I found Logan P. Martin’s prison record from 1913 in the Federal Penitentiary in Atlanta, Georgia while browsing online via the National Archives. He was one of many federal inmates whose records have been preserved for history. Most of these records contain the obligatory mugshot and fingerprint records, but Martin’s file also contained a handwritten poem about the atrocity of murder committed during wartime. One verse proclaims:
“It is a crime as base as hell
To Take from man the breath of life,
Even though your country says ‘tis well
To join the sanguinary strife.”
The poem is signed by Logan P. Martin, Convict #4642, Federal Prison, Atlanta.
Prisoner and Poet
So who was inmate Logan Martin? ((December 28, 1873-1929) A little further digging reveals that the prisoner Mr. Martin had a book of poetry published in 1915 entitled Chrysalis by J. J. O’Donnell of Atlanta, Georgia. Byrd Printing Company agreed to print the book at cost according to a publisher’s note inside. Apparently, it took a lot of people to publish this 104-page volume. Amongst those thanked inside the book include Atlanta Mayor James G. Woodward who also has a photograph of his mustachioed self, Reverend Cary B. Wilmer (a pensive side-view photo included), Reverend Doctor John E. White (a photo with starched collar), and Dean John R. Atkinson. Also included in this book of poetry is a tribute from Rabbi Doctor David Marx that reads in part,
“We welcome this little book of verse, flung red hot from the soul-forge, of one who, while in prison, emancipated himself. It is a message to his fellow men outside the walls. A perusal of its pages raises a mighty question: ‘Who is a prisoner? Who is really free?’”
Songs of the Heart
Chrysalis is divided into four sections, the first of which is called Songs of the Heart. While this section includes some standard themes indicated by the title— women, Christmas in prison, and children— there is also a whimsical and unexpected poem of affection entitled “Lines to a Roach.” The first verse reads,
“There is a timid little roach,
That comes to see me every day.
He’s very shy in his approach,
But that, I think, is just his way.”
Songs of Life
The second section, Songs of Life, reveals some of the poetic popularity of Mr. Martin. In the poem “From a Prison Cell”, he perhaps reveals regret and circumspection perhaps about his crime when he writes,
“A thing once done is never dead.
The best way to undo the deed
that makes our heart and conscience bleed
Is just to look above and say:
I will pursue another way.”
Also included in this section is a short unentitled poem that may or may not be about prison officers and/or prison administrators but it is certainly about those in positions of petty power.
“The large officiousness of small officials
would be almost piteous were it not so ludicrous.
Just watch poor Willie Wimple strut;
He has a place wherein he can
Lord it over another man
And he’s a wondrous wonder but –
With all his faults we love him still;
He’s not as bad as we may think,
for Willie has to eat and drink,
and he needs his job to pay the bill.”
In the above poem, the first verse calls out the abuse of power, and the second verse tempers it with understanding. This perhaps illustrates the delicate relationship between prisoner and jailer—both depend on each other for their livelihoods.
There are small paragraphs of prose interspersed with the poetry. One reads:
“Centuries of example have not yet convinced the powers that be of the futility of punishment. Where one man has been reformed by punishment a thousand have been reformed by mercy” This paragraph concludes, “Moses, Jesus, Mohammad, Luther, and others who have accomplished things in the world, were leaders, not drivers of men.”
This reader interprets this paragraph as social commentary about the prison and legal system. While prison administrators and employees are encouraged to act as role models, some correctional officers and administrators operate as punishing people-herders rather than responsible leaders.
In another intriguing paragraph Logan P. Martin writes,
“In the upward trend of events three things are hastening to become fixed among us, namely, woman suffrage, the abolition of the open saloon, and the disarmament of all civilized nations.”
As a book written over 100 years ago, Chrysalis becomes a time capsule. It is interesting to note that only the open saloon—the idea of the doors swinging out and in simultaneously to all—is no longer an issue in America. Sadly, women’s suffrage and the disarmament of the world are still works in progress in the 21st century.
Songs of the Soul and An Essay
The third section of Chrysalis, Songs of the Soul, reveals the spiritual and contemplative side of Logan P. Martin who is truly a jailhouse philosopher as well as a poet.
“A prisoner has but one true friend—
A friend regardless of his crime;
That helps him always to the end--
We call him by the name of Time.”
While Chrysalis is an acceptable book of poetry, it also has some corny, funny, and schmaltzy bits. A case in point is a love poem entitled “Maude Mining” presumably in honor of a fair maiden of the same name. Maude is a nature girl who, like Snow White, enjoys frolicking in nature with birds and sunshine. One especially funny verse reads,
“When you’re on the lake canoeing,
All the sea-gods go a-wooing.”
The final section of Chrysalis is "An Essay in Four Parts" and consists of a meditation on prisons and prisoners.
“Looking into the past of the average man in prison, I have discovered the environments which surrounded him were bad.” In this observation, Martin is spot on -- the reasons many end up in prison are the same today. In attempting to give Logan Martin more back story and context this researcher felt compelled to do some genealogical digging.
Logan Martin in the Census and in Prison Records
In Martin’s final prison record from 1913 he says he was born in Kentucky. A search on the US Census of 1880 reveals only one Logan Martin (age 7) living with his parents, Peter & Julia. The census also lists four siblings to Logan Martin. Peter Martin, the head of the household, lists his occupation as a farm laborer. Mrs. Julia A. Martin lists her occupation, of course, as keeping house.
In searching the travels of Logan Martin it is most interesting to find his additional incarceration records on the National Archives website.
In 1895, Mr. Martin, age 22, (inmate #1119) is housed at the federal penitentiary in Atlanta, Georgia, on charges of altering a postal money order in east Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
- In 1899, Mr. Martin, age 26, (inmate #2331) is housed at the federal penitentiary in Atlanta, Georgia, on charges of counterfeiting in Baltimore, Maryland.
- In 1913, Logan Martin, age 40, (inmate #4642) is housed at the federal penitentiary in Atlanta, Georgia, on charges of counterfeiting in Baltimore, Maryland.
It is the final prison record from 1913 that reveals the most clues regarding Mr. Martin’s personal information. The Bertillon Measurement Card for Mr. Martin is pictured here, an almost elegant, handwritten record with a sepia-toned portrait:
From this fascinating picture we know that Logan Martin is 5-foot 9-inches tall, weighs 137-pounds, and has bad teeth. In this record, Mr. Martin is age 40, a native of Kentucky, and his occupation is listed as ‘newspaperman.’
Logan P. Martin in the Baltimore Sun
While the National Archives contains records of three separate convictions and incarcerations for Martin, the Baltimore Sun reveals at least one additional arrest. From a small article dated September 2, 1904:
“Rev. Logan P. Martin, an evangelist, was arrested in Roanoke on a charge of raising money orders.”
Repeat Offender
So, somewhere between Martin’s second and third stint in the federal prison in Atlanta, he may have done time in Virginia on similar counterfeiting charges. Or, as the next article indicates, he may have made bail and skipped town. It is also interesting to note that he is described in the article as an evangelist with the title of Reverend. There is no mention of Mr. Martin’s alleged clergy status in Chrysalis and this researcher raised a skeptical eyebrow at this small arrest article. Was Mr. Logan P. Martin a con man who knew the language and posture of a clergyman? Did he use his piety (real or pretend) to convince those around him that his poetry was worthy of publication?
The next mention of Martin in the Baltimore Sun is from December 1908. The article reads: “Logan P. Martin was arrested for making and passing counterfeit nickels, and is said to be wanted in Baltimore and other cities for raising money orders. When arrested here he said his name was Peter Vinson. Subsequently, he admitted his guilt, it is said, and gave his correct name, saying he is a native of Kentucky. It is said he is wanted by the police of Denver, New York, Philadelphia, and Wilmington.”
It is also relevant and interesting to see the photo of Mr. Martin as a civilian in a bowler hat, tie, and mustache. His flat affect and narrowed eyes make him appear more of a streetwise criminal than his wide-eyed, clean-faced prison portrait.
The final mention of Mr. Martin is in the Baltimore Sun in 1909. This is a recap of the counterfeit nickel arrest that took place at his residence at 502 East Fayette Street in Baltimore, Maryland. The last two sentences are the most interesting,
“He said he was formerly a minister of the Christian Church in Kentucky, and lived on a farm near Owensboro, in that State. In April 1906, he said, he was released from the Government prison at Atlanta after serving a term of two years for raising money orders in Philadelphia, and he said he wished to get back to that prison as soon as possible.”
Further Questions About Logan Martin
So, if Mr. Martin’s intentions were to get back to federal prison as soon as possible, why did he initially offer up the Peter Vinson alias? This researcher also thinks that there are more expeditious ways to get back to federal prison than setting up a counterfeit nickel operation. This researcher speculates that Mr. Martin’s pattern of travel, arrest, and counterfeiting reveals him to possess a criminal mind of deception and denial.
Given the information about Logan P. Martin not revealed in Chrysalis, it is interesting and telling that so many men of God came together to publish this book of poetry. Mr. Martin in the role of Reverend, real or imagined, had the skills and vocabulary to be able to talk, interact, and influence the Mayor of Atlanta, two Reverends, a Rabbi, and an academic Dean. In return, all of these upstanding members of society gain cache by publishing a book of poetry discovered inside a place where poetry is an unexpected refinement. Mr. Logan is perhaps something of a trained cat or a sword swallower, able to perform extraordinary feats for the entertainment of others. However, I don’t want to sell Mr. Martin short-- as a prisoner in the early 20th century, it is quite an achievement for an inmate who may have challenged literacy skills to be able to put together and publish a book of poetry. To have inspired and motivated many important people of the day to cooperate in the creation of Chrysalis, Martin must have had powerful charisma.
Who benefits more from the publishing of Chrysalis? The repeat offender and inmate Logan P. Martin? Or, the Mayor, Reverends, Rabbi, and Dean who lend their names and reputations to this symbol of gentility? Or perhaps the reader is inspired by a literate inmate who spends his time creatively? This researcher hypothesizes that the answer is ‘yes” to all of the above. Regardless of the motivations and benefits of this book of prison poetry, it is a fascinating relic of an era over 100 years ago when clergy rallied to lift up a shiny remnant of humanity “flung red hot from the soul-forge.”
After Prison & Death
After spending some quality research time with Logan P. Martin, I really hoped that he had time to live life outside of prison. (He was a non-violent offender after all.) I was pleased to find out that he did. There is one marriage record for Logan P. Martin and Anne (Irwin) Martin, who married in Manhattan in New York City on January 2, 1924. (Martin’s parents are mentioned as Peter and Julia as well as his birthplace of Cromwell, Kentucky in 1873, which confirms this is the same Logan P. Martin.) It is interesting to note that the marriage record lists Mr. Martin as divorced-- perhaps he had a previous unrecorded marriage? Ms. Anne Irwin Martin, age 39 and also previously divorced, lists her parent’s names as Walter Irwin and Anne Howell.
How long did the marriage of Logan and Anne Martin last? It is hard to say, but his death certificate suggests a brief marriage. Logan P. Martin died on May 10, 1929, at age 56 in the Columbia Hotel in New York City, his marital status listed as single. It is interesting to note that Mr. Martin’s parents are correctly listed as Peter Martin and Julia Wilson. His occupation is listed as a salesman and his final resting place is the City Cemetery, no cause of death was indicated.
Appendix
1880 Census, b. 1873, Kentucky
Ohio County, Kentucky, Sulphur Springs
Parents: Peter Martin, age 50, farm laborer, birthplace is Kentucky
Julia A. Martin, age 38, keeping house, birthplace is Kentucky
Siblings: Reuben, age 15
Nora, age 11
Alonzo, 9
Logan, 7 (b. About 1873)
James, 5
"United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MCZ2-VWT : 11 August 2016), Logan Martin in the household of Peter Martin, Sulphur Springs, Ohio, Kentucky, United States; citing enumeration district ED 185, sheet 617B, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 0436; FHL microfilm 1,254,436.
Death Record
“New York, New York City Municipal Deaths, 1795-1949,” database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:24MQ-GVJ : 20 March 2015), Logan P. Martin, 10 May 1929; citing Death, Manhattan, New York, New York, United States, New York Municipal Archives, New York; FHL microfilm 2,057,106.
Marriage Record
"New York, New York City Marriage Records, 1829-1940," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2467-C58 : 20 March 2015), Logan P. Martin and Anne I. Martin, 02 Jan 1924; citing Marriage, Manhattan, New York, New York, United States, New York City Municipal Archives, New York; FHL microfilm 1,643,139.
The Bertillon Measurement System
The Bertillon Measurement System was one of the first methods of capturing the identification of inmates and criminals and was developed by French police officer and biometrics researcher Alphonse Bertillon (1853-1914). Fingerprinting ultimately won out as a better system of identification over the complicated physical measurement system invented by Bertillon.
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