Madison times. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1884-1???, 1886-01-16
WARDS CHRISTMAS BOX.
The Ex-Finanoier's Dinner Garnish
ed by Toothsome Morsels from
Country FriendS.

The Ex-Finanoier's Dinner Carnish-
ed by Toothsome Morsels from
Country Friends.
what did We get in yer little silk stock
ing, Jerry, me boy?" asked 40s of 4O6, as
the Sing Sing Prison gong sounded for
breakfast on Christmas morning.
"a house and lot on Fifth avenue me
hotel clerk silly were he to clap his lockers
on it, me son. Every thing comes my way
of a Christmas.
The great holiday was far from unevent-
full Is the 1,641 gentlemanly safe-crackers,
knights of the road and retired bank presi-
dents that are at present boarding up the
Hudson.
At 1880 the cell doors were thrown open
with loud clang. Each prisoner slipped
into the corridor. Those on the upper of
the six tiers of cells that constitute the bOu-
dOirs of the prisoners, marched over the
| iron staircase to the fifth-tier gallery,
where the fifth-tier men Joined them. On
the fourth tier the prisoners then fell into
| the procession. The third, second, and fin
ally the ground floor icOnvicts swung into
| line, and then all marched to the meSs-rOOm,
hand on shoulder, every foot moving like a
part of a great machine.
| Only 1, 1876 prisoners can be seated at one
time at the tables i'll the mess-roOm. -Four
hundred and ffty-six prisoners had to wait
for the second table. The breakfast was tea
with sugar, mashed potatoes, bread and
roast pork.
After breakfast the Protestant prison ers
where Chaplain S. w. EdgartOn conducted
religious services. The Catholics attended
mass in the laundry, where the Rev. Father
ByInes, of the Sing Sing Catholic Church,
Officiated. The services in each place lasted
one hour. The men in the gray, black.
striped suits joined in the long service in the
chapel. Ferdinand Ward was in his accus-
toned place on front seat in the chapel,
just as he was at front seat in the mess
room.
He ate hearty breakfast and sang the
songs Of the sanctuary in clear tenor voice
After chapel Ward went back to the table
with the other prisoners and received his
dinner and supper Of sweet bread, cheese
apples and lemon biscuit and carried them
to his cell.
At o'clocka tin cup containing coffee
with milk and sugar, was brought him by
the keeper. 1t was steaming hot.
Merry Christmas" said the keeper as hi
Thank you," replied the man who usec
to think Delmonico's too poor place Il
dine at.
Ward received Christmas box from &c
neseo Wednesday. 1t contained big plum
pudding, fruit cake that grows luscious
with age, bon-bons. apples, oranges az,
cracked walnuts. A letter came with tn
box from Mrs. Ward. 1t wished the it'll
man a merry Christmas and hoped that on
day merry Christmas would be les
empty phrase.
Cell No. 613, which is Wards privat
apartment, is 41Sx7 feet in size and feet
inches high. All the cells in Sing Sing ar
this size. Principal Keeper John Cunning
ham says that the cells should be larger
There are 357 more persons that cells, an
yet the eigbty-four cells of what was fol
merly the female prison are used for shol
? time prisoners.
Twelve more men go out between no,
and next Friday and forty seven in Janus
ry:
The contracts for stovemaking, shOemal
ing and laundry work expire in fOurtee
months. There are 900 men working o
the stove contract, $50 on the laundry col
tract and 800 on the shoe contract The ne
profits of Sing Sing last year were $40, oO'
, Asystem of electric singals have jus
been put in the prison. In case of trOubl
in any department keepers can be called
once.