody and locked up
pending hearing in the courts on the
charge of robbery. He was convicted
at the trial OF the accusation against
him and sentenced TO an indetermi-
nate term of from one to three years
in the state reformatory.
The lad was obs,reperous and re-
fractory and refused at first to con-
form to some of the rules laid down by
the authorities for the government of
prisoners at the reformatory and dras-
tic measures had to be resorted TO
to teach him that obedience TO the
regulations OF the institution was alb
solutely necessary. He was very vii.
full and stubborn in his opposition to
orders for week or more and had
10 be disciplined to bring him to
realization OF his offense. For several
days he was deprived Of his wearing
apparel and deprived OF a portion of
the usual allowance OF food. During
that time he was allowed only a blan.
ket TO clothe himself with, which he
found TO be as uncomfortable as Il was
unusual. firing OF his novel condition
he made frank, manly acknowledge
ment of his error in antagonizinr the
authority of the reformatory officials
and was restored 20 all the privileges
Of the institution.
Al present according to the deputy
warden. he is one of the most sub
missive. dutifnl and industrious 'pris-
oners at Buena Vista. He has been
assigned TO work on the reformatory
farm. and. by his energy. intelligence
and interest in the affairs about him.
has won the respect. and goodwill of
all with whom he Is associated. He
still gets his eight pounds a month
annuity from his parents across the
water. which is being saved for him
until he has expiated his crime and
been given his liberty.
The relatives in England do not
know Of the boys imprisonment and
he is very careful to keep all knowI.
edge of the fact from them. The lad
says 1t may be more patriotic for an
Enslishman to be fghting in the tren.
ches In France than II Is to be serv
ing the state as prisoner at Buena
Vista. but that for safety's sake he
prefers the latter.