Evening star., 1919-10-04
PAROLED CONVICT OVERAWED
BY FREEDOM HE NOW ENJOYS
Twenty-Eight Years Of Isolation in Pris-
ons and Reformatory Weaken His Eyes
to Light, But Smile Is Still Ready.

A smiling. rather stout, gentle old
colored man. looking with timidnesz
upon . hustling city, while lines OF
good nature crease his cheeks. and q
boys laugh. ID ready for release on
the shortest notice. is viewing . world
today from which he has been isolat-
Cd for twenty-eight long years.
His eyes are affected by the sun
light. He had genuine view Of the
first time in more than a quarter OF
q century. His head, according to his
own testimony. Is buzzing and whir-
ring with the noisy city sounds aS II
he had taken IAN overdose Of qui-
nine"
And. peaceable and quiet. this is .
paroled convict, sentenced drst to
death and commuted to life imprison-
ment. convicted of the murder of his
wife. Catherine Cross, in 1891.
Confined Since He Was Thirty.
In that year. W. D. Cross. then
scarcely thirty years old. a fsh
huckster. started on his Journey to
Sing Sing prison When the gates
closed behind him. his sentence said
that they were closing out the world
ana liberty for the rest Of his exist
ence.
Today he is paroled. after an active
campaign by Dr. Earl budding of
the Prisoners Relief Society.
To look at him and talk to him one
would never suspect he was a convict.
He acts more like the old-fashioned
type OF before the war" colored
4 was put away all these years for
Q crime Of which was innocent Be.
fore the sight Of God swear I did
not do it. I can face my Maker and
say the same thing"
During his prison term records show
that not one black mark was regis
tered against him Always obedient
and hardworkfng, according to prison
officials, he found favor. and his gem
ueness and quiet demeanor spoke
strong arguments for his release
when DR.. budding took up his case
with the Department OF Justice and
commenced his campaign several
weeks ago.
The prison officials were sorry to see
MIN go. according to NJ. NJ Barnard.
deputy superintendent of the Lorton
reformatory. where he was brought
rom Atlanta in 1917. During the
trips he made from Sing Sing prison
ana from Atlanta in 1901 and 1917, re-
spec1ayeiy. he was kept under a close
SoAEu. connned in compartment Of
q tram which was as remote from
ctvflfxation AZ the prison itself. Shades
were pulled down over the windows
an9 only occasional glimpses of day
light could be secured, he said.
Afraid to Touch Money.
He is like a child. For TWENTY
eight years he has been taught that
1t Is practically a capital ofrense to
be found with money in his possession
So that when he received an amount
of more than $50 on his release, which
represented tips for overwork during
the last quarter century. he was afraid
to touch the money.
ct understand you are going To fake
q Job as a chauffeur" he was told
my face altve." Cross exclaimed
IT was to get into one Of the ar
tikles' I spose I'd run over three or
four people. and then they'd have me
again. No. sir! Believe my tongue.
amt going to take any such q Job.
No. sir!"
Gross has been given q position as
usher in The Evening Star building
With Dr. budding. he went today to q
department store to have his measure-
ments taken for regulation uniform.
and win take up his new duties ~ soon
aS it Is completed.
Cross spent last night at the Prts-
cners' Relief Society The soft bed was
a novelty to him. He ran his hand into
the soft pillow and dug the mattress
with his dst.