Thanksgiving-day Seene In The Massachusetts Prison

Coming then to the matter of pardons, the Warden said he presumed that was the matter uppermost in the a niinds of the prisoners, and the conviots concurred by a burst of applause. He said that he had received an envelope from the Governor which contained some pardons, but he had not yet broken the seal, and he did not know how many there were, or who were the lucky ones to be liberated by them. He then took the mysterious and valuable package from his pocket, an act wnich was the signal for the most profound and anxious silence. The anxiety of a man on trial for his life, and awaiting the verdict of the jury, could not have been more intense and painful than was manifestad by every one of the seven or eight hundred prisonew. Taking up one of the documenta, the Warden smüed and remarked, " Well, I like that name. " At this moment the suspense was indeed harrowing ; but Mr. Ohamberlain soon interrupted it by announcing the name of " Timothy Cronin." As the words feil from his lips, there went up a loud and simultaneous shout of approval from all his fellow-prisoners. Bisiug from his seat, an old gt-ay-haired man attempted to make his way from the rniddle of the ohapel to the forward platform, but the other convicts gathered aro and him in such numbers that it was impossible for him to proceed until the officers of the prison restored order. Cronin was sentenced from Boston for life, in 1862, for the crime of rape, and is now 52 years of age. During his twelvo years of prison life his wife bas ever been a faíthf ui friend, and during the time has earned suffioient money to buy and fnrnish a modest house. She was at the prison to receive him when the pardon was granted. The other pardous feil respéctively upon William McGrath, Miohael Ryan and John Eyan, whose good luckT was warmly applauded by the prisoners who were less fortúnate. Mearath, who is 52 years of age, was sentenced for life from Worcester for the crime of murder in the second degree, and he has only been imprisoned for six years. A Bon and daughter were present to escort him home to Thanksgiving dinner. Michael Ryan, also genteneed for life for highway robbeiy in Boston, had served eight years time, and John Ryan, who was sentenced for fifteen years for manRldiiffhter in Boston, had served nine