The daily gazette., 1880-02-03
FIRST EDITION.
Behind the Prison Bars.

l
AND ITS INMATES.
Special correspondence OF the Gazette.
New CASTLE, Feb. 2.-Go into New
Castle county Jail some day. Ask War
den Doran TO show you around and
point out the things of interest, note
the strength Of the place and its security
against escape, and imagine yourself an
inmate under the stern senteuce Of the
law-do this and you can get faint
idea OF the dreary existence which the
unfortunate felons, confined within the
narrow limits Of the iron-bound, IRON
barred cells, drag out from day TO day.
II Is not pleasant scene TO contemplate
nor pleasant place to visit but one can
not help being interested In observing
the vari ous phases OF human nature that
are TO be found behind the heavy grated
door guarding the entrance.
LIFE BEHIND THE BARS.
The inside place OF the Jail is long,
narrow room with high ceiling where
the light OF day Is admitted through
small windows. The cells are arranged
along the sides, and there are two tiers
Of tthem the upper cells are reached by
q winding stairway and platform runs
around In front of them. Not much can
be seen Of the prisoners for they are kept
In close confinement, as a general thing
The outeI-doors Of the cells are kept
partly open, and II you want to talk
with those inside the conversation must
be conducted through the square apera-
lures which are used In passing in the
food. The prisoners confined in their
little apartments from day to day, for
months and years, Of course find life
dull and unpleasant, and they have but
little TO occupy their minds. As a gener-
al thing they only read and smoke.
Some, however, show considerable inge
nuity In making various mic macs, and
take great pleasure In this pastime. One
whose term OF imprisonment recently
expired, attained greai skill at this. He
constructed an exceedingly interesting
ornament In the shape Of delicate
framework Of wood fastened with strings
Of glass beads, and confined inside a
large bottle. This he presented to one OF
the keepers when he took his leave.
Many Of them make baskets Of splinters
| of wood, and occasionly turn out o. her
useful articles. They seldom see any
thing of the outer world, except little
speck of sky that Is visible through the
cell window. Occasionly In summer
some Of them who are serving long terms
are allowed to go out into the Jail yard,
but even that Is not general practice.
| The keepers are John Doran and Jesse
James, both faithful and efficient Off
GERS. Mr.. Doran Is head wardn, and is
about the Jail during the day. His term
commences at o o'clock a. m, and con-
tinues until o'clock p. M, when Mr..
James comes on duty and commences
his lonesome night watch, that does not
conclude until the next morning. The
night surely passes with great slowness
TO the watcher, left alone for twelve long
hours with none but feloDs for compan-
ions. Only two meals are served dur
ing the day, the hours being O'Clock a.
IN. and from IL TO p. IN. The cooking
| is done bytwo active colored prisoners,
who take great pride in their work.
THE PRISONS INMATES.
Four life prisoners are confined In the
| Jail at this time. They are all colored
and homicide Is the crime of each. Three
| are men aud one woman, and their
names are John Till, Alfred Boyoe, Geo
Draper and Mary Mattur. Possibly the
| crimes for which these felons are paying
| the penalty are still remem bered. John
|
| the Lam bson place over l3 years ago.
He told about the affai to the GAZETTE
| represe NATIVE, as follows: "You see
| boss was goin' to New Castle dat day
| AMI my brother asked mo to git him
some tosaccy, and give me SIX cents.
| got some money, and got drunk. Pspose
| I spent his money as well as my own,
aud when he asked me for 1t ] only had
| one cent. He knocked me down ana
| kicked me, AMI went up stairs tor an
axe-handle. couldn't find IL and took
| the gun. He tackled me agIn, and In the
| fight his boot struck the trigger and II
went off and killed him. A boy said
| shot him, and dat settled de matter"
Till Is about 81 years old and almost
| white.
Alfred Boyce is In the same cell with
| Till. He killed John Duaney, a white
man one Saturday night for money near
MIddietown. Charles White, a Mary
| land negro, assisted in the crime, got all
the money, and turned States evidence
| afterward. Boyoe commenced to serve
his long term In 1871 and bears up we'll
under confinement. Mary MaJtur was
convicted of intantlc,de. She lived near
Newark, and in cold blood killed her
| child, then about year old. She escap-
ej once aud lived in Philadelphia about
| year. A youthful admirer there whom
she offended apprised the authorities of
her Whereabouts anu bn6 WhS Drought
back. George Draper killed Wilson aue-
g:o in Middletown, Sept. Il, 1873.
One cannot visit the Jail without feel
ing n great pity for Harley Brown. He
completely broke down under the con-
finement when he was first iUcarcerated
| Now he liz allowed to go about tn . Jail
and do little chores. This has had
beneficial effect and he may yet live to
walk forth from the prison free man.
A wide spread sympathy for him was
awakened at the time of his trial, aud II
@ ttai uly has not diminished one whit
since. IL any one Ia the Jail IL deserving
OF mescy and executive Glen ency 1t Is
certainly he. An effort will be made to
secure bis pardon, iG is thought. Evan
Rice, the defaulting bank cashier never
leaves bis Sell, and stands his imprlson-
ment better than was hoped. Paralysis
has greatly effected James Vance, who
was convicted In the United States court
of passing counterfeit money, aud SEN
fenced to fifteen years. He uses two
canes to walk with, and seems am ost
broken dowR. All told, there are eighty
three prisoners in Jail.
| ESCAPES.
Prisoners flying through the doors OF
the jail, scampering across the village
green and making good their escape, is
an occurrence to which the people here
are now seldom treated. Time has been
whom IL happened often, and suspicion
Is directed toward certain former jail
I t..sa IL t...s. Ii -