Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1888-02-29
the PRISON GRAVEYARD.


Sing singss nlryapg Ground Cor Convie.s.
sAs 81 Dsath ~ b Prisonsr.
on the side 81 . steep hill whose .y,eak
ID many hundred feet high, and whose
base Is ct the granite walls Of Sing Sing,
are two graveyards divided by winding
country road THE one nearer the prison
is the old plot that was used for bnrying
dead convicts until tine small stretch of
level ground WINS thickly sprinkled with
rough wooden crosses and small roughly.
carved stones, eand then d much larger
place further up che hin was set apart for
this use. e ~ NJ 60
The big prison has stood On It's present
site for more than flfty years and although
the number of convicts there has in
creased proportionately with the growth
of the populations the average number Of
deaths within its walls has not increased.
Humanity and science have. cnt down the
death rate. sOn an average Tea Persons o
wear die in the prison, and sheaelT a1lof
those who have died have been buried In
the prison graveyard and LIFT fhereaun-
disturbed. A few have died by accident
In the work shops, but the percentage of
deaths by accident Is 30 smaal as to be
scarcely worthysaf n0tak "a large major
ity of deaths has been ceased by con-
sumption, which, however. is rarely con-
tracted within the prison walls. A prisoner
suffering fromconsuInpti0n is shown every
confederation pessibis with pfisnn taiaeip-
line. His work As made light alsisas soon
al he shows the symptoms OF breaking
down he is sent to the hospital.
In the prison graveyards repose the
bones of about 500 convicts. This makes
the number Of deaths average nearly tan
a year. The old graveyard on the slope
nearest the river looks like Q deserted
Gods acre of olden times. A dozen years
ago, when the bnrying ground was moFed
| further mp the slope, the fence &C Che Did
place was Left TO take care Of Itself which
| ii has failed to do. The mounds have
| been beaten down suntA they are level
| with the ground. The rough wooden
| crosses that bear d number corresponding
| to one in o big ledger In the prison, In
which q record Of. the dead is kept, stand
instraggling fashion. ThesA Mefe origin
ally implanted pieces Of wood nailed to-
| gether in the form ofsa cross and, driven
| into the earth. few ofEthem have been
kicked over, but even on those that are
1 still standing the numbers thatEwer on
them once have been 30 defaced by the
weather that they are scarcely leSible.
The newer grareyartis In much bet
ter condition. The wooden crosses are
comparatively new, and the numbers that
are ON them can be plainly seen. AT the
head of few of the mounds stand rough
| stones, crudely cut: Every one Of these
stones tells a story more pathetic than do
many of the pretentfous monuments IN
big and finely kept cemeteries. These
stones are all the work OF prisoners, who
labor during hours Of leisure as acts OF
friendship. -+t.sis::ss :. a'& 7.
When q prisoner is very i'll and there
/ seems to be danger that he VIII die, his
friends are notified, and the iron rule Of
1 the prison is for the time unnoticed. He
| is allowed to settle up in the presence Of
his friends all of his worldly affairs, and
to have them about his bedside until the
end comes. There are occasions, OF course,
and many of them, when the prisoner is
either absolutely friendless or Is only anx-
| ious to die without making his shame
known to his friends. When this end
comes the body is then free, and to the
| friends of the dead man is given the mel
ancholy privilege Of bearing the body out
side of the prison walls. A prison funeral
| is usually solemn affair. The big bells
that are used In the prison are always
changing out some kind Of an order to the
prisoners or q summons to the keepers,
and they always stir world of echoes in
the silent corridors. w hen a. prisoner is
dead the fact is generally well known,
and an unusual silence is preserved, even
/ for this dreary place. Then the whisper
1 is heard that the dead man Ii to be buried
in the convict ground The comm Is
brought forth, the body placed in IT. the
chaplain reads o service and thensit ID In
terred.-New York Sun.