The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-01-22
AT THE PRISON FOR WOMEN.
Something About the Life Prisoners at
the State Penitentiary for Females.
A Sensational Rumor from Which the R0-
nance Was Taken by an Investigation
Life in the RefOrmatory Department.

Yesterday measly, weak legged little rumor
crawled into the Journal Office that there was
Mrs. Epps, white woman, at the Female Prison;
that she was there for killing her husband,
colored man; that she had always maintained
her innocence Of the charge. and insisted that it
was her husbands brother who had done the
killing; that Mrs. Epps was sent to prison from
Knox county. the county where Holly Epps was
hanged, and the probabilities were that Holly
was the brother-in-law, and had done the killing.
A reportorial athlete was detailed to run down
this rumor, and he started on the trail with
keen appetite, expecting great sensation. On
arriving at the Indiana Female Prison he intro
duced himself to the superintendent, Mrs. E. L.
johnson, who summoned Mrs Epps. The an
ticipated sensation was knocked out in one
round. Mrs. Epps was sent from Huntington
county not Knox and her husbands brother was
only step brother, not Epps, but Mise, and the
late Epps had been done for by arsenic and not
by a brotherly bludgeon.
There are now forty eight women in the prison
side of the Reformatory OF these eleven are
there for life. and Of these eleven seven have the
penalty of life Imprisonment for husband killing
-Four, Sarah Hubbard. Mary Ann Longenecker,
Jane Williams and Mary Ann Adams, were
brought from the southern prison at the time
the Reformatory opened. The roll of lifers is as
follows: Sarah Hubbard, for assisting her hus-
band in killing family of seven persons, a
father, mother and FIVE children, in Grant
county, sent to the southern prison in 1857
She is now seventy-seven years old,
CHEEKY old woman, who beamed be-
nignantly through her spectacles upon
the reporter and presented him with an elab-
crate pin cushion as a remembrance. Her room
is covered with pictures Of all kinds from trade
marks of muslins to the photographs of Indiana
Governorsn
The next oldest prisoner in the number of
years served is Mary Ann Longenecker, who,
for poisoning her husband by administering tar
tar emetic at West Indianapolis, Marion county
was received at the southern prison on May 20.
1865. She has made several attempts to get
pardon, but always without success She claims
to have loaned money 20 Nancy E. Glenn afellow
prisoner. and the loss of this money has pre-
vented her from securing lawyer to properly
present her case to the Governor. Mrs. Longe-
necker Is about fifty-seven years old
Jane Williams, of Little York, Washington
county, was sent March 16, 1868. for killing her
sister-in-law, by cutting her throat She is
crazy. and is now believed to have been de-
ranged at the time she committed the deed.
The authorities at the Hospital for the Insane
have always refused to receive her as an inmate
though repeated efforts have been made to get
her into that institution.
Mary Ann Adams, for killing her husband,
was sent from Jennings county. and received at
the southern prison on May q, 1871. She is now
seventy years old
Mary Ann Brown was sent from Marion coun.
ty, Jan. IL. 1881, for the murder of her husband
near 1rvington. Her accompice, Joseph Wade,
is "lifer" in the northern prison.
Mrs. Ellen V. Walton, for husband murder,
wasreceiyed from Decatur county into the pris-
on Sept. a. 1882 The negro Frazier, who did
the actual killing some time ago made an al
legged confession in which he said that she had
nothing to do with planning the murder nor any
knowledge that it was to be committed. This
confession was made the basis of petition for
pardon, but nothing has ever come of 1t.
Eliza Sage. of Blackford county, was received
Jan. l, 1888 She drowned her illegitimate child
in order to be eligible for matrimonv, her lover
telling her. If she could get rid of her two year
old baby, he would marry her.
Charlotte Epps, Huntington county, for poi
soning her husband. was received into the prison
on jan g. 1884
Nicey Southworth, Dubois county, killed her
two Legitimate babies, twins, and has been in
the prison since Oct. Is, 1877.
Susan Smith, Wayne county, husband killing
has been in the prison since April 26, 1882
Frances Kinstler. of Dearborn county who as
sisted her son to kill her cruel husband, was re-
ceived into the prison March 81. 1873. She de-
lights in work. and takes much pleasure in the
these are the most peaceful days Of her life.
There are l32 girls in the reformatory part of
the building, which is kept entirely separated
from the prison. These girls range in age from
seven years to eighteen years, the latter being
the age at which they are discharged, and none
are received who are known to be over six
teen years old. For the most part
these girls are not at the Reformatory for
crime, though one mild-eyed miss was pointed
out to the reporter who had cut horses throat
rigibility." Each Of the one hundred and thirty
two girls is given q half days schooling every
day. They are taught reading. writing, spell
ing and arithmetic, the most advanced pupils
using the Fourth Reader. The other half of the
day they are at work. The small
est girls are employed Gaming chairs. The
labor curriculum consists Of six months in the
laundry; then term in the basement kitchen,
where they are taught cooking; then promotion
to the officers kitchen, then plain and fancy
sewing, knitting, crochet work, etc. When
they have graduated they are very proficient
housewives. There are chapel exercises every
Sunday afternoon, and sometimes through the
week.
There is a reading-room, where the girls are
allowed to read an hour at noon and an hour or
so in the evening. There is quite a number of
juvenile books. magazines and other cur.
rent literature in this library, and
tuo girib roou Win great reilSI AnOso VINO nave
magazines and books suitable for young readers
could do no better thing than send them out to
the Reformatory. The colored girls who are
there have their own table and dormitory There
is little hospital and the reporter saw two
patients in it-one who had chill and
the other pale little sufferer, who. as she lay
with her thin hands upon the coverlet plainly
showed that che had few more days on earth,
her disease being consumption.
s'She has been sick over year." said the at
tendant land is as accomplishing and patient
the bed beside her hand, but the weary little
head, covered with wealth of golden hair,
turned to the window to look out upon the sun
shine.
The G. A. II. Entertainment.
An audience that flied every seat on the first
floor Of Dicksons Opera-house, and nearly every
seat in the first gallery. showed it's appreciation