St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1875-09-24

heels in one of the shoe shops. To an
outsider, an attempt to get away would
: seem hazardous in the extreme. The
entire prison is surrounded with wall
of masonry twenty feet i'll hight along
the top of this is Il walk, upon which
guards are stationed all day, with Win
chester repeating rifles near at hand
each capable of discharging fourteen
shots without reloading. In the shops
} are armed keepers always on the watch
and the plan of the prison is such that
Il man cannot possibly dig out.
ADDITIONS AND IMPROVEMENTS.
The present directors of the prison.
Hon. +. c. Houghton. of North Ben
nington MeSSrs. +. G. Pettigrew. of
Ludlow. and Marcus ID. Gilman, of
Montpelier, i'll conjunction with the new
warden, MIR. John F. Bailey. of Wind
sor, have made Il great many improve
ments III the internal economy of the
prison. and they are now rapidly tear
ing down the cumbrous granite walls ot
the old prison. in order to erect Il brick
wing of the same design as the ..ncw
prison" so-called. 1t will he of brick.
eighty -tour feet long 10y fort five feet
wide, and will be high enough 10 con
tam four tiers of cells. il necessary.
There will he sixteen cells on each floor
eight rows. A Partition will he made
at the west end oi the wing, between
sixth and seventh rows of cells. for a
wnmcn's prison. which will admit of
sixteen cells being devoted to the use
of The fair SEX. At present there ar,.
no women in the prison. the last one.
Mary DuSlIan. having been discharged
Il short time ago, Ii was her fifth sen
tcnct, and she will probably he back IN
time To assist at the opening of the
new wing. for she is an incorrigibIc
thief, although only twenty-five wear,
old.
During the first of the year the di-
rect"lS built an cXtention To the shops
III order To admit of more men working
III them than WAS possible with the old
accommodations. They have provided
new mattresses. and rendered the cells
more comfortable in IL variety of WAYS.
The old graveyard within the walls of
the prison being il scandal. having been
dug over and over again, they bought Il
lot III the town cemetery. and the pris-
oner> now have decent burial much to
then satisfaction : for even conVictS
have some human feelings. and like to
think that they will have Il Christian
burial when they die.
LIFE IN TIE PRISON.
The number of convictS is, now one
hundred and three. leaving only one
cell vacant. which is used for solitary
confinement. -Four of the men are in
for life, and one, phair. is awaiting cx-
ccution. The contractors. Mc>>rs. II.
II. Maw minnie \ Co. of Boston. keep
about eighty of them at work upon
w"mrn'S boots. the lest work round the
prison. III the cook shop. yard, etc. or
are III the hospital. The men in the
shops work about ten hours. and most
p of them like it. although occasionally il
lazy one prefers solitary confinement fur
Il while. They are called at six o'clock
III the morning, go Ia the shops and
. wash. come back to breakfast in THEN
: cells AT halt-p;ist six. and go to work ut
seven. AT five minutes before twelve
= they come out of the shops. get Il sub
stantial dinner. go back at one. and
. work till six. AT eight O'Clock they q,
Ia bed. The food is very good. and
the cooking Groom. undcI the charge ot
. Mr.. a. A. Twichell. is Il model of neat
ness. The men have good brown ana
| wheat bread. beans corn beef and 30
tar"es i'll plenty, and once Il week. good
= beef Sonp. They are fat and healthy
/ the present summer. although cxcep-
t tionally unhealthy. having brought but
p but one death from disease
r Two life convicts. Henry Damon an,
T. Ziha Plumlcy. have died during tn,
/ summer. Both were old men. bctweer
seventy and eighty. Damon fell dow
: stairs on the 97tl ult. while comm.
= tl"n the hospital. and broke his skull
T. He had an eventful history Plumlcy
!, WAS one of the Shrewsbury muldcrcrS
T. III lStD. He died in the hog-pcr. o
apoplcxy. There are now three or fou
ot the prisoners suffering from Il mil,
type of typhoid fever.
PERSONAL NOTICES.
Everybody in Montpelier will remcm
II her Timothy lIandlin. the leader of Tia,
u most miS,hicVonS gang of Young bur
: glars even known in the state. He i
e now working on Il lasting machine. an,
t Mr. Iull SAYS that the Imprisonment
y has done him Il great deal of good
10 and he thinks that Tim has hecomc ;
II sincere Christian. All the prisoner
: aIe obliged 10 attend worship in TIN
e neat chapel. every Sunday morning
y and there is Sabbath school every sun
II day afternoon. Tim attends regularly
II and seems devoutlN Interested. Nvar,
II st. John. who WIS sentenced with Tim
e was released Il ShoIt time ago. Tim
e mother now resides in Windsor, and h.
e will hc released in November. Tn
II other prisoners from Washington coun
= tN. Lawrence. Robinson and Wheeler
II are behaving themselves we'll. and en-
:. dcaN"ring to gain :IS much time as pos
E, Sihlc. The state NOW takes oil tiN,
= days from every month for good he
/. hari"ur, and also gives II prisoner
= dollar Il month till the total sum is ON
" hundred dollars.
y The most notorious criminal, of courS,
It Is Pl;Iir, the Rutland murderer. lie
t. at work in the shops upon sole leather
=, and looks forward to his aw wtiul fate W it
:, ralmness, although he doesn't seek tn
+ consultations of religion. The prisoner
:, can now have Il chaplain of their OWL
II denomination if they wish. The diroc
: tors allow the pastors of the vaIiou
ii churches in Windsor to act ;ls chaplain
/. III turns, each TAX IN" three months sci
e vice. and Rev. Mr.. Taylor, the EpiScu
e pal rector. now has his turn.
: Ringing for the Water Boy.
- \ good story is told of Il vcrdant ON
Il who WAS passenger III II railroad expires
= frIiu and hrrrn,p thirsty ..\N hnra'