Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-01-14

How che Sabbath Day o. SPens Among
the Comvtcss.


TIE WOMAN WHO LEFT PARCELS FOR Her HUSBAND
THE PRIsuN BvANGELs AND THEIR woRK-sER-
VICES N THE KoTuNDA-How AN INNOCENT YOUNG
NAN WAS SAVED FROM THE FENTrENTIARY.
The doorbell at the Jail rang The Jail has door
bell, as 1t requires some formaity to get into jail
as well as TO get out Of It, On one side OF the heavy
door was jail officer, in a smart-looking blue cap
with gold letters on It, and big key In bis hand.
On the other side-the outside-stood a woman,
about thirty, somewhat comedy looking and rather
neatly, though not extensively, dressed When
| the oficer had turned the key, and opened the
door part way, and placed himself In an attitude
to resist any attempt on the part OF the person
| outside TO break into jail, the woman spoke.
81 know can't come In, she said, anticipating
the oflicer's REFUSAL "but want you to give these
things TO Jim Mooney" and she handed the ofiicer
two or three small parcels. Then she fingered at
the doorstep moment as II in hesitation and as
the officer did not close the door and had an en-
couraging smile on his face she went on in
yoa would tell him that his wife called and left
these things and that she hopes" and she hest
tated again, .'she hopes when he comes out ne
son." said the officer, 'his mother called this
morning ahdleft him some papers and things"
"She did, lid shell" said the woman, and the
mildness and resignation left her voice; her eyes
snapp d fire and her nose seemed TO go up at least
| suppose she will go his security again, as she
did Last time, and he will come home and beat me
again. That's what she did, and the very night ne
The offcer did not know, of course. what might
occur In the way OF mother going security for her
rather desperate way through the slush in front
OF the JAIL and then took her road across the COM
mons
"Well,- said the officer to TIE STAR reporter as
the eyes of both followed the form OF the woman
Flooding on over the commons, that's case OF
mOther-ln-law. The trouble In that family Is that
there are two women In love with Mooney, his
mother and his WIFE"
WHAT THE WIFE BROUGHT.
The officer, according to prison regulations
looked over the parcels left in his hands by the
| woman. There was one containing some cakes
and apples another with a roll OF newspapers In
it, and the third held goOd-szed piece OF plug to-
baccO. These were offerings intended to soften
the hard heart of Mooney laid at his feet perhaps
with faint hope that they might recall some OF the
love and tenderness that filled his heart once
when he plighted his trOth.
ave see good deal Of human nature here" re-
marked the officer, after he had sent the package
by another Official out to the corridor where
Mooney was confined. There are many people,
too, who think the positions here are easy and do
who have been here az long as twenty years, and
III tell you there is not day passes that we don't
learn something new. There is something new
comes up In the way OF human nature, and you
have got to learn how to treat different kinds OF
people. 1t Is not merely turning key In q lock"
the Jail On that day to see the prisoners. the
woman who came knew this. She had Travelled
all the way from West Washington just to leave
these trif1es, and to have them given to Mooney
with the message that his wife had left them She
| II 1t had not been for the chance remark OF the
officer about Moneys mother.
RELIGIOUS DELEGATIONS.
No visiting is allowed on sunday, but the prison.
ers have cOnsdera BILE to occupy their minds. In
the morning delegation from St Vincent de Paul
Society comes to Jail, and goes from cell to cell
through the corridors They talk to the prisoners
Ca publications. occasionally
give them aid in other ways than that OF religion.
About noon on every other Sunday comes a band
OF devOut cOOred men and women. They do not
go to the cells, but stay in the rotunda, where
they can be seen by some OF the prisoners, and
number colOred exhorter, breaches In the good
old style, his voice now sounding forth, In f1rm
tones, like trumpet, now the cadence changing,
until 1t seems TO die away In series OF quavers.
Then the women, who have good voices, sing In
the camp-meeting style simple tunes, upon which
they hang many variations and occasionally
break forth in a shout, and the air Is taken up
through the whole jail
PREPARING FOR SERVICE.
After this visit dinner is served A little after
O'Clock herdic arrives, bringing delegation from
the Young Mems Christian Association. Mean
while the prisoners who work about the jail have
rolled out parlOr organ in the rOtunda, and
placed before 1t several rows OF long benches.
They do also what is neglected in most churches,
set out SpittOOnS between the rows or benches.
Before the delegation from the Y. NJ c. A. walk in
ali the prisoners from one side OF the Jail who de-
sire 10 90 SO IndTCn tnelI on the
sentences imposed by the Police Court. On the
other side OF the jail are confined those awaiting
trial, some OF them for murder They are not per-
United TO come out. One reason Is that II they
were given freedom OF communication with the
prisoners, some OF whom are soon to be released,
It is feared that they would make up schemes TO
enect their escape, perhaps not by jail delivery,
but by some plan TO prove an alibi through false
about hundred. and this number IN
cludes all types OF petty criminals. There are
up for some bloody fight or other with razors or
Knives sneaking looking white men, whose whole
appearance advertise them as petty thieves or
swindlers; the conventional tough, who affects
| smoothly shaven face and walks with bullying
swagger. boys that have just taken their first
plunge into life OF crime They come, too, In all
Some great, hulking cOlored men loll about on the
bencAes, happy apparently and comfortable In ar
outfit composed only Of flannel shirt, pair of
ragged trousers, one su,pender. and pair OF moe
easins or slippers made out OF old cloth or bed
ticking. From this primitive costume the scale
aScendS through many stages TO the complete
modern OUTFIT OF some dandyish prisoner with a
stifr, big collar, nicely,adjusted cravat,
coat bas maST these ana Srson xsa
bring their hats with them to meeting" though
they do not go out OF the building, Perhaps they
tuni H between hymns Of rising up and willing
out of Jail, and across the commons to freedom.
benches the wisdom Of the Jail Ofcials in prOvid-
ing spittoOns becomes apparent For nearly every
one slows away In his jaw a fresh cut OF plug
tobacco as preparation iOr the service.
THR FEMALE PRISONERS.
Two benches in the rear and set a little apart
from the others are assigned to the female pris-
oners. Only eight OF these come out and seven out
OF the eight are colOred. There is one young col
ored woman on the end OF the bench who has her
hair frzzed In an alarming manner. She Is tidily
dressed and has a silk bandana thrown around
her shoulders Shawl-faShiOn-a cOlored house.
SCI want who has shown too much fondneSS for her
mistress wardrobe. The women beside her are
most OF them young. One or two are muscular
and notwithstanding, with round heads and
cloSe-curling hair ana low browS, female deSpera-
does, quite staggering and as formidable In a
free-hght some or the men on The seats in front.
The only white woman Is young. Her face and
figure are attractive. She Is attired In a plain
dress OF dark reddish color, and her hair Is ar
shapely head. She is a variety actress, arrested
on a charge OF purloining money from member OF
the troupe to which she belonged. The surround
ingS are evidently new to her, and she watches
what goes on with keen interest. The 1ail Official
does not have much faith In the motives that bring
these prisoners out OF their cells TO attend the
services "YOu see, 1t Is change for
them" he remarked, land they like to
come out" 1t Is the only time that the male and
female prisoners are brought near enough together
to get fair look at one another SO there may be
something In that that helps TO swell the atten-
dance at the meetings. From some OF the windows
Cell gratings In the corridors In the wings where
the male prisoners are confined. you would be
astOnished," said the matrOn to The STAR re-
nOrter show quickly they discover and their