The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1880-09-09
PRISON LIFE.
Employments, Vices ana Tricks OF th
Convicts at Auburn, NY,


A letter from Auburn, N. Y, says
There afe many desirable situations
even in prison, and the strife ad1ong
convicts to secure these places is as
tonishing. The position of waiter is a
particularly good one. A walters duty
consists of taking care of the shop, office,
hall, or wing where employed. There
is but little to do, and the convict is
enabled to read, chew tobacco and talk
to his hearts content. A place as at
tendant in the hospital is one of the best
in the prison. The convict has many
opportunities to secure dish of milk or
some delicacy purchased for the patient.
The men in the hospital live like kings,
so to speak, and enjoy many advantages
that the convicts in the shops never
know. The kitchen is q place much
sought after as the men can once in a
while make little dishes for themselves,
such as they would not otherwise OBJ
tain. There are convicts who have
more influence with the officers than
would be imagined, and not otinfrequeptly
they exercise it in securing a position.
Gambling is carried on to a great de-
gree. The convicts do not use cards, as
one would suppose-those are too liable
to detection. They bet on events,
changes in the weather, the time of day,
and everything of that character. They
also "odd and even," Clip" match, 7"
roll, =" throw for the crack" and the
like. Convicts are not supposed to carry
money, but they do just the same, and
sometimes considerable sums. AS they
are carefully searched and their clothing
taken from them, the men cannot take
money into the prison with them. They
obtain their money usually from friends
who visit them.
They sew the money up in their cloth
ing, and it is seldom that it is discov-
cred. Occasionally man will be found
with ten or twenty dollars in coins in
his coat collar, or other parts of the
clothing. There are pawnbrokers and
money-lenders. These criminal Shy
locks are more exacting than the
"uncles" of the street. The convicts
"put up" some trinkets which they
mostly all have, or pledge something
else to get a few dimes or pennies.
Gambling is the great evil, but it is the
only exciting pastime the convicts have.
Ii keeper or guard can be bought "
the convicts will pay him a good salary
right along to perform services for them,
such as bringing in papers, tobacco and
edibles, and taking out letters. Some
convicts keep up regular correspon-
dence with friends outside. The letters
"pass through the underground, as the
officers term it. A convict prevails upon
The foreman of his shop, who is always
an outsider, or some citizen, rs there are
many of them employed in the fine work
in the prison, to carry out his letters and
bring back the answer. Thus letters go
in and out. The New York morning
papers reach Auburn at four O'Clock in
the afternoon, and the same afternoon,
and the same evening the convicts may
be found reading the news of the day
ION the sly" in their cells. How the
prisoners secure the papers is mystery
to many. The foreman of the shops, or
perhaps the officers, bring them in.
The convicts will give great deal for
New York papers, and they will have
well posted on the events of the day,
and discuss with intelligence any sub
ject that is being treatedin the papers.
If there is one thing more than another
that convict likes To do it is to
trade
The men are bartering constantly,
and some get considerable property"
which, however, they must at all times
keep concealed. Not so very long ago
IN enterprislng convict established a
distillery in the prison and engaged in
the manufacture of liquor. He eX-
cavated beneath stone in the floor OF
the kitchen, where he was employed
and set small tub in the hole. With
hops used in making yeast and corn and
barley used in making brend and soup,
he produced potation that would in
toXicate. Drunkenness becams quite
prevalent, and finally the distillery was
discovered and the moonshiner nput
in the prison jail on bread and water.
While he ran the distillery he did well,
and would in short time have been
comparatively wealthy. Beer" as it is
called, is made to this day from the
bread crusts, but the makers have tC
exercise caution. One man raised a
quantity of tomatoes on the window
sill of his shop, and sold the crop for 8
large sum. Smoking, although strictly
prohibited, is INDUCED in at night after
the men are locked" A spell ago s
watch was taken from man. The con
vict carried it in a leather bag sus.
pended in his trousers leg by means O
string. The convicts pin things in
side their clothing to keep them from
the offices, and carry knives and othel