Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-06-19
WITHIN PRISON WALLS.

Parson Morgan Tells some Things
About Life In Joliet Penitentiary
which Ktner EnIarges Upon.
Kiner. of the Geneseo Neaos, has the
following to say about Parson Morgan
and his experiences as chaplain OF Joliet
penitentiary:
Rev. A. r. Morgan, chaplain of the
state prison at Joliet, was in town the
middle of last week. He had come down
to attend the soldiers reunion at Anna
wan.
Bro. Morgan is graphic in his descrip-
tons of daily life in the big pen. He
thinks the prison at Joliet should be en-
larged and modernized. 1t was built a
great many years ago. The cells, orig
inally intended for one inmate. now con.
tain two. They are too small for two
men. They are just the length of bed.
and barely wide enough for the men to
squeeze along between the bed and the
wall. The men are allowed to play
checkers. No cards are allowed them.
Bro. Morgan says that he never preached
to such an attentive audience as these
prisoners. They are perfectly quiet.
But then the brother should not overs
look the fact that the poor fellows have
to be quiet. that they have to attend ser,
vice. and that they can't get away. He
has the advantage of them all round
The singing is done by a choir of pris-
oners, and is excellent. They are &C.
cOmpanied by an orchestra consisting of
piano. several horns, flute, and fife.
The choir is permitted to meet for prac
tice every Saturday afternoon at four
O'Clock.
The prisoners work from six to six
They are allowed three. quarters of an
hour for dinner. They are we'll pleased
to work. There is strong upon them q
disposition to do almost anything rather
than remain in those sepulchral cells
One time not long since, several pris-
oners were discovered to be intoxicated.
AS no liquors are allowed in the prison,
it bothered the warden sadly to contrive
how the men could get drunk The men
would not tell where they obtained their
liquor. Drunkenness was on the in
crease, and the keepers were at their
wits end to find what the men got full
on.
At last one day some one in authority
stumbled upon a strange device hidden
away in the piggery. He hauled it forth
from its environment of straw and rub,
bish. 1t proved to be rude still. The
man in charge of the pigs. fermented POI
tato Feelings and scraps. distilled the
stuff, and obtained alcohol. This, being
diluted with water, was eagerly quaffed
by the men. The distillery was sequestered
and sobriety again secured foothOld in
the institution.
One day the Rev. Mr.. Sweet called at
the penitentiary. Bro. Morgan showed
him round. He manifested desire to
see the stables. These are in charge of
big Dan Wren, the Chicago boodler.
Involuntarily Morgan introduced the
Rev. Sweet to Dan. Dan looked him
over and said:
"You were once resident of Freeport
believer"
81 was" responded Rev Sweet.
81 hope HI will get one of your Frees
port lawyers" exclaimed Dan.
The shocked clergyman withdrew.
The lawyer against whom Dams venom
was directed is Attorney Beach. who was
instrumental in securing for Dan resi-
dence in the big stone edifice.
Morgan says that one of the most in
teresting characters in the pen is joey
Mackin, the Chicago politician, who is in
for playing fast and loose tricks with
ballot boxes. Joey is suave and accom-
plished fellow, who has a way of ingra-
tisting himself into the good graces of
any one with whom he comes in contact.
He is most winning creature. Every
body likes him, because they can't help
it, He has had very easy time of it.
and will soon be abroad again, his time
being out in few weeks.
Many of the inmates of the prison say
that they have no knowledge of the
crimes that brought them there, they hav>
ing committed them when reason was
drowned in liquor.