Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-08-13
SUNDAY IN JAIL.
Religious Services for Those Ac.
Cused of Crimes.

Religious Services for Those Ac.
cused of Crimes.
The unfortunate victims of public op'
preston who live at Mr.. Russell's free
hotel on New High street are not allowed
to overlook the Sabbath when it makes
it's appearance at the beginning OF the
week. Divine services are held at one
o'clock every Sunday for the spiritual
improvement of that portion OF the
people of Los Angeles who manage to
get themselves into the County Jail.
Different churches and societies alter
nate in the work it is to be hoped is not
done in vain.
A reporter of the HERALD happened in
the Jail yesterday noon when the SER
vices were in progress. There are at present
about 100 occupants in this establish
ment. There is no arrangement by
which they can conveniently be brought
together, but those who live in each sep
arate floor assemble in the corridor.
This necessitates two sets of services at
once. The exhorters, two or three in
each group, stand at one end OF the hall
and the prisoners gather around them,
some squatting on the floor and others
leaning against the iron frame
work of the rooms. From
the performance witnessed yesterday
one would not gain the impression that
many converts are likely to be made
through the efforts OF those who con-
duct the services. The prisoners may
listen or not as they choose and on this
occasion most of them did not choose.
When the services began they strolled
out of their cells and sized up the visitors.
A few of them joined in the singing with
great JUNCTION, but by the time the SER
mon was ready to commence there was
scarcely any one left. Elton, the visitor
from San Quentin, who came down to
testify in the Gaines and Lucas trials,
hovered around and appeared to take
considerable interest in the pro-
ceedings. Elton, according to his own
story, was formerly an active agent in
the Salvation Army. Anschlag, con-
victed of the murder of the Hitchcocks,
did not attend church but put in the
morning playing cards in his cell with
Gaines, Fray, Hill. Salt Lake Pete and
the three Indians in his gang listened at
some distance and took part in the sing
ing by vociferous grunts. Hankins,
who is charged with shooting George
Everson, at Florence, couple OF months
ago, paced up and down in front of his
cell wrapped in meditation.
In the outer apartment among the offi.
GERS of the Jail and the TRUSTEES old man
Perry, who has been described by some
of the morning papers as famous
desperado," walked slowly back and
forth. He was disinclined to talk at
first, but the reporter finally drew him
into conversation by asking about old
times in Los Angeles. Perry is charged
with having committed an assault with
intent to murder on neighbor, who was
like himself a famous old character.
Some twenty years ago when the Seas,
father and son, were having things their
own way in the country around where
Downey now is, the elder one of the pair
managed to run foul of old Perry. There
was an understanding that whoever got
the drop first was to shoot to kill and
Perry was the lucky man-lucky accord
ing to the standards of the time. 1t was
shortly after this that the younger See
got into quarrel with the Duncans. who
kept saloon at Gallatin, and shot one
of them in the back.
"We searched for that feller high and
low," said the old man, "but he had got
out of the country. Now l understand
they have got him up at Washington
Territory and you bet there are witnesses
enough left to hang him.
"Those were lively times here" con-
tinued Perry, ''before and during the
war. Every mans hand was on his hip
pocket. The town was about evenly di-
vided between the Secesh and Unionists,
and both sides meant business, l re-
member once when fellow came along
with panorama of war pictures, and
Bryan Phillips, gambler that everybody
knew, pointed to a Confederate soldier
who was in the picture of Bull Run Just
shooting Union officer. Bully for that
fellow says he. In less than minute
you could have counted forty revolvers
out in that crowd, and 1 thought the
war had begun right here in Los Angeles
in dead earnest. Things have changed
here since the times when drunken men
used to ride into the town and just about
take possession of it. Why, lose my
way now in the very places where l used
to coral my horses"
The old man is very far from being the
desperate that he was pictured to be,
but he is an entertaining talker, and can
tell many good stories Of old time Incl
dents and character.