The Osceola times., 1880-12-25
A NIGh,

Auburn Letter in syncA
At b O'Clock the convidi DEALEl
work ard form in line inN
They ara marched to the buc
and aftei singing their bucke.Nn
arms they shuttle in long lines, ~ ~
TO Their cerls. As each one pasA
little iron-bssrred apartment he il
a cup of crust coffee on q, a small "a Z
just outside his door This he take -
side with him. After this the doors 7
closed by the convicts themselves, in
the keeper of each gang walks along hH
gallery and locks his men in. After y
o'clock every man is supposed to be
wrapped in slumber. At any rate, he
must be as quiet as though he were
sound asleep. No noises or talking are
permitted, and any one who breaks this
rule is "chalked in" "Chalked in"
means that the cell door will be chalked,
and the inmates left locked in in the
morning for punishment. The north
wing, which is the largest of the two
wings, offers the best opportunity for
night scenes. The guards are compelled
TO make their rounds every half hour.
The corridors are kept brihgtly lighted to
prevent attempts at escape. The guards
wear shoes made Of cloth, which render
their footsteps noiseless. The convicts
call these shoes "sneaks," as the guards
wearing them are enabled to creep along
the galleries silently, and often surprise
convicts in transgressions of the rules.
There are five long galleries in the north
wing, and nearly 1000 convicts, when
the prison is full, locked in the cells. A
ntnht xttthnnt Al sinnla snInI
being heard. The men may read until
the time arrives orthem to put out their
lights and turn in, but it is seldom that
the day breaks without the quiet having
been disturbed. The stiffness is oppres-
sive, and shrill whistle from some
mischief-bent prisoner falls with startling
effect upon the ear. 1t is the delight Of
of some of the men TO make trouble, and
in the middle of the night one of them
may burst out with a loud cry, a sharp
peal of laughter OF something Of that
nature. Detection is almost impossible,
owing to the large number of cells and
the nearness of the convicts to each
| other.
One convict, boy Of IS, tantalised the
guard night after night for long time
by ever and anon piping roundelay in
piercing whistle. twas difficult to
| locate the fellow, but finally he was
caught in the act, and for his pleasure hc
suffered an application OF the paddle,
which had salutary effect, as he was
never afterward engaged in such busl-
ness. 1t requires but little to set q
whole gallery in uproar, Conyicts are
easily influenced, and any incentive at
| night will unloose their tongues, As by
some hook or crook they obtain the
daily papers they keep well posted.
They know of every political or other
kind of demonstration, and are prepared
for it. Any unusual disturbance In the
vicinity Of the prison Is sure 10 create a
hubub inside the walls One night a
cannon was fired near the prison. This
| with the exultant cries Of the crowd who
were discharging il awoke all the prison.
ers in the north wing, some one of the
| convicts began to shout. Others took up
| the refrain and in less time than it takes
10 tell the whole wing was in confusion
For an hour or more the men yalled like
mad, and no effort Of the guard could
stop them. Finally the noise subsidized,
and peace reigned once more. Although
it was late at night, large assemblage
collected outside Of the prison, attracted
by the yelling II Was supposed that
iizurrecti0n had broken out.
There was one man who insisted every
night, for time, about II o'clock, in
indulging in terribly demoniacal laugh
ter that reverberated through tho corri-
dors. This was invariably taken up by
the other conyicts, and the great
wing fairly rang with the laugh.
ter from 1000 lips. The effect
would almost drive one wild. When all
join in the disturbance, the convicts do
not care if the guards are watching them.
as they know the whole wing would not
be chalked in, and one could no, bo lpft
in his cell without leaving all the others.
Onc convict was locked" in a cell in
which hideous-looking negro died.
This man would scream in the dead of
the night: "For Gods sake, don't kill
me; spare me, spare mel" lie imagined
that the dead neglo ~as clutching
at his throat and strangling him to
death. The mans appeals were pitiful,
and he would be found cowed in the cor
ner of his cell, trembling with fear.
The officers of the prison were compelled
to move him to another cell, Had he
remained in his old cell he would have
gone mad This mans fearful cry would
instantly arouse the other convicts and
send them all into shrek of alarm.
The men acted as if they were all afraid.
Ghosts are frequently seen by superstj-
tious convicts, and the man who lmag-
ines that he secs one i certain to shout
the lnfprmatlQn 10 the remainder of the
prisoners, Ghosts, ghosts" will sound
through the long wing. The convicts, if |
they dislike guard, may apply epithets
to him with perfect impunity Every
man will join the attack The poor
guard has no recourse. He can np, lind |
out who assailpd him. ting Fourth Of |
July night when the guns were boom |
ing, the conyicts concluded to indulge In |
a publication among themselves. An |
enthuslastic convict started the song: |
"Marching through Georgia" Every |
tongue took it up and the refrain rolled |
out through the grated windows 10 the |
stretl and drew an immense concourse.
Not unfrequently the infection spreads |
to the south wing, which is much small |
er, directly across the court. With the |
two wings yelling at the top of their
lungs 1t would make the hair of those
unsceustomhd to the sound to stand ON
end ' ''
IL is easy to calculate the noise that
could be created by from l,SoQ to 900
men, AT g O'Clock in The morning the
men are required to arise, and at 6;l5
they must be ready to march to the
bucket ground to dump their buckets and
perform their ablutions previous to poins
TO the mess room for break fast. AfteT
Their morning meal they proceed to the