Show C AND J Its A 1 confession and tind story life written by Richard Deming Doming who is serving sentences in the state prison on charges of highway robbery and jail breaking has been received by hy Varden Warden Arthur Pratt o of the prison and by him hilll has been turned over to Sheriff T Joseph oseph C. C Sharp In his communication which is entitled A Menace l to Society Society Society So So- admits that statements which he made concerning concerning con con- Corning former Sheriff C. C Frank Emery and Sheriff Sharp were falsehoods fn l The letter to Warden arden Pratt and the statement which accompanied It are as follows Warden Pratt Sir I Sir T write this to acknowledge my mistake In acting tho the way I have ha since I havo have been In prison hero here and also to ask for an opportunity to right the wrong I have done I I 1 am willing to do rl right ht by tho of officials or- or and am nm sure If IC given an opportunity will leave you no cause caubo to re regret regret regret re- re gret In trusting me mo hereafter I I wrote a brief sketch of ot m my past life up Ul to date also about the sheriff and you can make It public if you wish Hoping HOlling you will consider m my case caso and give me mo the opportunity I ask asIc I remain R II flEMING DEMING Is m my case hopeless or am I 1 just justa a victim of misfortune I 1 will leave It to your our Judgment jUl ment after reading what I am about to write I think you will agree thero there Is somebody wron wrong I look back Lack on my mv life from froni the time time Iwas I Iwas Iwas was caught red handed with my fa face e burled buried In a jar jam of or jam jom till up to date dat and I admit I am a mystery to myself About ten months a ago o when Judge Lewis was passing sentence upon mo me I 1 W vas S told I was a menace to society Eighteen years ago when I was but thirteen years ean old ole I was told the same thing by b a n judge In San Francisco A menace to society They rhey pick up some pool 1001 unfortunate the papers make a desperado out df cit him and they thoy send him to prison for foi fifteen twenty years or life Ufe when he ought to be bo sent to the tho Insane Insano asylum I I II Semi MM 1 Iu 0 i en 1111 t I got Into trouble In San ban Francisco when I 1 was about thirteen and und my people people peo peo- not flot knowing what to do with me had mo n. n tent to in an asylum nI at nt One TT Hun Hun- dr dred 1 and S sixth Seventy street and arid Am Amsterdam Am avenue a Now New York YOlk city That hat sta started ted me on my downward career with bells bolls I never was of a vicious or mean disposition but was full of devil devil- tn and was continually getting Into trouble there antI and was transferred tri to tho the New York Reform School on Randalls Randall Ran dalls dall s Island as an nn incorrigible There is where 1 got my ray first number 1 I was vas kept ept there thero about lt four years earM and anti during that time was taken out and tried for causing a riot but was acquitted ac- ac acquitted acquitted ac ac- quitted and sent sont back and put in soil soll- tar tarv tary confinement I I escaped from there In March 18 G. G t hy swimming the East liast river I went vent down to the old oM Minnesota training I Iship ship to Join joint the tho navy but was rejected i I 1 had no one nc to sum sign for tn mo I got a Job at nt the tho Park Row How restaurant on Chatham square as waiter wailer but w was not hot there a week before ono one of tho the guards from the Island lland came camo in and attempted to arrest inc me but I got away I then went vent to y Intending to got et work If I could In the tho Edison works hut but butas was as not In town five hours before I J was sus arrested on suspicion of burglary rhey They got word from New York about me and I was sent to Elmira reformatory reforma tOr tory for two thirty two months with 77 5 for or my second number 1 hardly ham got got I acquainted with the place when I l was vas put Into a n. i d suit Hull and In the third grade and In solitary confinement I After Arter being paddled pa and stopped on A a. few fex times by the officials for tori or ot I five o months I 1 was wa transferred to Auburn state prison February 1897 as asan asan I an Incorrigible M l My third number 46 16 was given me and arid more trouble Sent Stul cit to In State Prison February 1898 I 1 was vas transferred to tho the state prison for In Incorrigible Incorrigible Incorrigible In- In corrigible and habitual criminals e and for Cor my fourth number The of- of at l a didn't t take much of 1 it fancy to me me for I 1 was given Iven a 11 striped four suit stilt I managed to pull Continued ou un S i f S S S I CONFESSES CONFESSES CONFESSES CON- CON AND EXONERATES EXONERATES EXONERATES ATES COUNTY OFFICERS Comm I I n from trum am I fige One Omme Out through and anI was discharged e February 1 IS lt 18 1899 t 9 I went back to New York and was promptly arrested I explained ex ox- m my lily case cne to the tho Judge In the morning and wax was W S taken talu up tip b bv by limo tho t hI Prison Aid society who bought me a I ticket et to tu San Francisco on the Finance via Panama 11 1 got a prodigal son reception on mm reaching Francisco but Instead of oC th the tho totted calf ealr 1 I was given a plate of oC bean at the tue city Jail Jai and next mornIng morning morn morn- ing log Judge 1 gave e C mo mc permission to lo leave te the time city within 24 2 hours 1 T ihen w went nt over o to Oakland with the same me good luck to Sacramento Marys- Marys rule l' l Fresno and a a dozen lozen other towns town anti and then lion went hack back to San Sn Francisco and was nas ari ar arrested sted stell for burglary and sent 10 to San an Quentin for Cor 30 months with b for my number I I left Idt San Quentin September 1901 and got ot work worl on n the tue San Juan hound for Cor Panama Three days out I Iva Ivas I va waK vas found out to be bo an convict ex-convict and was put ashore at San Jose ile lIe Guatemala Guate main mala malo I made m my wa way Inland to City and stayed there a tow few months I then lien wont to lo Mexico and got ot Into trouble there and was wa kept locked up imp lp until the time San Blah Bias arrived and was taken back to Fi I I worked on a dozen ozon different ships and an all oh al with wih the time same Rame result Either 1 I was found Coun out before or a after I sailing that I 1 was au an ex On February ar ary 28 1 I was arrested at Vallejo Cal al for bur burglary lary pleaded guilty und sentenced to San Sun for COl tour four r CO years eats with for tor my IV sixth number num num- her ber Between tho straight t Jacket and tho tiit bread r a 1 and water wate I 1 was thin discharged April Apri 2 1006 pretty much to the badI bad all I manila made up UI U my mind I would have ha 1 a change elango of oC climate as asel well el as country HO so I 1 got Rot a a Job as second oral mess boy on the O. O S. S S S. Sonoma bound for Cor Aims Aus AI She was was to sail a I on the Lime x xI so KO soI I 1 went to work on the and worked until tl time tho mh In tin lIme tn F r r borrowed 10 from rota time the second steward and amid went up town to hums hums' some ome clothes otc etc that lint I 1 would nell need and it bid hil a 0 farewell to my friends As AsI AI I iT Iva was va late when I 1 got through T I got gota a room at tho the Winchester hotel on Third bird street for time the night and amid asked time the proprietor to give me inc a call can for forG 6 G o'clock but about a a quarter after five I awol awoke o with wih half of oC th tIme the ceiling on top of me and amI tho time bed dancing a a cakewalk about the tho lOOI room I 1 ran out or fell fel out rather rathor and nail rolled down the end enl of or tho hall hail hal anti and landed up a against the time window Out I Jumped with wih nothing noth noth- In ing on but m my undershirt an and struck aft af on a pile pie of oC brick and mortar I 1 got gol imp up although I was pretty badly br cut and all tore lore up to Market street down Market to tho the water front I and amid I would not have stopped slopped then if 1 I had bath not stumbled In a hole made malc I bv my the time earthquake and my le legI leg I lost all al m ns m clothes and the time had pulled out on omi account of the wharves being on fire Ire After I T Thad had left ler the time hospital at Oakland I got gota ot ota a pass to Seattle Seattle- antI and went went up on on ono of ot the relief trains My ly leg got better belr and I went to work on the thu G. G E. E Starr trucking but butI hil hilI I hall had not worked over two weeks when going down a gangplank an plank with witha wih a heavy load of or cement the time wheel of my tru truck k came off orr and Cl cement ment truck tm Including myself went overboard I hurt my back and received a pas pass s from Crom the company's a agent nt to tho the Maine hospital hos bios pital at Port Townsend After Aftem leaving the time hospital I 1 went to Bellingham and unI was arrested on suspicion sus sus- sus picton pleon of or bur burglary lar and nOi bound over I IWas Iwas was taken sick at time the count county jail jai timer ther ther and was sent ent to the Holy Hol Cross hospital hos hos- pital but got ot well wel quick and arul loft len without without with with- out permission I Ivas was waR arrested time the next day lay and pleaded guilty and was wa given fifteen months in Walla Vala Wall i with wih 1 1212 1 for m my seventh sc number On Un leaving ln Walla Walla Valla July 25 I. I 1907 I 1 Imade Imade made malic a IL L resolution that I would neither work worl nor mior steal for Cor I 1 camo came to the time conclusion con con- elusion that I wax a complete failure e at both so I bought a banjo with wih the mone mooney money I J hind hall coming coining coming out olt and 6 smarted arted on a u tour of or the country countr hail Had tuck In In Utah I 1 was wa doing doing fine throughout Washington Wash Wash- ington California and antI Nevada Neva a until I struck Utah then tImers curtains curtain 1 I was not I Inver over Oer thirty miles insIde the borders of oC Utah when while dozing o on tho the trucks underneath time the passenger the th strap of oC my banjo case cane cale camo comae loose and got under the wheel and Jerked banjo case cao and all under the train and amid I 1 came near ne following it it I. I I 1 came cam out to Lo Salt Lake and established myself at itt 16 Commercial street and anti helped the proprietor George Goorge Davis run his lodging In ing house On or around November 20 O I was us us arrested on eu suspicion and while being detained at the tIme city Jail Jai a a. 1 charge charge of ot robbery was put lut against me nse and amid I wa was bound over to the tho District court lOUIt to await awai trial On December 1 I 1 was taken taken tak tak- en sick at the county nty Jail jai and sent to SL Marks Mark's hospital I loft lee the time hospital and went down town and saw a couple of oC friends and left leC for Cor Portland on the time I 1 was arrested at Huntington Ore Identified by a Mr 11 Knowles J detective detective de de- de- de an and 1 sent to Baker CI City for Cor safe saCe keeping lo to await the arrival of or officers from Salt Lake City On January 1 12 I left leC Baker Cit City with a deputy leput sheriff and unwed tho timo next day at It tho the count county jail jai at Salt Sal Luke On January 20 21 I was taken down to time the sheriffs sheriff's office orico unit and put pul through time the third degree I was also risked If IC my amy Sulivan ulhan had hail made mado an any mention menton about the whereabouts whereabouts where where- of oC Garcia who vho was wanted on Garca I suspicion of oC murder and anti also ailo If I had met Sul Sulivan n before and I denied over ever overseeing seeing him till tl he came caine to time the county Jail jai That afternoon wo were swore caught trying to saw out out and Sullivan Sulivan was waN taken to the tho penitentiary and I was put in double Irons In the time dungeon I r r put t p all the blame of ot tim the th sawing 1 and e everything e on Sulivan Sul nn and told toll the tho sheriff that Sullivan Sulvan made tho the blackjack blackjack black black- jack Jacl that was found In the cell cell I did dill not lot think I 1 was doing an any harm at the time for I 1 was going to trial in a few days lla's and was sure of ot getting acquitted But I did not go to trial for m my best friend one whom I put tho the utmost confidence con con- in In turned traitor and I either hall had to show him up or take ten ton years so I took the latter later Utah I l arrived In the Utah state prison February S. S 1908 with 2102 for my m eighth number Now here I Is where I got myself Into an awful Jackpot and where m my may past pat experiences and misfortunes misfortunes tunes seem like hiko Iko a a summer vacation at Newport In comparison I was WIS In the prison about a month when whon I was wal as a a. witness at Sullivans Sullivan's trial On being beng asked about the sawIng sawIng saw saw- Ing tag I swore I 1 did all al the time sawing I 1 Imade Imade made malle the blackjack and amid when being accused by bv the time count county attorney that I told the sheriff that Sulivan did It all al I emphatically denied it It I. I and said sid the timo sheriff put me up 11 to sawing so as to tu get et Sullivan Sulvan to sn saw w so they could gc set get him Isbn and a few rew more lies I was condemned the time next day b by ly lythe the time newspapers and ond a charge charbe of or perjury perjury perjury per per- jury and jail breaking put a against m me meby meby by the tho count county attorney I took look th tho advice of oC a few friends who were deeply interested Interested in my case for Cor sarious various va sa rious reasons' reasons and stood trial After I disgusting ls five different lawyers I de defended defended lle- lle I fended or rather offended myself and stuck to the time same amo sime story I told toM at Sul Sul- l trial and amid was prompt promptly conI convicted con con- an and sentenced sentence by the tho Judge as asa asa I a 1 menace to society and given five more mOle years I 1 mb do 10 not hot blame the nor the time sheriff sherl for denouncing me for I mus must sa say that outside of asking me whether I lover over met Sulivan ulhan or If 1 Sulivan Sul an over said anything about Garcia Garca the accusations ac ac- ac- ac I made mado against Sheriff Emory Emery or Joe Sharp were fero false and I had no other conversation con with wih them what what- o over ever r After ACtor putting p nearly nearl fifteen years year out of ot my thirty years on tins timis tl earth In reform schools and prisons 1 I end in Utah State prison In sol solitary tar confinement with fifteen more years to do mb Is b there any cure cUle Sure Provo Pro o I insane le asylum um R H DE DEMING n G All Al this I write can caim be he easl easily verified by the time officials in Now New York Califor Califor- ala nia Washington and amid Utah RICHARD JESSUP N. N Y RICHARD 1 En A Y Cal al al RICHARD GORDAN GOnDA Wash RICHARD DE DEMING l G Utah |