Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-05-05

20 inc Editor Of The Times Dispatch:
heaIIinrA Of 'ss%% days aEo. under The
me name of Granville MontelIs am.
hcared He was II famous horse thIe,
V va !. was dii.icuit to keep MIN In the
Virginia Penitentiary. The mention or
ms man reminds me OF another, Luc!en
iI' ana 10 again inquire OF his fate
i na'ro' roo was horse thief IN Vir-
SIM" path IN the sINtic9 or early sew
cnt!es. and three times escaped fron
the virginia Pcnitontiary. II was snid
~ ~ nay ,n peen a written or unwritten
law ,h"t a third term in that prison
mean, life term. Baird p.rbnns
hhow!nS this decided TO reform afr
ne hhh ESCAPED The iife term. and set
bnt II. was brought back the fourth
t'me-thcn from his wife and children.
:, ~ VIZ" several years after the War
i.ciwc"n tho States when l. a medical
student. knew him as hospit;, steward
IN NE Virginia ieni,entiary. The old
nnliuinG VAS nearly perfect circlr,
into the center Surrounded Win .
hish wall, cu,,!1E off breczes. the peni-
trnli"ry was 5000 hatchery for tu-
herculosis. and frequently wen, there
20 study tuberculosis and 10 visit a
convict who had been member Of DR.
W. W Farker's battery during the
war Hctwcen the States.
This man was serving a short torn,
sent from Norfolk. and was Il victim NJ
meart disease. lie died. and his heart
dents IN the Medical College OF Vir-
ginia. one OF the valves had bean
converted into hone
DR.. Frank Cunningham. In his com
ment on the heart. told US that il We
had listened TO the heart when tho
man lived that we would have heard a
certain murmur.
After the lecture I told the doctor
that ! had failed to hear the murmur.
! had examined the heart with VIr-
s sima rren nc hoI noiitsness, for he was
mat II may have been that tho heart
did not give the murmur.
told him that the murmur was no
to detect IT. Doctor Isaiah White had
told the patient that his heart was dis
eassd.
know that he was in the penitentiary.
for when ! told him that I would tell
pr parker. who would be pleased to
asked me not TO tell him, which secret
was kept.
Returning to Baird. He made me a
nice. large cla IS OF lemonade. and was
cheerful as with bright. keen eyes he
looked through the bars OF the door
Of the hospital. Hope springs eternal.
or to he pardoned. We did not discuss
Intended to Ease interceded for him
at the time, but | do not remember
that did so. each of us usually goes
on in his own narrow way. chasinr
phantaSmS. But several years ago |
wrote the superintendent inqurinE the
rate or Baird. and TO my surprise. he
replied that he could not find his name
on the books!
Did iucien Baird die in the penitcn-
tiary, and the doctor. Snatch his body"
for purposes OF tcaching? Was he par
doned? think the parole was not
used in Virginia. Did no escape into
the outside world, or did he escape into
a hole in tho building. and become an
involuntary. or voluntary prisoner OF
the. walls. dying and drying up. like n
giving out odor?
It is not likely that he was trans
lated In the Biblical sense. But what
ever the manner OF the exit Of course
his name should he on the rolls Of tho
penitentiary and a diligent search will
no doubt reveal il.
Acme. w. Va. May 3. 1918.