The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-12-01
PRISON LIFE.
A SING SING PRISONER MAR
RATES HIS EXPERIENCE
Entrance Into Prison - Sleeping
and Snoring ng-Celebratfng a
Holiday in Prison-A Slim
Soap Supply-S.t Free.

One of the Thesis boycotters has added
to the multitude of books his experience
in Sing Sing State Prison. As the boycott.
ters were the pioneers in new line. OF
crime, the old-tlme murdcrers, sluggers,
robbers and everyday thieves locked OF
them with interest, and when they entered
the gates where so much of hopes is gen.
orally left behind, the whole prison, or
as much of it as possible, stopped work
to sec the men. Two of the boycotters
were sent to the small laundry; the his
torian and another went to the stove
mounting shop. The author says:
"After and the other prisoner arrived
at the mounting shop, we were again asked
by the keeper for our names AMI how long a
sentence We had; then he told US to face the
desk and fold our arms. There we stood like
statues. 1t was about 10 A. NJ when we were
led 10 the shop At - o'clock whistle
blew, we fell in line with the other convicts
and marched to the mess-room. Many q
curious eve looked at US, for the news went
around the prison like lightning that the
boycottcrs had arrived, and new arrivals can
| always be picked out on account OF thelrnew
clothes and their uncertainty in marching
with the company"
The literary boycotter describes the
daily life in Sing Sing as life not re-
pete with pleasures, but still not un-
bcarable. The author quarrels mostly
with his sleeping quarters, the cell being
but three and half feet wide and the
cot two feet. This particular boycottcr
was put in cell with man convicted OF
fclonious assault, 80 his dreams were not
always pleasant. He had been there two
years out of his sentence of four years,
and naturally his experience made him
the chief parsonage in MS cell, and he
took upon himself the duty Of shutting
the cell door just before the keepers
came around to if any of the birds had
flown. At first the boyc >tter could not
sleep, the snorcs of the convicts keeping
him awake, but he became used to the
up:oar and soon joined in the grand
chorus.
1t was the day before the glorious
Fourth when the boycotters entered Sing
Sing, so they enjoyed the holiday within
prison walls. The historian thus describes
the fine time he and his fellow-sufferers
enjoyed:
"On holidays the prisoners can make as
much noise as they want to: 1T is q holiday
privilege. 1t lasteI until P. NJ. shall try
to describe it. Anybody passing through
the prision would think he had got into
lunatic asylum Some prisoner gets close to
his cell door and sings a song. other men,
not liking bis song, would shout: Lay down!
lay DOWN. Other convicts then would hol,
ler: Stick to it, don't give upn with a good
deal OF swearing and profane language
throw in Some favorits wou d sing then.
aud the rest were as quiet as q mouse and
listened. When the song was tinshed they
then showed their appreciation by claPplnS
shouting and banging the cell door. In t is
style they carried on all day. A man out
for stroll The must have been stranger In
the village) came along the road passing the
prison; he was, of course hooted at. All at
once he took to his heels; he must have got
frightened. Well, you ought to have seen
the delight of the prisoners. In this way the
greatest holiday Of the American nation was
spent at the Sing Sing State Prison. At Z
o'c'o.k the hell rang and e'erything was
still"
The author complains of the scarcity
of soap in Sing Sing. On the lst and
10th of the month the prisoners receive
a piece of soap about one and one-half
inches square. The convict generally
provides means for getting soap from
his friends outside. Many bank bur
glar, before embarking upon a risky job,
makes his pals swear that if he goes to
Sing Sing for the nights work, they will
keep him supplied with soap. The soap
given out by the authorities is made on
The spot and consequently costs little,
but it is as srarcc as cream.
At last the happy day arrived when
tie historian and his companions were
pardoned by Governor Hill. The pris-
oner, before being discharged, is wei9 he'd
to see if he has got ahead Of the state in
the mattcrNof weight Somehow or other
prisoner always gains, according to the
keepers figures, and as he is not told what
he weighed when he entered prison he
has to take The keepers word for it. The
clerk would have it that one of the boy
cotters weighed but 145 pounds on en-
tcring Sing Sing. although that particu-
lar man knew his weight at that time to
have been from 1870 to 49, pounds. On
the day of leaving prison he weighed 1s5
pounds, and was congratulated by the
clerk on having gained thirty pounds.
--New Ytrk Star.