"I was in Prison..."

In 1989 my Uncle Paul Fitzgerald (My dad's look alike brother) served in the Jordan River Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

After Uncle Paul's shift he was approached by someone who was also working there that day.

“You must be Crozier's

brother." he asked

"Yes," Paul replied, “Where did you know Crozier?"

"I knew him out at the prison."

"Oh, did you work with him there?" Paul asked.

"No," came the reply," I was an inmate."

This was a story I knew I needed to hear in person. 

On May 29, 1993 my husband Randy and I went to the home of

Roger Callings Anderson, formerly known as the Silk Stocking

Bandit--the same man my Uncle Paul had met in the temple. 

This is his story:

"I was in prison for armed robbery. If you were a little older you probably would have heard of me. I was pretty famous. They called me the Silk Stocking Bandit.  I was sentenced to five

years in prison in 1959 and soon earned the reputation of being a renegade. I had attempted several escapes and had planned another but this one was different. This time I got down on my knees and begged the Lord to help me be free. That was all I wanted. I wanted to be out of prison and I wanted to be free. I thought that maybe if I prayed the Lord would help me this time and my escape would be successful. 

 I did it. I escaped. It only lasted for three days though and it was the three worst

days of hell I had ever experienced.  I didn't sleep, I didn't eat, and the whole time I was hunted by the prison dogs. They eventually found me at a friend’s home. To this day I don't know, if I was turned in or not. 

I was placed in isolation, (solitary confinement) and given one meal a day.  After about two months I was sent to B North.  That's still in isolation but you get three meals a day and are allowed visits from the prison chaplain.  It was at this time that I met your dad Crozier.  He came to visit me and invited me to come to church when I was out of isolation and in

A Block, where I would be allowed more freedom. Once I got off lock up (isolation) I decided to give it a try. One Sunday it was mentioned that they needed a Sunday School

Secretary.  My buddies, somewhat as a joke, nominated me for the job. I told them, “No," that I didn't want to and wasn't interested.  They may have listened to me, but the Chaplain

didn't.  I explained to him that I was illiterate and would not be able to be a Sunday School secretary if I could neither read nor write.  He said "Roger, let the Lord decide what you can and cannot do." And then asked me if he could give me a Priesthood blessing. Crozier gave me the blessing. It was beautiful. I was told that I would be able to fulfill my secretarial duties and that everything needed to fulfill this responsibility would be given to me. 

I did it!  I gradually learned to read, and from the beginning was able to keep the rolls for Sunday School. There were other blessings he gave me. I had smoked for years and he gave me a blessing that I would find a way to quit my habit. I would usually need to hurry out after church to have a smoke.  This time one of my buddies saw me and said, "You know what you are Roger, You're a hypocrite.  Every Sunday you go to church and every Sunday you can't wait to get out of church so you can smoke.  You are Roger, you're a hypocrite."  This was

the way I found to quit.  His words angered me so much that I threw the cigarette in my mouth at him, threw the pack in my hand at him, threw down my lighter and never smoked again. (This was in the days where were cigarettes were sold in the prison commissary.)

The last Priesthood blessing he gave me was just before I was released. In it I was told that I would be able to get out of prison and stay out.  I was twenty five years old and had been

behind bars for five of those years. I went to prison inactive in the church and came out  active. The prayer that I had prayed before my escape had been answered.  I was finally free.  I was free from walls that kept me in and from bad habits that kept me hooked.  I was going home.

I became involved immediately in M Men and Gleaners or what would now be the Young Single Adult program of the church. They seemed to have known I was coming (Crozier had contacted them) and kept me very busy with dances and plays.  It was there that I met Jolene. We were married on August 26, 1965 and were sealed in the temple on April 15, 1966. I got a job with the Granite School District as a custodian and worked for them until a few years ago. We have three wonderful children, two sons and a daughter.  Both of our boys served full-time missions for the Church. One in Texas and the other in Iowa.  I've had many callings in the church. My first calling after being released was as Young Men’s President.  I have also served as Scout Master, Deacons Quorum Advisor, Elders Quorum President, and most recently as a temple worker in the Jordan River Temple.

Reminiscing...

Crozier used to say, “I don't care what your reasons are

for coming to church.  If you'll just go, the Lord will rub off

on you eventually."

“He was a guard before he was made chaplain.  It didn't seem to

matter much.  He won the inmates over.  His advice was always

good."

“I was in prison and ye came unto me"... 

Matthew 26:36

     

  Roger warmly welcomed us to his home where we met his sweetheart and one of their sons. In their humble home he showed us his prison scrapbooks and shared with us his story of finding Christ in prison.  Roger and his dear wife have since passed away leaving a legacy of faith for their posterity.