The Republican journal., 1877-02-08
The Maine State Prison,

state prison at IhomastOn, makes notes {
his observations at the institution. as TO
lows
The prison is massive and strong. nes
and comfortable, but has been 50 often dc
scriDed, that a description here would b
only waste OF time and space The cell
are within the inner court of the prison
and rise in three tiers, reached by grant
steps Each tier comprises two rows c
cells, facing in opposite directions Ih
cells which are perhaps four feet wide an
nlne or ten feet long, are only larg
enough tor one person to occupy, and h
| has TO content himself with very circum
scrlDed quarters at that. They are uniform
in size. shape and strength, each having
| door OF iron bars, built 50 compactly tina
a mans hand can barely pass through A
the bottom OF each door, is a small apar
ture through which articles eau be passed
The cells, outside and III are all kept neat
| ly whitewashed A bunk or bed is SO al
ranged i'll each cell That it may be caught
up in the day time, to give room. and lei
| down at night A stand, a STOOL and =
| LOOKING glass constitute the other principal
VI ilil III vi Z i)il Gttll ttll illaN
| be adorned and even beautlied according
to the taste, time OF ability ot its occll-
pant Thus DO we find s0ue ot the apart
mentS approaching the luxurious. The
walls are adorned with neat brackets on
which rest the novel work. ui gelil3s
carved out to while away the time pic
tnres Of the dear ones far away, and little
souvenirs OF home, friendship quilts, and
the like, sent to cheer up The unfortunate
one barred from the sweet Influences ut
mother, home and friends homemade
carpets and draWn-in rugs cover the mar
row floor Many OF the prisoners take
great pride in The care Of their cells and
having them scrupulously neat and tidy.
Prisoners are required. when physically
and mentally able, to employ their time in
one ol the orhshops built i'll the yard OF
The prison, carrage, black smith, paint,
harness and shoe shops-Which are under
the personal supervision of overseers, tt-
ted tor their position. Yon enter the large
and we'll arranged shops, and nothing but
the partl-colored clothing OF the convicts
would lead you to suppose that this busy
hive Of industry was at all connected with
a penal institution. Each man is assigned
llH IS' lttl Noih, ill't NioNS lttSt nv" w
do it. When Il man comes in with 4 trade,
he is continued on work connected with
that trade; il he has none, he is first put
on the coarsest and simplest work, and
rises gradually. until he gains the idea
that he IS learning trade by which he
can earn a living, and when he goes out
there will be no necessity for stealing. He
thus, while learning a trade also learns to
govern himself; and the want of selt-gov-
ernment has brought many behind the
CRATES The prisoners had rather work
than be idle, and all but the sick, very old,
and feebe-minded do work Indeed one
Of the forms of discipline is in temporarily
depriving the offender of employment.
They work ten hours in the summer time,
and as long rs they can see at other times.
lhey have three quarters OF an hour at
dinner The signal for dinner is given by
the bell, When the men form into line and
march to their cells In passing the kitchen
each one is furnished with dish contain
ING his dinner, which lie eats alone after
gong to his cell. This plan is not subject
to the dangers of Il general dining room.
the Inlhbis bttertilt1tip was nr3cljcPG, at
the prisoners rose in rebellion, and several
OF the prison officers We're killed, the riot
being luellel only by calling in the mill
tay. The unfortunate affair at the West
boro' (Aass.) Reform School, the other
day, was organized and executed by the
boys at the dinner hour.
The following is the bill Of fare for the
dinners at the prison: Sunday, fish and
potatoes; Monday, baked beans; Tues
day, beef and potatoes; Wednesday, pea
soup; Thursday, fish and potatoes; Fri
day, stewed beans; Saturday, fresh meat
soup. For breakfast and supper, tea and
bread and often cheese are served no
coffee OF butter being III the bill! ot fare,
The fine, rugged appearance OF the con-
yict9 shows that plain, wholesome fare
makes strong, robust men. There is but
little sickness in the institution, the nten-
ton being to take SO good condition ot the
sanitary condition OF the place that the cir
cumaclibed hospital department will moi
be needed The tasks of the day done, the
convict goes tu his cell to partake OF his
supper. which is speedily disposed Of, lor
rest nr study. i'hey are each furnished
with u little hand lamp, supplied with
naptha, or kerosene lamps, ii they choose
to pay tor that extrayagunce. The lights
are all required to be put out 1t nine
O'clock, though no fault is found ii they
are burning 4 little later in the cell of the
dligent student, After they have passed
to their cells tor the night, tie deputy
takes account OF every mau, and they are
placed in charge of u guard who is relieved
each hour The night watchman comes
in at eight O'Clock, examines all the work
shops and cells, md il relieved at ten and
one o'clock by watchmen who perform
similar duty. With dark lantern and NUT
fled shoes he passes by the cells each hour,
throwing the light upon the sleeping oc
cupants
While the institution is designed for
punishment, and not for recreation, prls
oners are not deprived Of anything that is
harmless. For instance, in other days the
custom was to cut their hair closely and
shave of their boards, Il cruel and need
less punishment, serving only to eXasper
ate the criminals; some would beg on
their knees and with tears, for the saliva
ton OF their beard Now, they are allowed
to wear their hair and beard as they
choose
We will now enter the busy workshops,
and having first obtained permission of
Lut WdlutlS tlltl uNGlocGlS, Will nave u
little chat with the prisoners, some Of
whom are quite notorious.
Charles l.. Eastman is in his seventeenth
year, a graduate from the New Hamp-
shire and Maine reform schools. His latest
offence was setting fire to the Maine Re
form School, because, as he says, he was
harshly treated and cruelty beaten. lie
had no home and home influences and
dritted about a waf in the world with no
one to care for him. He is in for four
years.
Edward Ingalls,, Il boy of fifteen, has
just been brought here for stealing Sl7 80.
Although so young, yet he has served five
years in the Massachusetts Reform School
His was the old but sad, sad story
Mother died and was obliged to go out
into the world, no one caring for me, and
| did this because could not help it," He
is brighteyed boy, but has a careless,
Indifferent look. born of exposure in the
cold cruel world.
Elbridge w. Reed of Medway is a hand
some william, thirty eight years OF age,
and has the appearance of man from