1859-05-30—New York Evening Post—Female Curiosity to See Prisoners

Female Curiosity to See Prisoners

New York Evening Post, May 30, 1859

Albany NY Evening Journal, June 2, 1859, p. 2

Female Curiosity to See Prisoners

The officers in charge of the City Prison observer, as a singular fact, that there is great curiosity to see notorious criminals, and assert that this curiosity is more prevalent among the fair sex than among me. They say, furthermore, that the greater the offense of the criminal the greater is female curiosity; and that scarcely a day elapses without applications from ladies to see Stephens, Glass and other prisoners who have committed great crimes. Stephens, indeed, has been quite a lion among the gentle sympathizers, and numerous eyes have glistened with tears for his approaching fate. Two ladies from Boston called last week and had quite a lengthy conference with him. Passing on to the cell of Glass, they asked him what he was in there for; and he replied that he was a Mormon, and was suffering for his religion, having married four wives in accordance with his creed, which a perverse generation deemed contrary to the well-being of society. The younger and prettier of his inquisitors was highly indignant, and boldly declared that she believed he ought to be punished, and hoped he would be kept in prison until he learned better than to do such wicked things.

What seems more singular still, not a week elapses but females apply to be informed when there will be an execution, and to beg the privilege of witnessing the exhibition.