The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1872-07-11

PILoT GaovE Iowa, |

/ ~ =
Pilot grove, Iowa,
8n Jnno Q, MA !
Dear AdUertiser On last Nida
paid visit to the rather ancier
looking town Of Fort Madison, no,
the county seat of Lee Co. III
principal object Of interest connecte
with this place is the Penitentiary Il
Gated here. Passing through th
town to the upper part we were 500
under 1he flpwning waljs Of thi
gloomy abode of 294 Of the offender
Of our State. The Penitentisry stand
back some distance from the Missisip
pi River, and on commanding bluff
The walls are of solid stone an,
strongly built. At the entrance, IN.
just odtGde, staAds nest bricl
building, occupied, we presume, b,
the Warden and other officers. Pass
ing through the hall Of this building
we were soon before . massive iroI
door. Informing the doorkeeper tha
wewOuh like to look through th,
institution he called to the Warden
whose Office is some little distanc,
inside, but turning suddenly around
he inquired if we were not . minister.
Being answered in the afismative, ht
at once threw open the heavy door
sayiag rs Asltlid so, that tAey ghaG
orders to admit all clergymen with
out ceremony. Thus it appears tha,
we, - . class of men, can get int
the ioenitentid,y more easily than 9th
ers. We were received with the ut.
HS1r cpEteey by the gentlasmly
Warden, DR.. Craig. He, not being
well himself, called another man t6
show us around. Every department
is open to the inspection Of the pub.
lie, and visitors are treated with the
greatest respect We were first
shown the cells where they sleep, and
to my mind, this is the hardest part
Of the whole treatment. These cells
are in the solid wall, and barely large
enough to contain the little iron cot
or bedstead on which the man sleeps.
A healthy man can endure q great
deal Of hard workif he is we'll fed
and rests well at night. The cells are
SO small, and without any current Of
air ever passing directly through
them, must certaialy be very trying
on persons with weak lungs. As one
of the people of Iowa, and humani-
tartan, believing that christian treat
ment should be the rule in all our
State institutions, l lift up my voice
for better sleeping apartments in our
new penitentiary Just located near
Anamosa. Ant the present officers are
not responsible for the structure Of
these cells, - they were constructed
when the wAll was built.
We were next shown the dining
room. This looked clean, airy and
Tls food is good and
We nAxt visited the hoe
pital. This is up stairs. is airy and
lnoh. eh.esfs,i n.s. 80 nDund . mum
Der sick. some looking quite badly and
others not 90 badly. The treatment Of
the sick seemed 10 be humane. We
then passed into. and through, the
several workshops. Here We found
various kinds Of work going on, and
Ill seemed to be done In the very best
,tyle. All seemed TO work with . will
ingness which va did not expect to
zee in men forced to hard labor = they
Are. They work - though they Eeant
10 do something. We noticed that the
large proportion Of those confined are
young men, yet there are some with
gray hairs aud and furrowed cheeks.
some are here for life, unless they
should be 80 fortunate - to secure .
pardon. Most Of them have . hang
1own look, yet some are measurably
free from this mark Of Cain. Some
hAss . very intelIissnt look, while
,thers appear TO possess but little ma
i've intellect and less culture. Some
will eye you carefully "A yo0 pass
along while Others will merely glance
II you, and 70 soon = they catch your
Eye their countenance will drop at
once. Some others take no notice of
at all.
In the tsiior shop we found Henry
A who formerly lived in
Iowa Township, Cedar Co. As we
passed up the stairway he was sitting
On the table sewing. with his face di.
rectly towards US. think he must
have recognized me, - he had often
,een me, but he at once dropped his
head snd did not look up again while
we remained. They are not allowed
% recognize an old friend or acquaint-
lnce, Or apask to auy one. We could
refrain from tears rs We thus
net our old friend Henry Armstrong,
whom We had visited 1t bis own
house. and At whose table we had sat.
Now we dare not speak with each
,ther. Then he was IN his own home,
md, though 10 humble circumstances,
ret he had what ought 10 make any
nan contented and happy. an accom.
,lishsd wife land bright, intsrssting
,hildreD. Now ~ = ssparated from
hat family and serving the fist Of
I've years In State prison. His hair
wnssn0Othly SnmbcA - loehod neat
d his pEisDn sarb. sd ons vvould not
skN hin ~ rough 81 80. "a ap-
o. 30 ~ lSoks 1ibe ! tsaalsubas,
md could treat people as wei e any
,ther man in his own house. Many
will remember that about two years
lgo he was arrested for breaking into
eEraE HorsA In Went LAbssty. He
VI cAAns1s fos se0snl nonths In
all at Muscatine. He put up the plea
hat he was addicted to the use of opi-
I'm, and was under its influence when
he burglary was committed. This
,reated . sympathy ip his favor, and
~ aesalt vas he naae or with .
eS1itr conlinenent Only . few
months had elapsed until he was again
Asrs,isl ior .ihsft IL 1t. .Pissss0t., He
now bsd no influential friends 70 In.
'erest themselves In hfs behalf, and
he result was that he this time rot .
'entence Of five years te the pcnitsn- :
'isEy. He lays 3 p whiskey now.
Bethr ht spsum And whIsksy alone
Il that Is the end Of using them.