St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1859-04-14
NUMBER Is.
IOWA PENITENTIARY,
A correspondent of the Davcr

A correspondent of the Davenport
Gazette gives the following sketch of
the Penitentiary at Fort Madison il
this State:
There are ninety-nine prisoners.
lmales) Of whom only one is colQret'
Their nativity is as follows Ireland,
seventeen Germany, fifteen; Eng.
land, fonr Scotland, one Sweden,
one +; Nova Scotia, one; United States,
sixty. There are from Ohio, thirteen
New York, twelve Pennsylvania,
nine Virginia, six +; Kentucky, four
Indiana, four; Tennessee, three Mis-
souri,, two, Illinois, Vermont, Texas.
Maryland, Michigan, Connecticut, and
North Carolina, each one. The dcnom-
national influence under which they
claim to have been reared is Catholic,
twenty-one Protestant, thirty-three
Those of no religion. forty-fve.
Social Condition-married, 81 :; un,
married, So widows, I.
Former Ilabits-tcmpcrate, "a in,
temperate, rs.
Mental culture at time of incarcera.
tion-read and write, 60; read only,
10 no education, 90.
Trades rcprcscntet-Farmers 20, la
borers Is, shoemakers 5, carpenters
D, boatmcn 4, ostlers 2, carriage-mak-
ers |, steward l, clerks 2, cabin boys
:, blacksmiths 4, ploughmaker | har-
ness maker !, horse doctors 2, brick
makers 2, foundrymcn 2, engineers l.
gunsmith l, cigar makers 3, walters |,
butchers 2, brick layer l, teamster l,
sailor l, tailors 2, physician !, ex-
sheriff l, bartender |, chair maker |,
painter |, cook l, circus rider !, ma.
chinist |.
The oldest prisoner was when ad,
mltted 6s years of age the youngest
l6. At present there are ten who are
not of age. There has been admitted
in the last ten years, 184 term ex-
pired 40 pardoued, II died 2 es-
capped, 20; killed while trying to es-
cape, l : supreme court, 5 remaining,
SO. There are prisoners for life,
for l3 years, l for u, for IL, 9 for
10, 2 for 8, for I, 8 for 6, 10 for 5, 9
for 4, 10 for 3, "a for l. There are
convicted Of larceny, so burglary, s
counterteiting, IL; rape 4; murder
in second degree, ! !; assault win in.
tent 10 kill, ! manslaUghter, l, mur.
der 3; obtaining goods under false
pretcnccs, 3; perjury, ; "a lad l6
years of age forgery, 2; abduction.
| attempt to poison, ; robbing I.
5. mail, /; embezzling from post
Office, /.
Of the prisoners at present, Scott
county sent Is, Dcs Moincs IA, Lee 9,
Johnson :, Dubuque s, Clayton 5,
Henry 4, Jackson I, Jefferson 3, Ala.
makec 3, Muscatinc, Pottawatomie,
Cedar, Mills, Wapcllo and Linn two
each Clinton, Benton, Keokuk Page,
Buchanan, Jones, Black Hawk, Louisa,
Boone, Tama and Ringold, one each
The prisoners for life are Charles
Beancr, Colorrd. from Scott; Moran,
from keokuk ; Fouts, from Polk and
Allbaugh, from Lee county. One of
the prisoners sent from Dcs Moines
county for assault with intent to kill,
was for eight years Methodist min.
ister and is in for seven years Cole,
who was sent from Scott for ten years,
in 1886, is studying medicine. He is
said to be a man of talent, and has
purchased quite q library. Welch.
sent from Scott for rape, in 1857, for
10 years, is working at tailoring. He
attempted suicide few weeks ago
by stabbing himself with knife. He
looks miserable, and blames achiskey
for his present position. O'Brlan. for
rape, sent from Scott last fall, for 10
years is evidently Of unsound mind,
and is in poor health. Cuiinan. sent
down last fall is working in the black
smith shop, apparently as happy as
any of the crowd. By permission OF
the warden | spoke to him. He ex.
pressed great anxiety fOr the welfare
Of his children. Charley Beancr, who
kilIel a young German some four
years ago in our town, is the barber
Of the institution, and is represented
as being good steady prisoner.
There are three prisoners whose
wives have moved to Fort Madison,
SO they can be near their husbands.
They are in for seven, six and tiyo
years--a long time to wait, yet these
devoted women cling to their dis
graccd and convict husbands, and
each visit they take them some little
delicacy. have trareled, yet never
heard of man waiting for his wite's
release No sir.
Many Of the prisoners are very IL.
gcnious. One employs his time carv-
ing and constructing bird cages Of
odd design. One, an old sailor, has
constructed quite navy of small
ships, some Of them three feet in
length all Of them are built and rig.
ged in true nautical style. A youn, i;
Englishman has constructed various
models of machinery others are
drawing and painting-during their
leisure. Some Of the prisoners have
very severe if not unjust sentences
One, who was found with seventy-fvq
cents counterfeit money on his person,
is here for ! years. Another, father
who in protecting the honor of bis
child, caused the death of an individ.
ual Con the eighth day. has sentence
of eight years. He has served four OF
it he is now nearly 60 years of age
The prisoners are not allowaDced al
meals when prisoner wants any,
thing, he holds up his right hand.
There are three inspectors appoint.
ed by the Governor, who meet weekly
and have the management Of the in
sttution. They appoint the Warder
and he appoints the other officers. Al
present there is Warden, Deputy
Clerk and ten guards.