Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-07-30
A CoNvICT's PRISON LIFE.

of 1850. As there are only l,2S4 cells,
number of them have two occupants, much
to the delight of those who are paired. Life
in Sing Sing is not what it was, and for this
keepers and convicts are devoutly thankful
Prisoners are no longer treated as if they
were brutes, and they have shown that
kindness is not thrown away on them.
There are ten dark cells in the prison.
Under the old regime these cells were sell
dom empty, and the sound of the paddle
and the curses of the poor Wretches on
whom it was being laid could be heard at
all hours. The paddle has gone out of
fashion. 1t has been superseded by pun.
ishment as effcacious as it is simple.
The punishment most in vogue for prls-
oners who refuse to obey orders is an inren.
ton of the Chief Keeper. Two uprights
with slots in them, are fastened against the
wall about three feet apart. Fitting neatly
into the space between them is y broad
board, which can be moved up or down on
the principle of an elevator. In the centre
of the board is u steel hook. The candi-
date for punishment is handcutled. lie is
stood up in front of the board. The
chain which fastens the handouts is
thrown over the iron hook in the board.
Then the latter is gradually raised until
the victim is standing on tip toes, with
his whole weight depending on his
wrists. Around the latter are the thin
steel cuffs, which cut into the flesh with
out drawing blood. The pain is excruciat.
ing, and is Increased, if that were possible
By the efforts Of the victim to change his
position in vain attempt to lessen the
agony. The toughest criminal in the prison
has never taken second dose of this punish
ment. The first trial is always sufli.
cient. The victim is lowered upon crying
Enough" Few have been able to endure
the pain for more than thirty seconds, but
one man stood it for minute and twenty
FIVE seconds. When he was lowered it was
found that he had bitten his lower lip
through in his efforts to withstand the
punishment without giving tongue to his
agony.
During the day the difference between
the lot of Il keeper and that of prisoner is
the prisoner The latter is employed, while
the centre of q huge apartment in which
hundreds of desperate men are at work, and
upon these men the keeper is compelled to
keep his eyes at all times. During the day
there is no rest for him. He stands with his
hand much of the time on the handle of
revolver, with every sense alert. Not
motion of the throng under his eyes escapes
his attention. Conversation between the
men is forbidden, and the sound of human
voice is seldom heard from morning until
night in the busy workshop of the great
prison. Comparatively few of the prisoners
are unemployed. Nine hundred and twenty
nine of them are engaged in stove max
ing Three hundred stoves of various sizes
and patterns are made every day in Sing
Sing. They are sent TO all parts of the
world almost, and every prisoner engagedin
making them is presented with plug Otto
bacco at the close of each week. This is
customary on all contract work. Two hun
dred dozen of shirts are washed, starched
and ironed in the prison per day. Some of
the prisoners become wonderfully expert
ironers, and two or three out of130 men en-
ployed in this department are so dexterous
that their tasks are invariably finished be-
fore noon When employed on certain
! kinds of work prisoners are given a task.
They can work quickly or slowly so long as
the task is finished when the whistle blows
for knocking off, If they finish their tasks
three or four hours before the regular hour
for stopping work they are allowed to retire
to their cells, where they can read or smoke
or 90 to sleep Three hundred men are en-
gagged in making boots and shoes. They
make $500 pairs per day, or nearly Y pairs
per man. The boots and shoes are all made
with the aid of machinery. One machine
makes wooden pegs and drives them into
place in the shoe or boot about fifty times as
fast as an expert workman could do the
work. 1t keeps man busy to supply this
pegging machine with soles. Another ma
chine makes steel screws, cuts them off a
proper length, and screws them in place in
countless soles in an hour. One mans task
is to put heels on 1880 pairs of boots per
day. He begins work at seven o'clock in
the morning, has an hour for dinner, and
has generally finished his task at three
o'clock. He does it with the aid of ma
chine, which heels pair of shoes in less
time than an ordinary girl can wink, evenif
she be in great hurry and lisa last chance.
The prisoners make their own clothes.
They also make their own tobacco, both
smoking and chewing. The head man in
the tobacco department among the convicts
is Steve RAYMOND. He has the distinction
of being the only man who was ever sen.
fenced to imprisonment for life in this State
for forgery. There are at present in Sing
Sing sixty-fve murderers serving life SEN
tences. Two thirds of them killed their
| wives.
An inmate of Sing Sing knows just what
to expect thirty minutes after his arrival in
the prison. He is instructed to obey the
keepers and the rules, to mind his own busi-
ness and interfere with no one, and to do
an honest days work IF these instructions
are obeyed his life will be rs comfortable as
it is possible to make it under circumstances;
not exactly cheerful, but which might be
worse. He rises in the morning at six
o'clock, and breakfasts at $50. The meal
consists of hash, bread and coffee. Atseven