The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1881-02-24

pecial Correspondence of the Journal. I

Were ever any of your readers in the State Pris-
| on? Not under sentence Don't understand me
that way but as observers of the strangely inter-
| esting sights there Enter with me, accompanied
by the legislative committee, and let spenda few
| minutes in the Maine State Prison. "COntented?
yes, contented as would be at home, if it wasn't
for these ID variegated Clothes" was one of the
first answers received from convict The clothes
which cause this discomfort are the regular prison
garb One half of coat, cap, vest and pants is
snuff colored brown; the other half black. l SYM
pathzed with this person by telling him we couldn't
| have everything we wished for in this checkered
world; even petitioners to the legislature
| fused their prayers sometimes. A similar reply
| would probably be received from most of the con
vcts. They are well cared for, and as far their
condition will allow, contented could but notice
one or two marked peculiarites which seemed to
| be universal. Any one who had been in the prison
for several months was acquainted with the names,
crimes anu sentences of all who were employed in
his department. Yes, and each one had his opinion
whether that sentence just or not Further,
none of then answered the query Glow long have
/ you been here" by stating the number of wears
| but Invariably it was many months. The next
question: Glow long 10 you remain?" would be
reckoned by years, the conyicts endeavorng thus
convince themselves that the larger part of their
sentence was past if they said twelve months have
gone. and only one year remains. None of the pris
oners seemed to over-eNert themselves in their
work. 1t is evidently regarded, in many cases, as
the only means at hand with which to kill time. To
De sure the products of the various shops compare
| fayoraby with the work turned out by other manu-
| facturers; yet the amount is meagre. And there
is little wonder when you consider why and for
-Il1tf b.lyr
fences, reminds OF one incident In the car
riage shop standing within short distance of each
other, We're four prisoners sentenced for life. Two
of them are murlcrers one was committed for
rape, the other for burglary; yet all had the same
sentence. 1t needs no argument to show the inius
tice of this. Murder the highest crime except
| treason, should receive the severest penalty; vet
here the same punishment is accorded crimes of
much less cnormitv. The burglary was aggravated
by assault yet within ten feet Of this convict is
another who shot fellow man. with intention to
Kill, and he is punished with imprisonment for
three years, Is this justice? There are prisoners
suffering for murder, arson, rape and burglary the
same sentence in Thomaston. and that is for life
while others who committed equally as heinous
crimes, are punished for Il term of wears This
matter should be investigated carefully, and sen
saeration to the crime committed.
High up in the third story of the prison is large
apartment devoted to three women, the sole repre-
sentatives of the softer sex found within these
prison walls All of them are under sentence for
| life. Two have committed murder. and one is
punished for the alleged crime of arson. 1t may be
compliment to the to say that the prison has
no accommodations for female prisoners, yet it is
n9t rIn han.
| to be sent here.
One very interesting feature of the prison is the
school system, which is growing up under the d.
recti"n of David J. Starrett, Esq This is a work
Of pure philanthropy, and considering the limited
means available is accomplishing wonders. 1t was
the privilege of the writer to pass along the CORR
dors III the evening. and having on coverings to our
boots, see the prisoners at their tasks. With few
| exceptions, found them engaged in reading and
| studying. Some had barely learned to spell ont
their words and We're stumbling through the cle-
| ment- Of arithmetic and grammar, while others
| We're far advanced in these branches. Some were
engaged in reading works of fiction, magazines and
| papers, while others had histories and biographies
and the Holy Bible. One young man, whose term
expires in few DAYS, has become so interes ted in
his studies that he intends college course, which
MS parents We're and anxious to give him
Prison life is not solely for punishment but for re-
form and improvements The library numbers but
about three hundred volumes, and the constant use
| OF these Is rapidly diminishing their number. The
discarded books Of any library would be acceptable
| presents. The most of those whom lid not find
at study, We're employing their time making various
carvings brackets, nick nack Sc to sell to visitors
Here they work zealously and WELL and their pro
| duct, are purchased not more from curiosity than
for their beauty Many OF their cells are tastilv
decorated with roored paper, pictures and notices.
| thus relieving the walls of their baroness In one
| cell we noticed the pictures of James G. Blaine
Garfield, Hancock Thurman and other prominent
| public men In another Were schooncrs and vessels
OF various descriptions. ami i'll still another biblical
| pictures, and this motto: "Chaiity never faileth."
| If had time would describe the ingenious clock
of Savage With its images, cprnces. balconys, &C.,
and refer to the gaows from the scafold of which
50 many men have been hurled into eternity: but
this has been removed. Wewould like to walk with
our readers around the high wall which is constant
| ly under the surveillance Of the guards with their
rifles loaded with sixteen rounds and as we travel
| led would look down on the picturesque Georges
river, a. it meanders along through the vale below
or the grave yard Just outside of the prison wall
| where the plain white slab of wool tells the I'M
| happy end OF some poor outcast convict in these
words: John Smith, died Dec J. 1864" But
space will not permit All we can say is, remember
they are your fellow men, and do not forget them
| IN their unfortunate condition.
There has been no dearth OF excitement this win
ter at the capital and the legislative partv to come
of on the first Of March, the very first dav (thus
escaping Lent by the skin of its teeth will put on
the finishing touches The reception and ball will
l,J,I, Il
in the city, which will be decorated in a stvle of
! magntccnre exceeding even the superb affair of
last winter, the services of an accomplished deco
rater in Boston having been called into requsition
| Twenty-Five hundred invitations will be issued and
| how many new dresses will bound into existence
no one can tell Among the various musical organ
lzatlons which the committee of arrangements had
| under consideration, and from which they were to
select Andrews Orchestra of Bangor, has received
the high compliment of in engag cement for the fes-
| tive occasion.
The exhibition by Miss Ellen L. Barton of several
of her children, pupils in the Portland school for
deaf and dumb, in the House of Representatives the
| other evening, fairly took the audience by storm.
Discar''ing the old sign system in which the pupil
| Is taught by gymnastics and pantomme, Miss Bar
ton teaches them To grasp the words and sentences
ton, so that the graduate from her school can not
| only converse with those of her own unfortunate
class, but bya universal language is brought into
| direct and living communication with 'the rest OF
| mankind" No person is so isolated from the world
50 shut up to himself as whose ears are closed
to the conversation of friends and all the sounds
sweet and otherwise, of this busy world, and whose
| lips are sealed forever. Miss Barton's method
seems to make the deaf hear and the dumb to speak
The Insane Hospital Investigation is 'coming out
OF me lttle end OF the horn" The committee is
weary of the protracted sittings without any prac
teal results, and are eagerly inquring of Dr. But
Ter when he is going to produce his ''damaging ties
timony..,.Senator Dndleys speech in the Senate on
| the woman suffrage bill, was enough to kill the
measure for Il dozen years For indecent illustra-
tons and low, clownish vulgarisms it would com
pare well with the language of pot houses and low
salOons....The old Maine Farmer is putting on airs