The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1888-09-05

Cnen asked II lie Ul(tll'J KNOW ut ulu WIOHS
in killing his sister. He replied; mo: |
standing his utter illteracy he is very in
telIgent looking. bright eyed lad. and
doubtless, under all enlightened and mer-
ciful system of mental and moral training,
he would. in the course of years. develop
into useful citizen, regrettng and re-
penting the crime: that makes life con-
vict of him. AS it is, what an awful fate is
his! Destined. if he lives. to pass the tedi-
Gus years of babyhood to youth. and youth
to manhood, in blind ignorance and early
physical decay. Rudely transplanted from
the health giving atmosphere of rural
home into the nOiSOme air of cherries
prison. as blighting as tie cold breath OF a
charnel house. too soon, alas! will the rosy
flush of his soft cheek fade away and van
ish with the baby-glee of his dancing eyes.
Truly, what was most needed in this sad
case was more of mercy, and less of justice
for it is quite evident that. not having
reached the age OF reasoning, the child
had no sense of personal responsibility, and
could not realize the horror and gravity OF
It's act.
In the calendar of human misery. few
things are as hard to bear as the daily grind
of cOnvict'S life. Only a comparative few
closely enough to study of the subject, to
form any idea of the terrible nature of
penal servitude at its best. Viewed from
the outside our own prison can supply little
food by which the imagination may even
approach anything like vision of the
reality. A large plot of ground in which
are crowded together a series Of workshops.
and long stretch of cold. grey stone wall,
filled with little barred openings which
serve as windows, are all that can be seen,
save the elevated sentry who. with his
trusty rifle, hOverS above the busy cOnvictS.
a constant menace, like the sword of DAM
ocles. The first thing that chills the soul
of the sympathetic visitor as he steps be-
hind the grated door and moves
along the hall is the narrow cell-the mere
slit in great Wall-in which we spend our
time when not at work. Let the outside
reader measure off the space as follows: five
feet wide, seven feet long. and seven feet
high. with capacity Of 245 cubic feet.
These are the dimensions of the apartment
in which | am now writing. This much of
Gods earth-Iittle more than the size of an
ordinary grave-is allotted to miserable con-
victs in which to live their buried lives.
would ask my fairmnded reader in the out
side wOrld-him whom fate. fortune or
circumstance has permitted to walk in
Gods sunlight these beautiful summer days
if such an abode is a fit nursery for embryo
convictS. even though they are cursed with
premature and abnormal development of
the "heritage of sin?"
1t is creditable to the human instincts and
rigid spinal column of the present Governor
Of Minnesota that he has put the seal of his
official condemnation on this barbarOus Gus
tom, by restoring to society two of these
children OF the PEN" l have personally
heard from one of them, whom his Excel
lency pardOned last spring. young E., a
genial lad of sixteen, and know that he is
doing we'll under the protection and employ
of an estimable gentleman of Minneapolis
thus evidencing that Executive clemency in
this direction is properly bestowed. 1T is
twice blessed; it blesses him that gives and
him that takes"
There are several boy-convicts yet in our
midst, the youngest of whom. but fifteen
years old, is serving a five year sentence for
''burglary." He has been in prison about
one year, and is familiarly known among
the officials and inmates as Little Jimmie" !"
A fair lad of quiet department and
quick intelligence. He is treated with
marked Difference by all. not alone out of
regard for his extreme youth. but in admi-
ration of the Spartan-like fOrtitude with
which he endures conditions that make
strong men waver. Not long ago a kind
hearted Christian lady from Michigan,
while sojourning in Saltwater. visited our
prison and, with wOman'S instinct was
attracted by the frank face of Jimmie. She
made enquiries about his case and became