Recollections of Windsor Prison;: Containing Sketches of its History and Discipline, with Appropriate Strictures and Moral and Religious ReflectionReynolds, John, of Vermont
History
Recollections of Windsor Prison;: Containing Sketches of its History and Discipline, with Appropriate Strictures and Moral and Religious Reflection
Reynolds, John, of Vermont
Vermont State Prison
In beaming it on her loom, she broke and tangled the warp to such a
degree, that she could not weave it; and then said that it was spoiled
in warping. This was enough for her husband; he had long had a spite
against Robbins, and now he had a fine opportunity to glut his pious
vengeance. Accordingly he wrote a complaint to the Warden, covering
the whole warp which his wife had spoiled, and many other crimes,
which were not of any consequence alone, but which added to the great
one of the warp, made it look quite black. This report, drawing an
appendix of consequential _et ceteras_, as long as the pen with which
they were written, was sent to the proper officer, and Robbins was
doomed to lie fourteen days and nights in a solitary cell, and live on
four ounces of bread for each twenty-four hours. What makes this
treatment of a helpless prisoner the more abominable is, that Robbins
was always known to do his work in the best manner possible. No
comment is necessary; and I leave that gentleman's conscience tangled
in that warp, till he makes restitution to abused humanity.
P. FANE.
Every line in the sketch that I am now going to transcribe from my
original record, ought to be written in letters of blood. It presents
a complication of crimes as foul as human wickedness can perpetrate,
and a society of criminals whose breath would pollute the atmosphere
of Paradise. I shall be very particular in noticing every important
circumstance in this case, and in suppressing those feelings of
indignation, which at this distance of time and place, kindle in my
breast, when the gushing blood and dying image of the victim rise up
before my mind.
Fane was an Irish youth of about twenty, and had no relatives,
acquaintances, or friends in this country. For some petty crime he was
sent to the prison for three years. He was of a sprightly but harmless
turn of mind, and he did not at all times keep a prudent check upon
his vivacity; which was the cause of his suffering now and then the
lashes of that authority, which, always frowning itself, could not
endure the sight of a smile. But the greatest difficulty was, he could
not perform so much labor as was required of him, and what he _did_
perform was not always so good as was expected by his rulers. Why it
should be thought a crime for a man not to learn a trade, so as to do
a full day's work at it, in the brief space of three months, I am
unable to say; and why any one should expect from a learner the
perfection of a master, is equally strange. But none of these
considerations entered into the purposes of his superiors, and he was
consequently in perpetual punishment, either in the solitary cell, or
in carrying round the yard and shop a large block of wood chained to
his ancle.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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