Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1877-01-30

thoughtful appearing man. His sentence was
made as light as possible, two years and half.
"Oh," said he, 'you have no idea of the punish
ment of prison life TO person of sensitive nature.
You may be treated ever kindly, but the bare
thought OF being shut out from the world, and de-
pIiyed of your liberty, is terrible"
We conversed with many others, but time re-
mains sufficient TO notice but two Sims
aud Mcguire, the Bowdoiuham bank robbers.
Ouin Sims or "Roary" Sims, az he was called
by his pals" in crime, is the finest looking pris-
oner and the most marked character within these
walls. OF medium height, his person is Of fault
L $ proportions; his face handsome, with dark
hazel eyes hair. whskers and moustaches, dark
silky brown. lie has very much the appearance
Of gentleman and is said to be the best behsS ed
person in the prison. When asked if he had ever
made a confession of the crime, he replied, al
plead not gWfY in court there is the record; you
can see for yourself" lie declines to say whcth-
or he is guilty or not, but finds good deal of
fault VITA Mcguire, who is strong in asserting his
own nnocency, while at the same time he lmpli
Gates sims. sims is quite independent; asks no
tlyors of any one saws if any tine Is taken of Of
mis- sente nee, it won't be through his exeitons /;
knows the state of feeling in regard TO bank rob
bers, and expects to remain till the close Of his
sentence, some five years longer. lie has wife
and one child in Philadelphia; the child was but
eight weeks old when be was arrested. lie hash I
seen his wife, because he thinks the prison IS 10
place Tor a woman to visit. lie is engaged on the
most d ifcult work in the carriage department;
makes The tools with which he works. Before be-
coming Prisoner worked at tlc cutting, receiving
high wages. lie spoke in sub1ued and almost
teudeLoncs OF Bartlett, the Oldest of the robbers
who died il prison, Just nine years from the day of
his conv lotion. sims conceals his real name.
Edward Maguire, the youngest of the alleged
rob6cis, Is Il slight stature, weighing but one
hundred and twenty three pounds. lie complains
Of suffering from lung comps amt, and that lie has
"a constant Struggle to keep above water" lie
was clerk before he came hcre. lie aflilms hts
iuEoccucy in the most emphatic terms. lie was
never sten IN company with Bartlett and Sims
Detectives had been put on bis track night and
Jay, and ey, stopped at his sisters house in New
York, where he lived but not particle of evil
dence had been obtained against HIM. lie was in
New ! ork at the time Of the robbery, and the only
thing that convicted him at the trial was the tes-
timony OF Mrs. Battlefield who swore that his
voice sounded like the one she heard Ia her room.
The universal testimony Of the prisoners Is that
they are well treated; but few will admit they
are justly held Ter punishment Believe the story
they tell, and judges and Jures have either been
delude1 or unjust and cruel and the prison doors
should swing outward to let these prosecuted men
forth to Freedom home and friends. But before
having your feelings very much excited in that d.
rCctOn, yUg must bear IN mind that "all men are
I ars, and especially 50 state Prison convicts.
Many gla iua'es from Nls-the breeding place of
cfiniuals-aud iom reform school, come to the
PRISON. at one time there were forty who had been
in the Maine Reform School. Rum, the great de-
stroyer, was the direct cause OF two-thirds OF the
convictions Cruel step mothers and mother in-
laws were al.D bitter Ingredients IN the cup Of
woe
the Instruction department i, in charge Of Mr..
II. j. otarrett Of Ihomast0n, an accomplished and
devoted teacher, who Tor three years has given
pOIt!oA of his time, at meagie salary, to the
= God OF the prisoners, lnstrucung them evenings
and SUNDAYS giving two hours each evening aud
ali ct tl,a ~ahf,ath Mr. ShOulI have a
fair salary, and all Of his time required at the
prison. II would result in good to the state and
to the prisoners. No sooner are the evening
lamps ligAted than seyenty-hye or more of the
prisoners arc bending over their books-readng,
writing, arithmetic, geography, grammar, spell
ing. Many who entered the prison entirely ~
norant Of each Of these branches, are now read
ing with case, performing examples n fractions,
and writing letters to their friends at home.
Nearly fifty who could not write when they came,
are corr espondng with their friends at home, TO
the infinite pleasure OF these friends and to their
own great satisfaction. Old men are busy with
the elementary studies that ought to have en-
ployed their attention at the primary schools
But at that time they were picking up their educa-
ton in the streets and at the saloons, and that
how they came here. They now have oppor-
tunty for repentance and are endeavoilng to make
up for time that was triiied away in youth. One
young man said TO Us, 81 wouldn't take two
thousand dollars for what ! have learned since
sell out at any price," and still another, The sat
isiacton Of being able to write to my mother.
more than repays for all the punishment have
had to endure Aud thus the good testimony
mi ht be continued Not one of the scholars that
has been taught by the evening lamp in those mar
row cells behind the grates-the pupil inside, the
teacher standing outside by the door-has com
mitted crime that has led to his return. The
great need now is for school books and bibles,
twenty-five of the inmates being without books TO
study. II seems as though some provision might
be made for supplying the word OF God to those
who are hungenng for the bread of life and thirst
ing for the sweet waters of salvation.
We cannot close this already extended article
without word of commentator of the Warden,
Hon. W. W. Rice, who has had charge OF the in
stilltion the past fourteen years. He does not
perform his duties mechanically and stolidly, but
infuses into each department humane and gem
erous sniit such as person would feel while
trausac...g bus ness for himself or caring for the
concerns of his own family. In the treatment of
the prisoners he combines frmness with kindness,
aud no prisoner goes out from these prison walls
with hard words or hard thoughts for the Warden,
The labors OF the Warden are many and varied.
Besides the complicated duties more immediat-
ly connected with the care of l75 convicts his ex-
tensivc correspondence embraces at least one
thousand letters annually, and the business tran
saciions of the several manufacturing establish
ments, amounting to about seventy-fve thousand
dollars annually. To conduct this without loss to
the State, as he has DONE requires business talents
OF high order. We don't believe there is sim
liar institution In the country so humanely,
economically judicously managed, as the
Maine State Prison, and visit similar to the one
we have just made, would convince Our readers Of
this fact