A PRISON SCULPTOR.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 17, Issue 1050, 23 June 1871, Page 2

A PRISON SCULPTOR.

The following interesting item is from aßallarat pape^r: —Visitors to Pentridge must, fxr>a considerable time past, have had their attention directed to a massive and handsome work of art that is rapidly approaching completion. It is a fountain of rare and elegant design, entirely executed in blue stone. At the base it measures twenty feet acr and it is proportionate in height. The basin, supported on a pillar beautifully carved, rests on the square base. It is cut from a solid block of stone, and from its size must weigh considerably over a ton. The base itself is richly ornamented, and bears indications of a lavish expenditure of labor. At the sides are representations of eagles with their wings full spread, and chains suspended from their beaks. Above this, the outer portion of the basin is embeli lished with intricate but extremely handI some designs, encircling a variety of finely I executed human masks. Surmounting j the basin is the statue of a boy, holding j a jet of water, and this in itself is a work of rare merit. The figure is; well-pro-portioned, the attitude graceful, and every outline seems perfect. Such is but a brief description of what must be admitted to be one of th" finest works of the kind the colony can boast. But what renders it of still greater value, is its peculiar history. So fur from its being the workmanship of a tutored hand, it is the noble product of five years of laborious exertion and close application on the part of one of the prisoners. The prisoner is Harry Stanford, and his history is a somewhat remarkable one. Several years ago, when a mere youth, he was riding at the Beudigo races, and leaping over one of the hurdles his horse swerved, and he came into collision with that wellknown notability, •' Bendigo Mac," who was riding his favorite mare Polly. The result was that the police-magistrate was dismounted, and this led to the arrest and subsequent imprisonment of Stanford. Stanford was afterwards engaged as a stonemason at the Malmsbury viaduct, but eventually he had the misfortune to be agaiu apprehended, together with another man, for an alleged highway robbery at Epsom. The prosecutor, a German, identified the accused, but it afterwards transpired that the pri soner who was sentenced with Stanford was in prison at the time of tiie iiliegcd offence, and he was again released. Stanford denies the crime imputed to him, and m his case it is quite possible that there \v,L\y have been an error in his identity. One day while in prison he was observed carving a female profile on the ivory handle of a knife, and this led to an in terest being taken in him by the late Sheriff, Claud Farie. Young Stanford had hitherto been one of the most refactory prisoners in Pentridge, but no sooner was he supplied with the implements for carving and modelling, than he set himself assiduously to work. The hard bluestone was speedily moulded into the. most beautiful and fantastic designs imaginable, and the fouutain referred to is the result. Nearly five years have been spent upon it, till the prisoner, who is now twentyfive years of age, has even injured his health by earnest application over his self-imposed task. So intent his he on completing his work, that he states that even if he were entitled to his liberation he would remain to finish it. It appears that the Melbourne Corporation have been endeavoring to get possession of the fountain and would make a handsome «>lier for it, but it is the intention of the Government to retain it in their bauds.