The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1859-03-26

cleft" At meals or worship tho crowd
face one way, and guard is seated in front.
For fear of causing sickness from indiges-
tion.the supper slight, and consists of bread
and molasses, with water for drink. The
pans are set out, and when they quit work
they march to their cells, and take their
sappers alone. | could not but remark the
celebrity with which they disappeared in their
cells. A guard is locked in the hall sur
rounding the cells. No singing, talking or
any noise by the prisoners is allowed, and
any offence is Immediately reported and
punished. The halls are lighted and the
prisoners can read or mend after locking up
time. Tho horn is blown, and day guards
60 off duty, and the night watch comes on,
consisting of two men.
The " bell" house or Deputy Warden's
Office is the point from which all business
or orders connected with the inside Of the
prison are issued. Hero is kept the Regis
ter and measuring stick. The prisoner up
on entering is shaved, hair cut, and treated
to bath. He is then furnished with a
striped suit-roundabout, pants and cap,
informed Of the rules and sent to the shop.
Friends can see the prisoners occasionally
upon application at tho Office, and all con-
versatlon or communications must be known
to the officer. A plug of tobacco is allowed
each prisoner, who uses the weed, weekly ly.
On the Sabbath they have Sabbath school
for one hour, the teachers being volunteers
from the congregations of Fort Madison.
The State furnishes q salary of $500 annu-
ally for Chaplain, and seyices are held in
the dining room, which at present is used
as Chapel every Sunday. | learn that the
prisoners take much interest in the services
and that the "workings of the spirit" are
not alone amongst the congregation outside,
but many of the prisoners have become hap
PLY converted. Many of those who came
to the prison unable to read or write, have
been taught in school. There is also IL
brary of 300 volumes belonging to the prs-
on. The Clerk acts as Librarian, and books
are given out ever Sunday.
Good conduct is encouraged by n dimin-
ution of the term Of imprisonment. 1t is
allowed by law, and is good idea. For
the first month, one day; second, two days;
third, three days; fourth, tour days; and
each subsequent month four days. If a
prisoner chooses, he can by good behavior
shorten his term forty-two days the first
year, and forty-cight days each subsequent
one. Infructions of the rules are punished
| NV WIN SioNcI!HS VI UtHcf pdCDuIISuSs
| but by taking from their "diminution cred-
IT, or else confinement on bread and water.
The " cat' has only been used three times
in the last two years. The State has a
physician employed to visit the prison daily.
He is allowed salary Of $500 per year.
! The hospital at present is but little patron
lied. The health of the prisoners is said to
be excellent, which is in some measure
owing to the judicious management Of the
Warden, DR.. S. tnskip. The physician de-
cides rhen prisoner is sick, and how much
time he shall labor. Half day men are
furnished with a badge-[l day.l
In the kitchen every thing is in good or
der. The quantity of breadstulTs used is
nearly 1000 pounds weekly. The dining
room, kitchen, hospital and store room, are
in a frame building, 90 by Sc feet, and one
story high. 1t would cost but little more
to have built one Of stone OR brick.
understand that it is in contemplation to
erect good buildings for the aforesaid pur-
poses-nhen they get an appropriation
! from the Legislature. The cells will be
completed this season. In consequence of
inability to procure stone (from over the
rivcr) the work has been suspended during
cold weather. To compiete the wall and
make the Improvements necessary to keep
pace with the growth Of our State, an
outlay Of at least $500, 900 will be required.
! There has been no escape since the present
warden has had charge. a few days ago
prisoner secreted himself in the well, but
was discovered. He was treated to the cat.
| Ten ashcs are the most c:Tan at one time.
The prisoner under punishment is required
to hold his hands above his head. Owing
to the increase of prisoners, and the depres-
sion causing slack times in the work Shop,
the appropriation of 100000 made by the
i Legislature for two years has given out,
and at least $4,000 more will be required
! toru the Institution, for that time.
! After an examination Of the register am
enabled to furnish you with the following
statistics. There are ninety-nine prisoners,
(males) of whom only one is colored.-
! Their nativity is as follows: ireland, seven
teen; Germany, fifteen: England, four;
! Scotland, one; Sweden, one; Nova Scotia,
one: United States, sixty. There are from
/ Ohio, thirteen; New York, twelve; Penn
syIvana, nine; Virginia, six; Kentucky,
four; Indiana, four; Tennessee, three;
/ Missouri, two: Illinois, Vermont, Texas,
Maryland, Michigan, Connecticut, North
! Carolina, each one. The dcnomuatonal
! niccnce under which they claim to have
been rcnred is Catholic, twenty one; Prot
es,ant, thirty-three. Those Of no religion,
! forty-fiye.
| Social ondition-marred, 81: unmar-
ried, So widowers, !.
Former Habits-temperate, "a; intem-
perate, IS.
Mental culture Mt time of Incarceration
read and write, GO; read only, 10; no edu-
cation, 20.
Trades epresented-Farmers 26, labor
ers Is, shoemakers 5, carpenters 5, boat
men 4, ostlers 2, carriage makers L. steward
|, clerks 2, cabin boys 2, blacksmths 4,
poughmaker |, harness maker |, horse doc
tors 2, brick makers 2, foundrymen ., en-
gineers L, gunsmith ], cigar makers 2, wait
ers. l, butcher =, brick layer |, teamster ],
sailor |, tailors 2, physician l, ex-sheriT |,
bartender |, chair maker |, painter |, cook
|, circus rider /, machinist /.
| The Oldest prisoner was when admitted
6S years of age; the youngest l6. At pres
ent there are ten who are not of age
There has been admitted in the last ten
wears, lS4; term expired, 40; parioned,
! II; died, ,; escaped, 20; killed while try
ing to escape, l; supreme court, 5; remain
ing 90. There are 4 prisoners for life, |
for l3 years, for II, for IL, 9 for 10, .
for s, for 7, 3 for 6, 10 for S, 9 for 4, Is
for 3, "a for ,, Is for /. There are con-
victed of larceny, so; burglary s. counter
ing IL; rape, 4; murder in second degree,
7; assault with intent to kill, 4; mauslaught-
er, /; murder, 3; obtaining goods under
false pretences, 3; perjury, l, Ga lad l6
years Of age); forgery, 2; abduction, / =;
attempt to poison, |, robbing U. $. mail, /;
embezzling from post ciEce, /.
| Of the prisoners at present, Scott county
sent Is, Des Moines IA. Lee 9, johnson !,
! Dubuque 8. Clayton S, Henry 4, jackson !,
Jefferson 8, Alamakee 3, Muscatine, Potta-
wattamie, Cedar, Mills, Wappello and Linn
two each; Clinton, Benton, kcokus, Page,
j Buchanan, Jones, Black Hawk, Louisa,
Booue, Tama, Ringgold, one each. The
| prisoners for life are Charles Beaner, col
ored, from Scott; Moran, from Keokuk ;
Fouts, from Polk; and Albaugh, from Lee
county. One of the prisoners sent from
Dcs Moines county for assault with intent
to kill, was for eight years Methodist
/