Year: 1878

BOSJOn OriODe.l


Probably there is more curiosity concern
ing the prison career of Jesse Pomeroy than
any other convict in the institution. His
atrocities are known the world over, and
hundreds make the vain visit to the prison
to get sight of him. Indeed, scarcely a
visitor appears here but who asks for the
privilege, and, strange as it may seem, the
most importunate and persistent of these
are found among the lady visitors. 1t is no
uncommon thing for the warden to be i'm
portuned for half an hour at time by
delegation of these philanthropic females,
and, finding that their pleadings are useless,
they go off in a rage, probably declaring
inwardly that Pomeroy is saint and
angel in comparison with General Chamber
lain. This singular phenomenon of
fiend and murderer is even more singular
since his incarceration for life in lonely cell
than he was in the palmy days of his atroci-
ties. He has, in fact become quite an exem
plary young man, and is evidently deter
mined upon acquiring thoroughly classical
education. He is away by himself in a cell
in that part of the prison known as the up
per Arch" outOf the sightof everything and
everybody, and the only sounds which greet
his ears are the whistles of the passing
locomotives and rumbling of the trains.
Three times day only is this solitude
broken by the appearance of a keeper with
his meals and then not a word passe
between them. 1t should be added in quail
fication, however, that the chaplain visits
him occasionally, and also that his mother
and brother are allowed interviews with him
every three months. This is in accordance
with the general rules of the prison, ali of
which are applicable to POmeroy, with the
terrible exception that his confinement is to
be solitary during his natural life. During
the regular working hours he is employed in
making shoe brushes, but in this respect he
is not the most profitable convict in the
prison. He seems to have taken to litera-
ture rather than to the mechanic arts, and
spends much of his time in the acquisition
of knowledge. So far as the English branches
go be is already master, and has now at
tached Lain, French and German, and is
making astonishing progress in all three of
them. If it were not for the conditions
which forbid his mingling with the rest OF
the prisoners, it would not be bad idea to
make him professor of languages
of the institution. He writes q letter
to his mother every week, and receives
one from her regularly in return. The poor
woman brings over her communication every
Saturday, and invariably finds one awaiting
her. The letters which the young murderef
writes are marvels in the way of parental
correspondence, and some of his descriptions
| of his lonely life characterized by sad
ness which is indeed narrowing. He never
| makes any reference to his crimes and when
questioned by the officers about the multi
tude of murders and outrages which he has
committed, he invariably answers that he
| knows nothing whatever about them. He
has always shown a great affection for his
mother, and her devotion TO him has shown
her to possess those natural instincts which
are the charm of pure womanhood. She
seems to be an exemplary woman in every
respect, never complaining but always anx-
lous, and has the coincidence and sympathy
of every officer of the prison, as she should,
indeed, of the whole community.