9. EIGHT TIMES A CONVICT.
Thomas A. Currens.—One of the most unique characters to be found in
the striped ranks of the Kansas penitentiary is that of the man who is
herein described. This convict is fifty-two years of age, and a native
of Kentucky. His life, save a short time spent in the army, has been
one of crime. He was a courageous lad. Leaving his home at the early age
of ten years, thus deprived of all parental protection and restraints,
he formed bad associations, and soon his future career was in the
direction
of crime. The greater part of his boyhood was spent in city and county
jails and reform schools. At the age of twenty-two years he was
convicted on a charge of horse-stealing and sent to the Frankfort, Ky.,
penitentiary for six years. After serving four years he was pardoned by
the Legislature. He remained out of prison for the two following years.
We next find him in "limbo" in Indiana. He was arrested, and twenty
different charges were preferred against him. By pleading guilty to the
count of stealing a wagon, the court dismissed the other cases and gave
him a sentence of three years at hard labor. He was taken to the State's
prison. Shortly after his arrival he was put to work running an engine
during the night-time. After five months had passed away, Thomas,
reaching the conclusion that he did not enjoy watching over an engine
during the lonely hours of the night, determined to escape. Stealing an
old suit of clothes belonging to an officer, which he drew on over his
suit of stripes, he scaled the walls and was once more a free man. It
was a cold winter's night. After traveling some distance through the
woods his feet were almost frozen. Daylight was now approaching. He must
find a
place of hiding during the coming day. In a few hours he would be missed
at the penitentiary. The alarm being given, the usual reward being
offered, scores would be on the lookout for him. Approaching a farmyard,
he sat down and cut up his striped pantaloons and wrapped up his almost
frozen feet. He then crawled under a hay-stack. In this place he came
near being discovered, for in a couple of hours the farmer came out to
feed his cattle, and as chance would have it took the hay from the stack
under which the convict was secreted. As he was removing the hay,
several times prongs of the fork sank deep enough to penetrate the flesh
of the runaway. He endured this pitchfork probing heroically while it
lasted, and was thankful when the cattle had received sufficient
provender. Here he remained until nightfall. He did not renew his
journey until the farmer and his family had retired and were in the land
of dreams. Almost starved, uninvited he enters the kitchen and helps
himself to what he can find. His hunger being appeased, his old habit of
taking things that he should leave alone, forced him into the bed-room
of the sleeping farmer, and forced his hand into the pocket of the
aforesaid granger's pantaloons,
from which he took his pocketbook containing twenty dollars in money. He
was now prepared for traveling. Continuing his journey for several
miles, becoming very tired, he decided not to walk any longer as there
was so much good horse-flesh in the vicinity. Near the hour of midnight,
this weary tramp entered the farmyard of a wealthy old Indiana farmer,
and going into the barn led out one of his fleetest steeds. Once more
astride a good horse, Thomas felt like a free man. During the rest of
the night he made good headway, and by the morning sun was up the rider
and horse were many miles away from the place where first they met.
Entering a small village, the horse was fed and nicely groomed. At the
same time Thomas partook of a good breakfast, which he heartily enjoyed.
The fates seemed to favor the man of crime. It is an old saying: "The
devil looks after his own." A horse-buyer had arrived in the village a
few days before. When the noon train came whistling up to the station,
the convict having converted his horse into one hundred and twenty-five
dollars, purchased a new suit of clothes, a silk hat, and a pair of kid
gloves, and, representing himself to be a traveling salesman, getting
aboard, soon reaches Chicago, where, soon after his arrival, he joined a
band of crooks. He was never discovered by the Indiana prison
officials. Fifteen years after his escape, he got a "pal" to wire the
authorities of the Indiana penitentiary, and inquired of them what
reward they would pay for the return of Thomas A. Currens, a convict
who had effected his escape many years before. An answer came that if he
would remain out of the State, he would never be molested.
Wandering about several months after his escape, he arrives in
Sedalia, Missouri. Among other little articles he was accused of
stealing at this place was an eight hundred dollar barouche, the
property of Judge Ferguson, of that place. Again this noted thief was
arrested and confined in the county jail to await trial. He was not
anxious for trial, for he knew the "yawning pen" was waiting to receive
him. For eleven months he remained in this jail, having his trial
continued from term to term. When his case was called up for the first
time he feigned sickness. The next time one of the principal witnesses
was absent, and thus for eleven months his case was continued. Thomas
now yearned for freedom. How to get out of
that jail was the problem. Another term of court would soon convene. He
had no grounds for further continuance. Fortune favored him. At this
time a man was arrested and placed in the same cell with Currens. The
face of the new arrival was covered over with blotches. The next
morning Currens in a confidential manner stated to the sheriff that his
cell mate had the small-pox. Being interrogated the prisoner said he had
been exposed recently, and a physician being called, on examination it
was decided to remove him to the pest-house. Currens was sent along on
account of his exposure to the contagion. An officer was placed in
charge of the two jail-birds at the pest-house. During the night
following their arrival at this out-of-the-way place, the officer was
pounced upon by the two desperate criminals, bound hand and foot, and
with a large cork placed between his teeth, was gently laid on the
floor. His gold watch and chain, and all the loose change he had with
him were taken from his person, and the two small-pox patients walked
forth into the darkness and gloom of that night unattended by any
friendly official.
Thomas never believed in criminals traveling in groups, so he
bade his companion an affectionate
farewell. Wending his way to the southwestern portion of the State he
was arrested for additional crimes and misdemeanors. Knowing that the
officers had not sufficient evidence against him he bravely stood trial
and was acquitted. However, as he was going forth from his prison cell a
free man, much to his surprise, an official from Sedalia put in an
appearance and took him back to the scene of his small-pox escapade. At
his trial he was convicted and received a sentence of six and one-half
years. He now took a cell in the Jefferson City penitentiary. After four
years of imprisonment this notorious criminal makes an application for
pardon, setting up an alibi as the basis of the application, and
succeeded in influencing the Governor to believe the testimony, and was
set at liberty, promising that he would leave the State of Missouri,
never to return. The conscience of the said Thomas never troubled him
over failing to keep his word with the officers of the law. He did not
leave Missouri, as he agreed, but betook himself to the pleasant little
city of Carthage. Scarcely three moths had elapsed before he found
himself again in durance vile for stealing horses. He was tried,
convicted and returned
to Jefferson City penitentiary under a sentence of six years. He took an
appeal to the Supreme Court. The judgment of the lower court was
reversed. He was taken back to Carthage for another trial, and was
convicted the second time, and again received a sentence of six years at
hard labor in the penitentiary. As before, he appealed the case, and
the governor, thinking the State was getting the worst of the matter,
and that a large amount of costs were being made, pardoned the convict
under another promise that he would leave the State. Currens, now
following Greeley's advice, turns his eyes toward the setting sun. He
crosses the Big Muddy, and plants his feet upon the sacred soil of
Kansas. He makes a raid upon Lawrence, breaks into a house, and is
caught in the act of trying to carry off the household goods. A
courteous policeman takes charge of him—now deeply steeped in
crime—soon landing him behind the bars. In the presence of the court he
next makes a solemn statement that, prior to this, he had been a
Sunday-school teacher; that misfortune had overtaken him, and he was
forced to enter some friend's kitchen or starve. Those who listened to
his pathetic appeal inform me that the stern judge
was moved to tears, and that while he had contemplated giving the
wayward Thomas six years, he made it three. This was the first
introduction of our hero to the principal brown stone front of Lansing.
It was not long after his arrival at the Kansas penitentiary before he
gained the confidence of the authorities, and was made a "trusty." He
had an easy place given him.
His three years' sentence soon passed away. His term was reduced
three months because of his excellent conduct while in prison. Bearing
with him the good wishes of a majority of the prison officials, and
followed by the prayers of the pious chaplain, he goes forth to engage
in life's battle again. Thomas could not fully enjoy the sweets of
liberty unless on horseback. He makes his way to the capital of Kansas,
and engages at once in the dangerous business of stealing horses. He had
not continued this course long before he was arrested, tried, convicted
and returned to Lansing for five years more. Thomas had not been in the
Kansas penitentiary the second time but a few months, when he called
upon the chaplain, and with tears rolling down his face confessed he was
a great sinner, promised to lead a different life,
and urged the chaplain to pray for him. Delighted at the prospect of
snatching such a brand from the eternal burning, the man of God took
Thomas into a private room, and the two knelt down. The chaplain offered
a fervent prayer that the loving Father would take to His embrace the
returning, sinful prodigal. At the conclusion of this prayer the
chaplain called upon the "sin sick soul" to pray for himself. This was
an unexpected movement by the chaplain, and Thomas was hardly prepared
for the emergency. However, he prayed. He was converted on the spot. At
least, the chaplain thought so. Strange as it may appear to my readers,
instead of this noted convict having to remain and serve out his five
years' sentence, through the influence of this minister he secured a
pardon. At the expiration of eighteen months the shrewd convict was a
free man. That chaplain was "worked."
The fortunate Thomas next visits Atchison. A farmer came to the
city one day, driving a beautiful horse. The temptation was too great,
and the man who had been an inmate of a penitentiary seven different
times followed the unsuspecting farmer to his home, and that night rode
away the coveted prize. The Atchison
County Vigilance Committee traced and soon caught the guilty
horse-thief, landing him in Atchison County's beautiful jail. Shortly
after, Thomas had an interview with the county attorney, and it was
agreed by and between them, if the horse-thief would plead guilty, he
should be let off with one year in the penitentiary. To this the grave
offender agreed, and, presenting himself before the tribunal of justice,
Hon. W. D. Gilbert presiding, plead guilty. The county attorney being
absent, the court gave Thomas, instead of twelve months, a year and a
half at hard labor. I met him in the penitentiary a few days ago, and
learned that he is putting forth an effort to secure a pardon on the
ground that had he not been promised only a one year's sentence, he
would have stood trial and been acquitted. He claims that he should be
given his liberty when his one year is up.
Thomas was out of the penitentiary long enough to go into the
army and get a bullet through his ankle, and therefor draws a pension of
twenty-four dollars per month. He takes good care of his money, and has
enough on hand to enable him to get a good start in life when he obtains
his freedom. He is a well-behaved
prisoner. He is true to his pals in crime, never having been known to
turn State's evidence. He has a mania for taking things that do not
belong to him. He claims that he never would have been caught the last
time had not his housekeeper "given him away." The two had a domestic
quarrel, and in her efforts to get even, she told the authorities of his
theft. After his trial and conviction, womanlike, she repented in
sackcloth and ashes, but Thomas would have no more to do with her.
Later, she went over into Missouri, where she has since died. One of the
first things Thomas will do on regaining his liberty will be to secure
another housekeeper, and probably the the next thing will be to steal
some farmer's horse.
This convict is now serving out his eighth term in the
penitentiary. It is fearful to contemplate these human wrecks. A wasted
life, golden opportunities unimproved, a dark and dismal future will
constitute the death knell of such fallen beings. Young man, remember
the life of this convict, and shun such a course.
