Part 58 (1/2)

”He is dead Bear up, Aleck His last thought was of you He was unconscious all afternoon, but just before the end--it was 933--he sat up in bed so suddenly, he frightened me His arm shot out, and he cried, 'Good bye, Aleck'”

CHAPTER XLI

THE SHOCK AT BUFFALO

I

July 10, 1901

DEAR GIRL:

This is from the hospital, _sub rosa_ Just out of the strait-jacket, after eight days

For over a year I was in the strictest solitary; for a long ti matter were denied me I have no words to describe the horror of the last reat crisis Two of htful manner The death of Russell, especially, affected , and my dearest and most devoted friend, and he died a terrible death The doctor charged the boy with shaitis I cannot tell you the awful truth,--it was nothing short of murder, and my poor friend rotted away by inches When he died they found his back one mass of bedsores If you could read the pitiful letters he wrote, begging to see me, and to be nursed by ony seean to experience the pains and symptoms that Russell described in his notes I kneas s showed signs of paralysis, and I suffered excruciating pain in the spinal column, just like Russell I was afraid that I would be done to death like uard, and would barely touch the food, for fear of its being poisoned My ”head orkin',” they said And all the tiination, and I was in terror of going ht it, but it would always creep up, and get hold of er Another week of solitary would have killed e of suicide I demanded to be relieved from the cell, and the Warden ordered me punished I was put in the strait-jacket They bound my body in canvas, strapped my arms to the bed, and chained ht days, unable toin my own excrement

Released prisoners called the attention of our new Inspector todone in the penitentiary Reports spread that I was going blind and insane Then the Inspector visited the hospital and had me released from the jacket

I aeneral ward now, and I alad of the chance to send you this note

Sasha

II

Direct to Box A 7, Allegheny City, Pa, July 25th, 1901

DEAR SONYA:

I cannot tell you how happy I aes have been restored by our new Inspector, a very kindly ain on the range The Inspector requested me to deny to my friends the reports which have recently appeared in the papers concerning my condition I have not been well of late, but now I hope to iiven e for it through our local coood news, dear friend A new commutation law has been passed, which reducestime, of course; almost 4 years here, and another year to the workhouse However, it is a considerable gain, and if I should not get into solitary again, I ht--Iresurrected

The ne benefits the short-tier sentences Only the poor lifers do not share in it We were very anxious for a while, as there were many rumors that the laould be declared unconstitutional

Fortunately, the attempt to nullify its benefits proved ineffectual Think ofthe prisoners a little o As if a little kindness to the unfortunates--really justice--is incoreatly worried over the fate of this statute, but at last the first batch has been released, and there isover it

There is a peculiar history about this nehich ht It was especially designed for the benefit of a high Federal officer as recently convicted of aiding tealthy Philadelphia tobacco overn counterfeit tax stamps Their influence secured the introduction of the coe The laould have cut their sentences almost in two, but certain newspapers seenorance of the ”deal,” and protests began to be voiced The matter finally came up before the Attorney General of the United States, who decided that the ineered, could not benefit by it, because a State law does not affect U S prisoners, the latter being subject to the Federal coine the discomfiture of the politicians! An attempt was even made to suspend the operation of the statute Fortunately it failed, and now the ”common” State prisoners, ere not at all islature has unwittingly given some unfortunates hereby being called out for a visit I could hardly credit it: the first comrade I have been allowed to see in nine years! It was Harry Gordon, and I was so overcoht of the dear friend, I could barely speak

He must have prevailed upon the new Inspector to issue a per to the serious illness of Captain Wright Perhaps he will allow me to see my sister Will you kindly communicate with her at once? Meantime I shall try to secure a pass With renewed hope, and alith green memory of you,

Alex

III

_Sub Rosa_, Dec 20, 1901