Annual Report of the Prison Association of New York (Volume 74-78 )

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1919 Excerpt: ... When Judge Mulqueen was informed of these facts, he agreed with our agent that it was about time this boy had his chance, so he was released on probation, and has an excellent, well-paying position at the present time A country boy who had been but a few weeks in the city and was employed only one month as a clerk in a steamship office, told a strange story of how he had been inveigled into an attempt to commit the crime of blackmail. An older man met him in his plate of employment and suggested that he knew uu easy way to make some money. He said that he had learned that a certain rich waist manufacturer uptown had been guilty of certain dishonorable acts and would pay good money to keep them silent. So he induced the boy to write threatening letters to the man who made the complaint; answers were to be sent to a hotel. The older criminal was too cunning to call for the answers, and sent the unsophisticated boy to the hotel, where he was placed under arrest. He was advised to enter a plea of guilty and make a full confession, which he did. His previous record was investigated by mail, and it was found that he came from an excellent family and had never been in trouble before. An uncle in Pennsylvania came to the city, produced a certificate to show that the boy had served over a year in the Navy on a battleship, and had an excellent discharge. He had also taken a course in window-dressing, had been a raliroad ticket-agent, and was recommended as thoroughly reliable. The older man was sent to State prison, as he richly deserved; and on the recommendation of the complaining witness, the boy was released on probation and taken to the country by his uncle. He is now employed in a Western city, and the uncle tells me he is doing very well indeed. Charles T. was...