West Virginia Democrat. [volume] (Charles Town, W. Va.) 1885-1890, 1888-07-06

MoUSpsNILLE. W. VA,
June 81, 1883.

June "a, 1893.
EDITOR WEST Va. DEMoCRAT.--
Perhaps your readers would enjoy q
short communication from Jefer-
son county boy who has been located
for the past year or two in the his
torical city of the Mound in connec
tion with the guard force of the pen
itentiary. Moundsville is quite q
lively place. Notwithstanding the
rampant Republicanism preaomina-
ting in it's politics, but the numberof
live, progressive Democrats in the
place is sufficient to keep the bust
ness boom in the ascendancy, or 1t
would be dead town sure enough.
The penitentiary is the centre OF at
traction to all visitors and strangers,
and 6 brief description will doubt
less be of interest TO the many read
ers of your valuable paper who have
not been favored by an opportunity
to visit this famous institution. The
main building is massive and i'm
posing structure, four stories high
the first floor of which is used as
offices for the superintendent and
other officials. The second floor is
the directors room and State par
lor. and the third is furnished for
sleeping apartments for guards;
having four large rooms, and two
guards sleep in each room, and the
remaining story is fitted up as resi-
dence for the superintendent. Wings
extend from each side of the main
building two hundred feet long and
forty wide, in one of which 224 cells
4x7 #. of the prison are constructed
of stone work with an iron floor and
grated door. Ventilators in each
cell, 16 large windows 16xS IT,, equal
to I2O ordinary ones, to admit light
and air, no sign of dampness. dirt
or discomfort in the cleanly looking
whitewashed little rooms with their
beds and stools, their Bibles, some
few books, and perhaps a picture OF
the dear and loved one whom the
inmate hopes to hold again in fond
embrace. Heated by steam, each
cell has its lamp and ample bed
clothes is given. No conversation
is permitted, and each inmate is left
solitary and alone, suffering no in
reference with his musings, his
books, his prayers or his sleep. The
food given, though coarse, is ample
and sufficient, and as good. perhaps,
as many an honest man would wish
to be assured of for life. The con-
victs are divided into gangs, of
which the Webster Wagon Company
employs about 100, the whip shops
of Messrs. Weaver and Bardell have
so, and the broom shops, Humph.
ryes & Weave, So. Sunday and
holiday mornings are devoted to re-
ligious exercises and songs, IN which
MANY Join with q hearty good will.
The local preacher exchanging Sun
DAYS for service at the prison, and
every possible encouragement is
given to those religiously and NOR
ally inclined to turn aside from evil
paths and inclinations, and many a
heart is touched and eyes made to
weep at thought of evil which has
torn them from home and kindred.
West Virginia has erected large.
commodious buildings in which our
felons, but still human souls are
comfortably fed, housed and cloth
ed, with just enough privation and
restraint to remind them that
crime must be expiated, atoned for
or avoided.
The prison yard contains seven
acres and is surrounded by mass
i've wall of stone twenty-six feet
high, there is a turret or a tower in
each corner OF the wall where an alert
and active guardman is stationed,
armed with Winchester repeating
rifle, keeping watch on the human
beings below from the time six hun
dred eyes see the peep of day until
they are locked .upsat night. The
kicking Jenney, Shoofy and Bull
rigs have long been done away with.
The mode of punishment that has
been adopted for disobedience tothe
rules is deprived ofthe privileges of
tobacco, Sunday and holidays, short
rations, denied of writing or seeing
friends, confined in cell and hand
cuffed to cell door,and for refractory
ones buck and gag in dark cell.
The Penitentiary was never un
der more prosperous and satisfact'
ory management than that eOmbin-
ed under the administration OF Sn-
perintendent Robertson; and Gov.
Wilson displayed wisdom in getting
the right man for the right place
when he. entrusted this responsible
office to the present appointee, who
is winning, golden opinions as an
executive officer.
Capt. johnson also, who has
charge of the guard force, is most
excellent officer and thorough and
wide awake business man and gives
efficient support to his chief.
The general oversight of the pris-
on affairs is in the hands of a Board
of Directors and Gov. Wilson can
be congratulated upon the select