The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-04-23
,,,Ia THE PRISONERS OF THE STATE.

.
ACAsTLE OF FPATIENCE-REsULT OF THREE
YEARS AND A HALF OF A CONvICTs LA.
BORA NEW WAY AYoFMAK1Na CONVERTS
COLEMAN; AND nDLL---ALADY OF FrNERY
PR1soN-BoUSD.a 1!sa ,lo ,..'f. j,
! John Bryant, OF a Alexandria, White con.
vict now serving out his term in the penl'
tentiary, has made what he calls ga Castle
Of Patience" Itrepresents bis labor during
three years and hall when he was not en.
ployed in prison duties, and is a,structure
about seven or eight feet long, four feet wide,
and from three to four feet high: ln general
shape it looks like an English castle OF feudal
times, with towers, battlements, gateways,
&C., and Is made OF S65, 900 pieces Of wood,
each about two inches long and OF the width
and thickness OF a small knife-blade. The
wood is from twenty-five different kinds oil
trees. and to fashion each splinter, OF
uiack. - It had to be handled eight times,
No nail, screw, wedge, glue, or othe,
thing of the kind Is used in holding the
material together. It is interlaced, or lat
ticed, much after the fsshion in which many
picture-frames are nowadays made. The
castle is adorned with photographs and pic
lures, which, while not In keeping with the
design, give it q pleasant appearance. In
one part OF the castle is a room meant tc
represent the prisoners cell, and it il O
foithful portrayal.
This work, which is the result OF an i'm.
mense amount of calculation and labor, was
all done by Bryant, under many disadvant.
ages, and the only tool or instrument en-
pIoyed by him was a shoe1knife, the blade
OF which has been worn down nearly to the
handle. Bryant looks upon the castle with
great pride, and when visitors speak in
praise OF it he can hardly suppress his tears.
1t is a monument to his industry and pa
tience, though it may be considered Of no
great practical value. Colonel Coleman has
written him placard giving the history oil
the production, and answering in advance
all questions people would be most inclined
to ask. Bryant is allowed to sell to visitors
small picture-frames made in the style OF
the castle. Before entering the penitentlary
he was q waterman ut Alexandria.
|. Herndon, who was sort OF preacher In
Orange county, and who was convicted OF
murder few years ago. also shows some
skilful workmanship. He has lately been
manufacturing dolls cradles out OF some
light wood, with toe aid OF a scroll-saw.
On one seen Saturday the words "GOD IS
LOVE" was worked out in large and we'll
shaped letters, and the whole job is neat
and pretty.
Colonel Swann's attention was recently
called to the fact that Herndon was in the
habit OF mistreating an old man confined
in the cell with him. The man would not
complain himself, but others knowing oil
Herndon's misconduct did so. When ques-
toned the poor fellow was reluctant to say
anything against Herndon, but being pressed
to do so stated that he and Herndon had
had discussions on religious topics; that not
being able to agree with Herndon's pecu.
liar views, the latter had cursed and threat
ened him, and otherwise mistreated him
The idea Of cousin" and beating Il man
to make him q convert to ones religious
views is rather new with Herndon. It,
however, doesn't work well, for Colone
Swami promises to cause him to be punished
il he Dursues his enterprise further.
The penitentiary Is crowded. There are
1926 convicts on the books, and about 6
thousand within the walls. VI those out
side, 165 are employed at the Old Dominion
Granite Works under n contract that will
very shortly expire.
The sooner several hundred can be pu1
to work on the Buchanan and Clifton
Forge railroad, or on the Cumberland Gar
Narrow-Gauge road, or anywhere they car
get fresh air and plenty OF work to do, the
better it will be for the State, the prisoners
and all concerned.
The time of John Dull will expire in Au
gust, and that OF Colonel Coleman in Octo
Der. Both have been excellent prisoners
and have good prison records. Broken
Nose George has settled into traces, and go
the old prison look upon him. Lucler
Beard, who used to be hospital steward, Ina:
been put in the culinary department., while
DR.. Little, prisoner also, fills his old place
Recently white woman sentenced by the
Norfolk court to five years Imprisonment
for larceny reached the prison with enough
baggage and tinery to do for summer sea
son at Saratoga. 1t was, of course, OF nc
service to her, as the State furnishes cloth
ing-the striped suits, and no other is al
lowed. Upon some one asking the Officer
who had brought her what her term was
he replied, "Five years." She added, g Bu
1 would have you know, sir, that / DOM
intend to stay that long" Subsequently
she tried to get her husband employed al
the institution, vainly thinking that in thai
event he would be company for her.