The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1888-10-17
The Path to the Village Jail.

IICH agricultural OlSLrlct, Tar from Tie
disturbing influences of a great city
where the whistle of steamboat or
locomotive had never been heard. Many of
the young and middle aged villagers had
never been beyond the confines of the
county. and knew nothing of the great
world beyond their horizon save what they
had read and heard.
1t was the seat of the county government
and trading place for the surrounding
country. The farmers came in on Saturday
to exchange their produce for the wares of
the merchants. have their implements re-
paired and get their mail. Most other
days. excepting the holidays, were dull and
uneventful.
Every inhabitant of the village knew
every other inhabitants family history.
age and peculiaritieS: and there was not
even yellow dog but had name and
home known to every one. They had their
likes and dislikes. but all in all they were
united in brOtherly love. and resort to the
law was rare necessity. The poor and
sick were cared for, and none suffered
from lack Of charity. But to my subject,
1.-The path to the village jail"
Yes. they had a JAIL. though it would
seem uncalled for in such quiet commu-
nifty, and so it was at the time l speak OF,
as was evident from its unused and dilapi-
dated appearance. 1t was aprimitive struct-
ure, typical OF the pioneer days in which it
was erected. 1t was made OF logs and had
but one door, and one little window high up
in the side. The door was of wood studded
with large flat headed nails, the handiwOrk
of some early smith. This door was the
most noticed part of the Jail for it bore the
marks of an assault by a mob of which will
tell farther on. The bars of the windows
We're red with rust, that is. those left in
place by the last occupant, horse thief, as
he passed through on his way to liberty. 1t
stood in an unfreQuented part of the village
and was surrounded by an old. tumbled-dOwn
board fence, inside OF which the rank weeds
grew to such height as to almost hide it
from view. The path that once led to its door
was completely OvergrOwn with weeds and
grass. 1t had become the home of ghosts
and bats, and the subject of bugaboO stories
to brighten children.
But why such neglect of so necessary an
adjunct to civilizations" On, the prohibit
ton cranks were to blame for it. BY their
fanatical prosecutions they drove the saloon
out of business. thereby cutting off the
source of its usefulness. There was no
great Prohibition party then, as now, but
there were prohibitionists. though not
known by that name. who made their infu-
ence felt III certain communities. They
were called ''hobby riders' in those days and
were well named for they made haste very
slowly. But they were good grOOms, and
cared for and developed their hobbies until
to day they have cast their rockers and been
entered III the great race for the govern
ment stake and now hold third place.
But that little village had not always
been the quiet place found it. There had
been saloons there some years before, and
the path which led to the Jail door was well
worn. That old Jail had been the scene of
a terrible tragedy in the days of the saloon.
One night there occurred drunken fight IN
one Of the saloons in which poor mechanic
killed wealthy farmer. He was put in the
jail and the following night mob. made
up of the farmers neighbors, rode into
the village and in spite Of the stubborn
resistance of the authorities they broke
down the old wooden door of the Jail, and
a dreadful scene enSued. The poor,
heart broken wife had gone into the Jail to
keep company with her miserable husband.
When the Ood-thirsty mob entered the
Jail the wife locked her arms around her
husbands neck and plead for his life, but
it was no use. they tore them apart and
dragged him away to the common and there
within the hearing of his wife's heart-rend-
ing cries they hung him to the limb of all
old dead tree. That is the story as it was
told to ME, but this was not all. The
people had been aware for some time of the
evil the saloon was doing; they knew it
had made drunkards of many otherwise
good men and caused ruin and misery to
fall on their helpless families; they saw
wrecks of men on their streets every day
whom they knew had been good. useful
citizens before the saloon came, but they
made no effort to stop the evil until it cul.