Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1858-06-07
ohio Peuitentinry.

e pdeotu lluOuEu AAAAo AA9eAeANAS- $50 N-~-
day, on tour of inspection, and as far as cur
observation extended, we were led TO believe
that it was never 10 better condition, both as re-
cards the comfort of the inmates, and the main
tenanee Of the discipline, than it Is at the pres
ent time. With an attentive and honorable
Board Of Directors, Just and humane warden,
who is assisted by corps of subordinate OH
GERS jealous in the discharge of their duties, the
Ohio Penitentiary may be regarded, under its
nresent management, as among the very best
regulated prisons in the Union
The contractors are manufacturing an unusu-
al amount of work; the prisoners, many otthem.
are layinc up from six to eight dollars month
for extra labor; the buildings inside and outside
are in good repair; the yard is neat and IN good
order; the cells are clean and well ventilated;
the provisions fresh and wholesome; an excel
lent state of health prevails and 1t would puzzle
even hungry political opponent to ind any just
cause of complaint
confined within the walls, 4S Of whom are life
prisoners. A new contract has been entered IN
70 with Mr. Peter Hayden for fifty additional
hands at 80 cents per day, and new shop Is
about being fitted up for the manufacture OF Sur
runs. bride bits and saddlery hardware. This
branch of business does not interfere with
our mechanics, and is about the most luera-
tive of any carried on within the walls Of the
Ioefner. who was sent from Cincinnati last
month. for the murder of his wife and Mr.. Hor-
ton. is employed upon this contract, and as he
/. nnder sentence for life, he has the pros
meet of serving out a long and gloomy aPpren-
ticesbio. The wound in his throat, inflicted when
he attempted TO commit suicide, has healed up,
but he is unable TO talk above whisper, and It
is with some difficulty that he can be understood
His insanity real or pretended, has Passed away,
and he obeys the rules and conforms to the
discipline as kindly as any OF his iellow-pnson-
ers.
Arrisou. Of internal machine nOtOriety, SEN
tenced for ten years, is employed in making bar
rels in the cooper shop. He is good hand,
talks but very little, persists that he IS innocent
/ of the crime for which he is incarcerated, and
COMPLAINS that he Is suffering an unjust punish
ment 81.
MulhoIland, one of the most hardened villains
within the walls, only Ia years old, sent from
Cincinnati under sentence Of Ia years, ior
| shooting a policeman and for burglary, works
in Inc silver plating shop. His wicked and stub
born disposition occasionally leads him into the
dungeon, where after being punished few days,
| he becomes Modified and begs to be set at WoTk
again.
Nichols. sent from Cleveland for forgery, un-
der six years sentence, bears his imprisonment
quite philosophically, appears to be sahshed
with his condition, makes an excellent prisoner,
and has succeeded in making friends with all
the officers He Is engaged in packing goods
in the silver plating shoP-Arather pleasant en-
Ployment. at.
Henry Lord Stirring, sent from this county
for burglary, for Is years, is employed in max
ing ave handles He makes a tOleTable good
prisoner; his greatest faults being making efforts
/ 10 write poetry, and to escape from prison.
! Archibald Barnes, the last Of the four broth
srs who few years ago were confined within
these gloomy walls, Is engaged in making
planes. a business at which he has become so
expert that he can accomplish two days work
/ in one whenever he feels so disposed. His
idle hours are devoted to eOncOcting schemes
to elude the vigilance of his keepers, and al
though he Is acknowledged 10 be one OF the
most cunning and desperate jail breakers IN the
land, all his plans have been frustrated by the
close watch kept upon his actions
Morgan, alias Jones, the murderer oi police
man Beebe. IS engaged in fling stiTuPs and
bride bits. As a general thing he behaves
well. but occasionally he gets into 4 fantrHm,
and it becomes necessary to put him into the
dungeon, where after hungering and thirsllng
in darkness for time, he comes out, as the
boys say. as good as pie. ,"
| Summons, who was sentenced to be hung IN
Cincinnati for poisoning his fathers family, but
whose sentence was comunuted by the Governor
/ TO Imprisonment for lite, behaves very well, and
for his good conduct he has been put in charge
of the prison library which he keeps in excel
lent order.
But the most vile specimen of humanity that
ever polluted the inside of these gloomy walls
/ is a woman Her name Is Huldah Morrlson
She is about 40 years of age, and II ever there
/ was a devil incarnate wrapt up IN human
form she is the individual. She was sent from
Ashtabula county, under sentence OF 20 years,
for setting the inhmary on fre, by which
fendish act several of the poor unfortunate IN
mates lost their lives, Perishing in the flames
The horrid imprecations and the vile actions OF
this miserable woman actually causes the female
convicts to stop their ears, and TO protest
against being immured in the same room with
sneh a filthy wretch. About two months ago
Il she endeayOred 70 starve herself to death, and
for seren tcesks she refused to partake Of a
particle of food At the end Of that time she
iay in a stupor, and it was supposed that the
world was about to be rid Of her. Upon beng
reused from the state Of lethargy she was In,
she opened her eyes, bresthed out curse OF
two, and once more relspsed INTO an Insenslole
condition With much difficulty the physician
Of the prison succeeded in forcing little milk
down her throat at times, and after day Of
two she began to revive. She is now nearly
restored to her usual health, but there Is no I'M
provement in her behavior. The Warden con
templates fitting up cell for her special accom-
modation, her obscene and blasPhemous Ian
guage making such a course absolutely neees
sary.-ColumbEs Ga=ette-