The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1882-01-28


waits until it is filled, with the exception of
one seat at the end, which he takes himself.
The remainder of the company file into seats
in the rear, and so on until they are all
seated The guard stands near and counts
off the number of men for each seat. The
doors of the chapel are closed after all the
convicts have marched in, and the services
begin with the voluntary" which is sung
by the choir. The choir is peculiar fea-
ture, every member of it being man. So
pranos and altos, as well as tenOrs, bari
tones and bassos are men.
The Instrumental music is especially mer-
itorious. The men sit nervously in their
places and move their hands and feet UNI
easily. They are not allowed to turn their
heads when they come in, and they must
not look about while the services are in
progress. How much the men fear God
is perhaps best shown by their actions when
prayer is offered. The beholder viii be
surprised to see how few bow in supplica-
ton. The majority hold their hands up in
a defiant way, and seem to be entirely un-
moved by the spirit of prayer. In this
connection il may be said that Sunday
school is held before the regular services.
Only those who desire need attend, and it
Is not over one in twenty who takes advan-
tage of the opportunity. The classes are
taught by young men, mostly students at
the Theological Seminary, who volunteer
to do this work. The only ones who take
real interest in the chapel services are the
Sunday-sebool scholars. The others leave
their cells simply to break the monotony of
the day and to hear the music.
At ten O'Clock the conviets, after spend
iug an hour in the chapel, march back to
their cells. On the way they receive bread
and crust coffee, which comprise the din
ner. Bread and water are served twice
during the afternoon TO the men in their
cells. but they do not receive supper. The
men do not leave their cells again until
Monday morning The rest of the day is
spent in reading. writing, and plotting. On
Sunday the chaplain was surprised, in the
middle of his sermon, to see convict pop
up ike Jack -in-the box and shout at the
top Of his lungs The prisoners are very
excitahle, aad one man might set all the
rest yelling. As a rule, convicts do not
like Sunday. as they do not obtain a. much
to eat as on other days, and It Is tedious
remaining locked up 80 many hours.
The scene at the dinner-hour in the
mess-room is Hot the least interesting phase
Of prison life. The men sit at long narrow
tables, but Gully on one side, as it Is not
thought best TO place them face to face.
They are given half an hour in which to
eat, and IL they have not satisfied their APP
pctiies BY that time they must go hungry,
Each man Is allowed 20 much To eat, but
those who are recognized A. big eaters
are seated in an adjoining room and given
more. The men demand good food, and
when they do not get il they show their
displeasure By groaning and uttering cat
ealls. At times the noise is deafening.
Sometimes the curned beef viii become bad
before the kitchen men are aware Of il, and
whenever this meat i served trouble at
once ensneS The Auburn system Of
Of government originated at Auburn Prison
some so years ago. Discipline was nnaia-
tanned BY the use of the klsh or cat
For every violation Of the rules the cat was
applied proportionate TO the offense or the
physical ability ct the man undergoing pun
ishmeut, until at last man was killed, and
the lash was prohibited BY law. The show
err bath followed, but, a. related BY old Oh
eers. man died from the effects Of del
asc, aud the shower was discontinued.
The iFun yoke, % erneIfx, the dungeon,
the ball and chain, and shaving the heads
were the different modes Of punishment
until 1862, when the application Of the
yoke was forbidden. The shower bath, 70
the diSmay Of the eonvicts, was resumed,
and used until 1869, when all physical
punishment was prohibited. II was soon
found that the men could not be made Ia
work if they were not punished when they
deserved j, and the paddle was devised,
and i IN use n the PseseHs time. The
paddle i made Of soleleather and IS about
two feet hong and three inches wide with a
wcoien handle.
The eonvict Is taken TO the ',iaif wheFe
bis feet app fastened ~ the ssoRe AooE 4
pair Of leather cuffs conhne his hands, and
10 these j. attached rope by which his
arms are drawn mp. His body Is then
barred and while convict presses on the
victims abdomen, the head keeper or dep
uty agents waiter applies the paddle. The
result Is often quite serious. Men have
been known 10 remain in the hospital for a
long time after the punishment, The cap,
Is also employed great deal to bring the
men 20 terms II Is an iron cage, which
fits over the head and locks under the chin.
The convict can wear II aud still keep at
his work. The most common method Of
furnishing prisoners nowadays Is ~ eoasigp
them to the dungeon on two ounces Of
bread aud gill OF water day. The only
articles in dungeon are bucket, and a
plank about foot wide to sleep on. 1t is
no difficult matter to see how quickly an
obdurate man will come TO the conclusion
that It Is better to obey the rules than TO be
locked up in the dungeon. Men used to
be strung up, but that plan IS not resOrted
to, at least to any extent, now They were
either held up BY the thumbs or the wrist,
often until they tainted A terrible ma
chine, long since thrown aside as being too
dangerous was the Jacket" 1t could be
drawn up so tightly as TO squeeze the life
out Of a man. OF late years the punish
ment has not been nearly as severe as in
former years, but good government has been
achieved by strict Jules and their rigid en-
forcement. In 1874 law was passed re-
quiring the construction Of separate cells
for the confinement of incorrigible prisoners,
but such cells have not yet been built.
Nothing seems to have such salutary eff
feet on refractory prisoners as solitary CON
fnement The dangers of manning or dis
aiding a convict, and, as has been the case,
infiicting fatal injuries, are, by this method,
entirely obyiated.-Nese lofk fines.
In olden times the peacock was favor
lite with the lords and ladies of high de-
gree, 1t was customary to send the roast
bird to the table in its natural envelope.
The peacock was considered in the days of
chivalry not simply as an exquisite delicacy,
but as a dish of peculiar solemnity. When
it was brought to the table, decorated with
It's nI,,n,aaa IT'S comb olidad and a Snonoe