Letter from Roe, Morris H. to Unknown Addressee. Philadelphia, PA; Oct 1878
- Title
- Letter from Roe, Morris H. to Unknown Addressee. Philadelphia, PA; Oct 1878
- Author
- Roe, Morris H.
- Date Created
- 8 October 1878
- Format
- 4 pages on 2 sheets
- Language(s)
- English
- Source
- Katz Center for Advanced Judaic Studies
- Sabato Morais Collection, Box 2, Folder 6
- Has Format
- https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/items/ark:/81431/p3gt5g155/manifest.json
- Link to Colenda
- https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/catalog/81431-p3gt5g155
- Provenance
- Transfer of Custody from the Hebrew Education Society, 10 March 1913.
- Is Format Of
- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/judaicadh/morais/main/TEI/SMBx2FF6_81b.xml
- content
-
Eastern Penitentiary. Oct 8. 1878.
Most Reverend Sir:
Severe sickness com-pels me as a last resort to address you. Please forgive me if I am taking an unwarranted liberty in doing so, for I know no other alternative. As I write these lines, I am confined to a bed of sickness where I have lain for nine long weeks with hemorrhage, and I feel but little hope of recovery. Although deeply dyed in sin, an outcast and a convict, I do not hesi-tate in addressing you thus openly, for I feel in my heart that I am writing to a fellow-brother who will not spurn me, nor reject my petition with reproach. I am here on the charge of forgery, and am guilty. I will not try to solicit your sympathy by falsehood in saying otherwise; nor will I attempt to mitigate my offense by the plea of my age, for though I am but 22 years of age,
I am as guilty as if I were older. But I have been very unfortunate. Ever since the day when I lost a dear mother, who was the world to us, (peace to her ashes), my life has been one continual strife of temptation. Here, surrounded by prison-bars on all sides of me, where Solitude, Remembrance, and Longing are my only companions, I often lie & think midst tears of sorrow, how different my life would have been had my mother lived. I have no one in this wide world who cares for me, except my aged father, and I would heartily end my days in prison rather than let him know of my disgrace. He is nearly 70 years of age now, and would never outlive the tidings of it; and with all my sinful nature I have enough feeling of heart left to spare the only one whom God has spared me. Several of those interested in my welfare here have advised me that my only hopes lie in a pardon. The disease under which I suffer is one which can never be effectually cured, and the flow of blood is attended with symptons
of consumption. The officials here are kind to me, and the physician is doing everything in his power to help me. But solitary confinement, living day after day in the same lonely cage, never breathing the gift of God's pure air from morn till eve, is doing its work. It is the nature of every man to love life, and what makes me cling to it more than ever now, is my eager longing to redeem myself before God and man ere I am summoned to His High Tribunal beladen with sin and shame as I am now. Were it possible for you to penetrate into the hidden sorrow that lies buried in this miserable heart of mine, to know my yearning desire to live a better life, I am sure you would sympathize with me. I know that every member of a Jewish family is moved by a noble spirit of benevolence to help an erring brother, and, if possible save him from a downfall of misery or disgrace. I appeal to you, therefore, in the name of a fellow-brother, to try to assist me from this tomb of suffering, and give me one earthly chance to redeem
my health and name. The cost attending an application of pardon is not much. The lawyer's fee would likewise be a moderate one. Do not think I expect this assistance from you, reverend Sir.--but I feel that among your congregation there are hearts that would nobly sympathize with me if they knew my condition. With all the reverence and sincerity due you, the holy teacher and Rabbi of our faith, I implore your efforts in my behalf. If I am pronounced unworthy the sympathy of honest men, then I shall rest content to bear my doom in silence with the penalty of that Fate that brought me here, and which seems to pursue me so pitilessly to the end.
Your humble brother
in misfortune
Morris H. Rose.
Eastern Penitentiary.
October 8th 1878. - Identifier
- p3gt5g155
- identifier
- SMBx2FF6_81b
Part of Letter from Roe, Morris H. to Unknown Addressee. Philadelphia, PA; Oct 1878
Roe, Morris H., “Letter from Roe, Morris H. to Unknown Addressee. Philadelphia, PA; Oct 1878”, Sabato Morais Digital Repository, accessed October 18, 2024, https://judaicadhpenn.org/legacyprojects/s/morais/item/89644