Year: 1879

10 lid Wueu u6 WaS LII pEleou3 ouu Ao
had letters from his brothers and sisters
also, and one FROM his father, all Of
which he had preserved. Justice Otter
bourg sent him on parole for the letters
to his last lodgings, and gave him some
money also, partly to see if the young
man was honest enough to return. He
did return, and brought the letters.
They were quite little package, and
upon reading them the judge was more
disposed than ever to help the lad, who
seemed intelligent and honest.


Fishers story was this: He was born
in Germany in 1859. His family was
respectable, and not poorly off. Their
name is not Fisher. At five years OF
age he was sent to public school, and
remained there for three years. At
eight, his father instructed him in the
rudiments of Latin, and then he was
sent to q Latin school. For the four
years OF his stay in this school, he
boarded in franciscan convent, where
every afternoon ale was served to the
boys, some sixty in all Fisher became
dissipated. In 1870 he was examined
for an advanced class, but got drunk
the night before and failed to pass. His
father was disgusted, took him away
and sent him to a commercial school,
where were many wealthy young foS-
eigners. He was allowed certain
amount of rocket-money every week,
but it was not enough to keep him up
to the expenses of his comrades. He
says that, while visiting his grandfather,
a physician who lived two miles from
the school, and with whom he spent his
Sundays, he robbed him, contriving
every Monday morning to carry back to
school five or six dollars which he had
stolen. For q year and half he was
undetected, but finally was caught and
sent home to his father, who fogged
him and locked him up fob several
weeks. He was then about twelve years
old, and was an excellent penman. A
clerkship in drug store was obtained
for him. lie robbed the firms mail.
His father, deeraing him incorrigible
upon the discovery of these thefts, de-
termined to send him to the United
States. His mother begged hard, but
it was no use, and the next day the boy
of fourteen was sailing out of Bremen
on q ship bound for America, alone,
but with $3.50 in his pocket. In New
York he made his abode forthwith with
thieves, and gradually became expert.
He ceased to call himself by his own
name, and adopted the alias of "John
Fisher" On the 18th of April, 1874,
he was sentenced, in the general sessions,
to the house of refuge for eighteen
months. He says Judge Gildersleeve
sentenced him. Colonel GildersleeVe
was not Judge till 1876. While Fisher
was serving his time, a Mr.. Neufer, who
had received $3.50 for him from his
mother, succeeded in getting him out
and finding him work in paper factory.
He worked ten days, and took to thiev-
ing again. he complains that the house
of refuge is calculated to confirm q
thief in his thieving by reason OF the
associations there contracted, and it is
his opinion that the officers of the house
lose their tempers too easily in punish.
ing prisoners. On October 9, 1876, he
was sentenced to Sing Sing for two
years and a half for a grand larceny in
Harlem to which he pleaded guilty.
He was put in the hat shop, and worked
steadily at the trade from October II,
1875, until June 5 last, when the hat
trade was moved to Clinton, and as his
time was so short, he was not trans
ferred with it. The letters he received
from his mother while he was at Sing
Sing are written in German, in fine,
neat hand, and speak for themselves as
to the writer of them. The first of them
says:


Your letter with the news Of your sentence
to State prison hurt me sadly, yet it comforted
me, for at least know that you we're alive
and well. I cannot describe how I suffered
with suspense because You had not written to
me in fifteen months. You say in your letter
that you long for me. My dear son, take
courage! man who loves his mother, no
matter how low he has fallen, is not lost.


Later she wrote:


MY DEAR Son: am not able to write you
long letter. My strength il failing more and
more every day. may get better again, but
that lies with God. My only wish is to see my
poor deserted son once more and press him to
my heart. My dear boy, have always loved





have my full blessing and forgiveness. II l
should die before you come home beseech Of
YOU to lead better life and become an honest,
upright man. II I should die I made father
promise to take you home and lot you learn
trade. beseech you, my dear son, on your
knees, to be ;ome honest and industrious, and
not to disgrace your dead mother 10 her grave.
Your brothers and sisters are very much at
tached to you; love them in return. After my
death have left you my watch. Wear it for
love OF your MOTHER.


April Is, 1877.


A month later she wrote:


MYDEAR Son: may live q few months.
but do not believe that I can live until you
are released from prison. have something
then to say to you which hope you will take
to hsart. Through your fathers extravaganza
our circumstances are very much altered for
the worse; and it seems to me that he will not
be satisfied until the little he has left rs has
gone too. At the same time he is treating me
and bis children brutal,y. For me, rejoice
when death releases me from 30 much misery.
When you have recovered your liberty Wilte
to your father for money to come home. II
he does not keep his promise to me, then write
to your grandfather. I will give him SUN OF
money for you, which have saved by tbs sc.
we're economies Of US all. You must not, nor
can you, rely upOu yOul lnthoi' AAo Aeo AAo
sympathy or pity for you. All the money you
receive from home came from me. would
not desert or forget my boy. My dear child,
are you worthy Of this love yet2 Have you
any feeling for me left? I beg you, my aon,
on nv death bed, to- become an honest End
honorable man. II you will not do it for the
sake of your mother, do so for your own sake:
After the expiration Of your sentence, you will
have your future in your own hands. With
courage and perseverance you can become an
honest man; but if you have rot these virtues
you will fall lowor step by STEP and though
tho son Of respectable parents, will reach q
miserable end. Make it the object OF your life
to be upright. There is yet time. Your heart
is young and not quite hardened. Try to learn
! as much as you can, and try to remember as
much of your former studies as you can. l
must tell you plainly that you and your broth
ers will have to build your mixtures. Grand
father will take care that you have something
to start with. Have you always money enough
to pay your postage? Doyou earn 1t by yonr
work2 reioiced when 1 received your last
letter. would have liked 1t little longer and
not quite 80 gloomy. Take good care OF your
self. I dream whole nights about you. I
dreamed that you were punished, and cried
all night long about you afterward. Try to
improve from day to dsy. A thousand kisses
from your brothers, sisters, and your ever
loving MOTHER.


Jnst before Fishers release came this