The San Saba news. [volume] (San Saba, Tex.) 1873-1966, 1888-06-15
CONVICTS' SIGNALS.
A SYSTEM OF TELEGRAPHING
IN VOGUEIN ALL PRISONS.
Communication in Spite of the
Closest Surveilance-Prison
ers Keeping Each Other
Fully Informed,

| bIGuI- Duts nluIc lEdu llllss tuufA1i
may conceive the idea of escape or re-
volt, and for him to communicate it to
one he wishes to have as an accomplice
is not difficult. They bring others into
the plot or plan until twenty or thirty
know it, details for the carrying out of
which each is assigned his particular
part. This necessitates a thorough ex-
PLANTATION of minutie and calls for sys-
TEN of Communication for which limited
use of signs would not answer.
Penitentiary officials have tried again
and again, TO obtain even I clue TO the
system, but they are no nearer a solution
than when they first began to investigate
the matter. They know there is a sys-
TEN, and that it rests on signs, but
whether on those made with fingers, eyes
and lips, or the bringing into play of
other features, or whether it depends OF
all together, they do not know Prison
ers, to curry favor with the officials,
often tell them what they have learned
from other convicts. They 20 TO especial
trouble at times in exposing plots, and
are ready to reveal everything except the
means by which they learned the facts.
No convict has yet given the slightest
suggestion which would lead TO the dis
covery of the secret that has deied the
shrewdest detectives II have seen,
said an ex-prison official, two conyicts,
six feet apart facing each other. They
did not utter a word, nor could discern
the slightest movement of the lips or
eyes, vet knew they were commitment
ing something. They gazed at each
other for a minute or two before had a
chance TO interfere, but | am satisfied
that one told the other all he wished to
tell. Three or four of them will be
standing around a stove, or together IN
other places Of the prison, and yet with
sufficient distance between them to lead
one to think that they have nothing in
common, and while there is not the least
sign Of conversation observable, they are
talking TO each other in their own way"
Attorney General Kitchener, of Indi-
ana, relates an instance or two showing
the perfection to which the cOnvicts have
carried their system Of conveying iniOr-
nation among themselves. On his first
visit 70 Jacksonville Prison 10 look into
the matter of Jack Towards shortcom-
ings as warden Of the Southern prison, he
was sitting in the office of the prison one
afternoon, when the deputy warden or
some other subordinate asked him If he
did not wish to go through the shops. 1t
was something he did not expect to do,
but, accepting the invitation, they passed
through the inner gates, crossing the
first cell-rooms, out into tine courtyard
and across that directly to the shoe fac
tory. They were not three minutes in
going, nor did they stop anywhere until
they reached the factory. The Attorney
General had gone but few feet into the
room with the prison officers when a con.
vict stepped up. and, asking the latter if
he could speak TO the gentleman with
him, said, on PERMISSION being given
him: ''You are the Attorney General"
Yes was the only reply of that
officer.
"Your name is Michenerl"
'Yes; but how do you know that
have never seen you before"
That is true. nor did | ever see you
until now, although l am from Shelby
County lie then went on to tell who
he was, where he lived in the county, and
what he had done to bring him into the
penitentiary. But the convict gave the
Attorney-General further cause for
wonder by telling him that he knew Of
his reaching the city the day before, how
many visits he had made 10 the prison,
and for what purpose
Leaving the shoe factory the Attorney
General and prison officer went into an
other room, separated from the first by
an intervening room, and with neither Of
which could any person in the third have
direct communication. Here Mr. Mich
ener was approached by another convict,
who told him about what the first had
done, except he asked him to see the
Governor in his behalf Going to the
foundry, which is a considerable distance
from the shoe factory, the third convict
came up to the Attorney General the in
slant he entered the room This man
had the identity Of the visitor and the
cause of his coming to Jacksonville as
accurately as the other two. He also
wanted a pardon. On the way TO another
building the prison official said to Mr..
Kitchener; Every convict who cared to
know had all information about who you
are and why you have come within few
prison door. The convicts have no
privilege of writing or speaking to each
other, but so perfect is their system Of
communicating with each other that in
forming plans to escape they can agree
on time, leaders, methods and singals
But there is always some convict who,
though not in the plot, learns all about
it, and tells the details to the officers.
Investigation always brings to light
enough incidents TO convince US that
their plans are being formed constantly"
Warden Patton not long ago had oc
casion to order the punishment of con-
wet for the infraction OF the rules. The
cotvict, without the knowledge of his
fellows, was taken TO distant part Of the
prison where there was not sign Of
anyone being near enough to learn what
took place. But three minutes after
ward every convict OF the many hundred
there knew not only the punishment, and
the kind, but why. and by whom, and at
whose orders it was inflicted. An ex-
prison official said recently; Not long
ago | took a convict to Michigan City.
l reached the prison about eight o'clock
in the evening, after all the convicts had
been locked up in their cells. No one
knew of nv being there but the officer
in charge at that time Of night. | did
not stay longer than five minutes, but,
turning over my prisoner, went to the
hotel and to bed. When | came down
to breakfast the next morning there was
a messenger from the prison stating that
such and such a convict wanted to see
me. A half dozen in all wished to have
me come out to them. How they knew
was there nobody knows Prison off
cials are constantly seeing the effects of
communication among the convicts, but
cannot detect the system"