Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1878-03-16

a Convict. His books are kept in the
neatest of chirography. evincing G
knowledge OF book keeping and consid
cradle intelligence. Being u tne-look.
ing man, with a very good face. We in
CURED his antecedents, and found tina,
his name was E. NJ Gates; that he WA:
sentenced for two years from Liberty
Clay county. for collecting and appro'
priating to his own use money belonging
to IN insurance company. after his su'
thority 10 act for the company had been
revoked. From the hospital proper we
repaired to the hospital kitchen. where
We interviewed the cook. alone. We
found this part OF the establishment
clean. and In good order. The cook. 8
convict named jefferson Estel.. was &C.
cupled. IS We entered, il making out his
bill OF fare tor dinuer, aud as q matter
OF curiosity. We asked to see it, and we
here present it to our readers: Beet
soup, chicken soup, oat meal grue..
broth. beet tea. roast beef. stewed
chicken. boiled ham. bacon, cabbage,
krout, turnlps. rice. beans. homiuy,
potatoes. butter. eggs. light bread. corn
bread. tapioca pudding. milk toast,
mush and milk, pies. cake. coffee. tea
To our question as TO whether as elabo-
rate a bill, Of fare as this was prepared
every day. JEFF replied, that the same
articles were furnished him to cook. but
that he varied the style of their prepara-
ton. DR.. Winston had previously as
sured US that the sick were fed as well
Ms they could Oe anywhere. Noticing
that jeff. a bright mulatto about twenty
tivs years Of age. evInced some scholar
ship in the preparation OF his bill OF tare,
which was written in a good hand. and
fairly worded and spelled, we asked him
his history. He told US that he had for
merry belonged to Major Harvey Hughes
OF Howard county. and that he was sent
to the penltentiary December 18th, 1870,
10 serve twelve Years. for murder IN the
second degree. and that ne had been
hospital cook ever since he became q
prisoner. When he entered the prison he
Gated himself since. To the question of
how the iare and treatment now, com
pared with that under the lessee system,
he answered, to use his own words {:
'.Oh. it's a thousand times better now +;
grub, work, clothes and everything. |
have 4 heap more to cook now and it's
batter JEFF was one OF the few cou-
ricts whom we spoke TO who achnowl-
edged having committed the crime tor
which he was sentenced. Nine IN ten
OF them being as ~innocen. as new born
babes, according to their own story.
which generally winds up with Il claim
that they were prosecuted, did not have
q fair trial, or were abandoned by their
lawyers. The latter no doubt true in
some cases, and tor cau-e.
ENGINE ROOM AND MACHINE SHOP.
The first thing to consider lie connec-
ion with the industrial enterprises OF
the prison is the engine. which moves
al! the machinery, which IS 0! 50 horse
power. and is kept in admirable order
bv several ~convicts. who act rs engineers
and tiremen. The engine, which is OF
course L large one, runs very smoothly.
Near it is a large pump. which IS used
Tor distributing water to the different
parts of the prison from 4 cistern near,
4 separate engine at the river forcing
the water into the cistern. Adjoining
the engine room is the machine shop,
superintendent by Mr.. I. a. FISHER. who
occupies seven hands in repairing and
making new machinery for the state.
Everything in this shop is as neatly ar
ranged as in any hrst-c!ass shop outside,
aud the men appear to work with a
knowledge OF what they are doing.
SHOE FACTORIES.
The manufacture OF boots and shoes
seems to be & tavorIte employment for
prison labor. The best authorities differ
as to whether the hiring OF convicts in
this business is more remuneratlve than
the employment OF honest. or. as the
slang goes in the peaitentiary, OF
square" labor. However this nay be.
such labor is largely used By manuiac-
turers IN Massachusetts,. Vermont, New
York, New Jersey. Pennsylvania. Mary
land, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin. H.
Ilnois. Iowa, Kansas and Colorado. The
entire number Of hands employed is
closely estimated to be $500. the largest
contracts being in New York. where, at
Albany, the East New York Boot and
Shoe Company hire the labor of650 men,
making mems. boys. youths. misses
and chlIdren's machine and cabis wlre
sewed boots and shoes of all kinds. the
contract price for hands being 60 cents.
$500 pairs being turned out per day and
the no less extensive contract Of the Bay
State Boot and Shoe Company, which
works $50 men at Sing Sing. and turns
ont $500 pairs daily, the contract price
in this instance being so ceots per day
The perfection OF 5ya.em and capacity
to which this labor can be reduced is
evidenced by the statement that 10 tie
Kings county prison. New York, one
team of 81 men turn out 1872 pairs of
shoes per day. The president of the
company where this Is done. Mr.. Eiga-
low, being the pioneer of prison labor in
the shoe line. The entire value OF boots
and shoes made by prison labor. last year,
is estimated at SC. 1893, 1850; and though
this sounds like quite & large sum. the
Shoe aud Leather Reporter saga that
there are four manufacturers in New
Ergland-three in Massachusetts and
one in Maine-who make more pairs
and more goods in money 7alae than
| are made in all the prisons Of the United
States. With these few Introductory
words, regarding the manufacture of
| boots and shoes by convict labor IN the
! prisons of the country. we will intro
| duce our readers to the work shops in
| the Missouri state prison. The largest
/ oFthaso ia that Of