Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1888-07-12
MISSOURI STATE NEWS.

Fourth of July in the State Penitentiary.
The Missouri Penitentiary presented
the usual holiday appearance on the
Fourth, and while Warden Marmaduke
and his officials put in full days work,
the 1, TAO convicts celebrated, and if such
a thing is possible within the gloomy,
frowning walls of State prison, they
had royal good time of it. The male
convicts were given the full liberty OF the
yard and cell buildings from early MORN
ing until late in the afternoon. The
festivities were inaugurated by an un-
usually good breakfast, which was sup
plemented at the noon hour by an excel :
ent dinner. The breakfast consisted of
baked hash, coffee and sugar and white
bread and butter. while the bill of fare
for dinner was boiled ham, new potatoes
with butter dressing, meat and new onion
salad, pies and lemonade. Some idea OF
the amount of material necessary to feed
the convicts can be gained from the fig
ures given below, which were obtained
from DR.. H. C. Catlett, chief commissary
of the institution:
For the dinner 1000 pies were cooked,
which required four barrels OF four, 275
pounds of apples, 210 pounds of lard and
900 pounds of sugar. Lemonade, 500 gall
Ions; white bread, 1.Soo pounds of -four;
and butter, 175 pounds.
The doors of the prison were closed to
the general public, but Warden Marina
duke allowed a correspondent free access
within the walls. Here sight which can
never be forgotten by one who has wit
messed it meets the eye on the Fourth of
July or Christmas, the only holidays al
lowed the convicts. On the area in front
of the entrance gate were grouped, in
every nook and corner, the striped
charges of the State, some of them sing
ing, laughing, whistling, and all seeming
to strive to make the noise and confusion
as great as possible. Some were selling
cigars, lemonade, fruits and con-
business, while others were en-
gagged in boxing, ball playing and various
athletic sports. In many a corner of the
yard, where the shade shuts out the burn
ing July sun, could be seen huddled to-
gether, with their woolly heads in cir
Gle, the majority of the negro convicts,
and occasionally the visitor could cate b
the mystic words, "Come seben or eleb-
en-" which to the initiated explains that
the darkies are indulging in their favor
lite pastime of shooting craps"
The long, cool, Railways in the cell
buildings were crowded ON account of the
uOI duu lTOm dDoVc tue
visitor was enabled to take in at glance
all that is going on below. 1t was in the
halls where the thrifty ones of the con-
victs set up their booths and slowly but
surely absorbed all the circulating me-
dunn in the prison.
The female convicts celebrated the day
just as noisily as the men, their chief
amusement being dancing to the music
furnished by convict band.
The holiday pardons were: Ambrose B
Cox, of Marion County, and George Burk
of Pettis County. Cox was the "oldestin
habitant" of the prison. He was receive
June II, 1874, under life sentence for
killing his sweetheart The crime was
committed in Pike County, but he was
convicted in Marion County on a change
of venue after two or three trials. He has
been a model prisoner during the long
years Of his confinement, and of late years
has been engaged as book-keeper in the
factory of the Jefferson Shoe Company.
George Burks, the negro, has been an in
dustrious prisoner, and he has never had
an infringement of the rules charged up
against him. He was received from Pettis
County, January II, 1875, under sentence
of ninety mine years for killing another
negro. OF the four others who went with
him for the same crime only one, Henry
Butler, remains, the others having died in
prison.