ng was left
to the unfortunate youth but to be led away to prison, with the blood of
a human being upon his garments. In due time he had his trial, and was
sent to the penitentiary for thirty years. He was twenty-two years
of age when he received the sentence. He has now been in the prison
thirteen years. For seven years he worked in the saddle-tree shop for
Sullivan, Hayes & Co., prison contractors. At the end of that time his
health failing, he refused to work. The prison authorities thought
he was trying to shirk his work. After being severely flogged, he was
placed in the dungeon and kept there in solitary confinement for three
months. Half dead, he was taken to the hospital and left in the hands
of the prison physician. For a time it was thought he would die. After
a while he began to recover; large patches of hair fell from his scalp,
leaving his head thickly covered with bald spots. When he entered
the prison he was a fine-appearing young man, but thirteen years of
imprisonment have converted him into a broken-down old man and physical
wreck. That was a sad day for that unfortunate youth when he entered the
saloon to take part in the game of cards. He will not live to the end of
his sentence, but will die in the penitentiary, and find his last, long
home in the prison grave-yard. Young man, as you read the history of
this convict, can you not persuade yourself to let whisky and cards
alone for the future?

BILL RYAN

Passing through the cell houses, I was shown the room occupied by the
notorious Bill Ryan for seven years. He was a member of the James boys'
gang. Being convicted of highway robbery he was sent to the prison
for twenty years. After Jesse James had been killed by young Ford, and
Frank's crimes had been pardoned, Ryan's sentence was commuted to ten
years, and after serving seven he regained his liberty.

Ryan was accredited with being one of the best prisoners in the
penitentiary. On the outside, if reports be true, he was one of the most
desperate men in Missouri. His time was spent in drinking, gambling,
quarreling, fighting and killing. He is charged with killing a number
of men. He was twice tried for murder, but proving an alibi, the jury
brought in a verdict of "not guilty." The prison officials speak in the
highest terms of his conduct while an inmate of the penitentiary. He was
an obedient and hard-working convict. Now that he is once more a free
man it is to be hoped that he will show hi