Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1879-03-06
PRISON LIFE.

Passing tie balconies of a New
York prison Rt O'Clock in the
evening and looking between the
iron CTatings, the visitor will find a
hght IN nearly every cell. Where
Shere are TWO convicts in the same
ceI they vii be talking or Ue2ding.
Those who have n cell 10 themselves
VII be reading or pacing the cell,
reeraE through tire g-a;eS, or doing
Something to kil G03e. There are
some two ShoaSand volumes in the
prison ke-E-v- The books most
SoEgtt after 6y prisoners are nov
tls, hooks OF travel, and Biographies.
E51eE are permitted TO read story
rSFSTS and magazines, bat no news
F&TSrs- Aee.iluc the news Of the
outside wOrlG from them 5 one If
their m0Sg Se-ioas yr5vatioas. Some
u3es Gaey exercise tie greatest ia
ESlaisy % draw 1u1 froA the keep
sTS Sd2s>io,ial Information relating
10 some piece of news they have
gathered from TIE foreman IN the
sh0Ts q Jae dav. ln late political
canvass several O. The convieIS from
New York City. were especially
anxious % know what candidates
were running for GorritSey'S seat
al tie safe Senate. and by the
sharPss1 conversational tFisks they
rD6e&v0Ted 10 entrap the keepers in
d speaking names Of the opposing
Czoas5ai = The rapid;ty with
WIKI news SpuesdS Smeag the
cOuvscss when one of them has come
into possession Of It Is astonishing
On the niglls following tie Manhat-
Zen Bank rot5e:y tiae affair was geo.
e7s.lly known 10 tie prisoners. They
discussed i E,noaS themselves and
ys,IUEe5 CPinioaS as 70 the men en-
gagged il i They were Of the Opin-
l0a that ]: vas a really cool job, and
even ) ShESOn. Who owes the State
considerable time Vet, and was
known II New York City as one of
The most daring a SucceSSful men
IN bis line. eOldeSceaded 10 speak
well Of l. The pjllaye Of the Stew
81 tomb WAS Known tS the coavicts
On TIE day OF its disc overy. The
appearance O. al evening visitor on
ne gaHc-leS is rare indeed, and be-
fore tie VISITOR has walked the
lsar51 Of a single gallery the fact OF
his Fr-eSsHce has been passed from
cal TO eel, thTocSa the ventilating
fluss untl nearly every convict has
X.
rs the keepers PASS along the gal
1eries IN the early evening they are
haIled ~ voices from behind the
crates and faces are pressed against
THE iH0a grztiuCS.
Il say, is Mr.. Davis coming
through the galleries tonight p
~Was's the rex tcIler we had for
O..e Cd the 6sy keepers to-day ?''
>Hxvea7s foslnd the chaps that
1Ouk S1ewRr1's body, have they -
Wren tie keeper starts away the
rnen u-ce lin 10 hold On n minute,
and ~ 40 desaia hsl for company,
s4ke. T1e couviccs are permitted
20 hzve fiEhts n their ceIlS until {
0ac8sek. They are furnished with
kerosene lamps. and arc allowed 4
ce-rzin 'czSatisy ot oil. Some OF
them sem 70 te afraid Of darkness,
and turn tl5eir fghts down very low
a1d Erv TO conceal them when tie
R1eeTers FsSs, IN ooser that they may
tEIR thcn H. again and not he in
tie dark Near tie close Of the
week they make al sorts Of promise.
II tilelr e2deavOr 70 ge- fresh sup
TAT CT oIl- It's considered safe {,
let them hare lights in their cells,
for tlaeg can only burn the few com
bastIbles, i'm the Gel, AMI il they d,
that TIE penalty is TO have thei
lights taken away from them-whicl
5 considered very severe punish
Enent- O1e Of the convicts no
long ago set fle 10 his furniture
iyut such occurrences are very rare
On tlsiS occasion The alarm was Civ
en- bv n convict in an adjoining cell.
Ats 9orclOck the bell is runy fol
lights cut" Then more faces are
sen at the CrstiRgs, and there is q
greater disposition among the con-
victs 10 talk with their neighbors.
At is curious fact that those who
sleep the least are long tine" men,
whose terms have almost expired.
They seldom close their eyes in sleep
TIE last nigat of their stay in prison.
Only fourteen DAYS more, and
feel rs though | should fly," said
one OF the c8nvicGs.