The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1922-12-02
"THE PRISON POET"
NXIHO wrote this poem?

Judge john w. w Ills "a cI- |
Paul, Mimi, turned to his secretary
one day early in 1910 and, pointing to
a verse which appeared in an issue
of the paper published by the prison
ers of the st. Paul penitentiary, Dade
the other read what he termed zone
of the best bits of poetry l have come
across in many a day"--a fragment
of which ran:
Haggard faces and trembling knees,
Eyes that shine with weddings gate;
Lips that mutter their blasphemles'
Murderous hearts that darkly wait;
| These were they who were men or late,
| Fit to hold plough or a sword
If a PRAYER this wall will penetrate
| Have pity on these, my comrades, Loro!
Interested in the psychology when
could give birth to such lines written
behind the bars of a penitentlary'
Judge Willis made a point of visiting
the prison, where he found man
entered upon the prison BOOKS as
"John Carter, age o." but who admit
ted that both the name and age were
false. When questioned as to his true
name he would only reply: Il have
too much pride to allow that to be
known" and, with respect to his age,
he merely pointed to his gray hairs
and smiled.
Carter had been sentenced to ten
years in prison for burglary, but when
Judge Willis commenced to investl-
l. hn
had had nothing to eat for two days
prior to his crime, and that he had
broken into a railway restaurant with
the sole idea of obtaining enough 1000
to save himself from starvation, after
being thrown from freight train
while trying to beat his way from
Winnipeg to ST. P&ul.
Shortly after entering the prison
Garter" had commenced to play the
organ in a manner which attracted the
instant attention of music teacher III
st. Paul, who declared that he pos
sessed exceptional ability, and he also
contributed number of poems to the
prison paper-poems which had not
only led Judge Willis but a number OF
{ editors throughout the country to al
. appreciation of the genius Of this con
> vict-author. His Ballad Of Miser!
: and Iron," which was widely quoted
in various sections of the United
! States, and Canada at the time, ant
Of which the verse above forms
' part, concludes with the remarkable
q stanza:
4 Poets sing of life at the lees
In tender verses and delicate
=. OF tears and manifold agonies
q Little they know of what they prate.
Y Out of this silence passionate
A Sounds a deeper wilder chord.
If song be heard through the narro'
gate,
Have pity on these, my comrades, Lord!
n But. as Judge Willis founud, Ca
fer was not a man who whined @
- complained He admitted his Grim
3. and declared that the law had SCI
20 fenced him justly, and That he we
:. perfectly willing to work out the r
naming half of his term. A movemer
IA for pardon was instituted, hOweve
Sf | ana, WllHlu d ySul, lhC piAooh eos'
a. opened and "John Carter" was ont
II more a free man. AS he stepped OF
N the warden asked if he would NJ
q write something descriptive Of Il
,e way he felt. Garter hesitated m
II ment and then replied:
n. Lead me back to my cell. 1 mu
~ have the iron bars in front of me-"
10 A few moments later he stepped OF
at poem completed, the final lines
which read:
Unreal it seems
OF Half ecstasy. half WEAKNESS and pal
be For so / fear this haven Of my dream:
nv Shall vanish and the storm come ba
~ again."
"Who are your asked one of Il
- group Of reporters who had gather
- to witness the release of the pris'
nd poet But Carter, his face grim, /
nd eyes fixed firmly on the world viii
NJ. he was viewing for the first time
,o+ five years, answered.:
nv "That is my secret. Possibly "
"a may hear from me in the future"
1t is more than possible that t
world has heard from him, for gent
such as that of Carriers cannot be h
~ den by pseudonym any more than
~ can be confined by the walls of