davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-08-20
ALLEN ( CENTER,
Factories 9Th AMI CaraVdllhand CARY SIS

BANKERS AND soRKHRs.
The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1889-04-18

Why will you steal? Do you not think
that man has better right to enjoy the
fruits of his industry than you have? Why
will you steal? Can you not make a
better living by honest means? There are
few men in this prison who can steal as
much in year as they could earn by legiti-
mate work. There are not ten men in here
for theft, who stole from necessity. Why
will you steal? Do you not remember how
outraged you felt when you discovered that
some one had robbed you? Why will you
steal? Do you not know that if all men
lived by theft there would soon be nothing
left in the world worth stealing? All men
would be nom producers like yourself: there
would be no homes, no communities, no
steam engine, no telegraph. no printing
press, nor anything that goes to make up
what we call civilization. Why will you
steal? Surely not for the purpose of re-
covering the goods avaricious misers have
boarded up, for you are no respecter of per-
sons, robbing the poor more often than the
wealthy. Why will you steal? Do you
not know that it brings you more trouble
than pleasure. more sorrow than joy? Why
will you steal? Because you think it brave?
Would you call man brave who had rob-
bed you of the means of buying bread for
yourself and family? Why will you steal?
To revenge yourself for some wrong society
has done you? Do you not know that re-
venge is retroactive, always making you
the greater sufferer in the end? Why will
you steal, and then, when your sins find
you out, cry ''Persecutjon?" Why will
you steal. if you are not willing to bear the
consequences? Why will you steal. and
then claim that you have rights which
should be respected? That you are not
more severely punished is because honest
men are more merciful than you are. Why
will you steal? Because you are fool? You
will not admit that you are. Then why
will you steal?
The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1889-04-18

The question now is. who will get the con-
tract? 1t is generally thought the Thresher
company will get it again. They have
all their machinery in the shops and the
60. 900 or 10000 dollars worth owned by the
state is adapted to their business and would
be of very little use in any other line of
manufacturing. Then another thing in the
company's favor is the short period for
which the contract can be let. The con-
tract system may be abolished at the end of
two years. 1t would hardly pay. in fact
it would not be prudent for new company
to put in plant for so short time. But
it is said the Thresher company does not
want the contract again: so after all the
public account system may have won the
day,
The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1889-04-18

You boys who are anticipating the hiIa-
rious time you will have when you get out
and begin to operate that great mOney-mak-
ing scheme which you have cOncOcted here
in prison, will be doomed to disappointment.
BY the time you have discovered the weak
point in the scheme, your working capital
will have been exhausted. You will then
look around for some one to rob of a little
ready cash. when you will discover that
everybody is broke like yourself. Next you
will look around for an overcoat to steal,
then you will discover that every coat has
big man inside of it. Becoming desperate
you will probably snatch an empty purse
from some school girl who is only pretend
ing to be out shopping. If you are not
caught for this you will most likely come to
the wise conclusion that crooked work don't
pay, and will strike the boss of a gravel
train for job.
The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1889-04-18
SO thoroughly taught and exemplified by Christ

so thoroughly taught and exemplified by Christ,
just as certainly sweeps men into universal
brotherhood, as does the river its sands to the
sea-" Modern Thought hopes to per-
petuate its existence by showing the good in all
religions and PHILOSOPHERS, and by demonstrating
to men and women that they can acceptably serve
God without being bound hand and foot by creeds
of church or beliefs of isms''
This noble purpose should receive hearty
encouragement from the masses. Chris
tianity as it now stands represented by sects
and creeds without number who have a
hatred for each other not at all in accord
with their teachings and those of their
mOdel-Christ. can claim but little superb
GRITTY over Buddhism or MOhammedansm
Surely God will not hold it against any man
for not being a Methodist, a Presbyterian,
Catholic or a Baptist, if he has lived a
life full of good deeds for his fellow man
with the guiding STAR love and charity.
We extend to Modern Thought" a hearty
welcome and wish it success
The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1889-04-18
TO THE PUBLIC.

THE PRISON MIRROR is weekly paper pub
lished in the Minnesota state prison. All matter
published in it's columns is contributed by the
inmates, except that properly credited. Its sup
port must come from the outside as every inmate
is given paper without cost 1t is published in
the interest of the prison library and after paying
for the printing outfit, contributed $3.50 to the
library fund the first year. Its objects are to en-
courage individual intellectual effort, provide a
healthy journal for the inmates of this and other
prisons, and. above ALL to acquaint the outside
world with the needs of the prison by rejecting
its inner life and thus aid the cause of moral ad-
vancement and prison reform. THE MIRROR
will be sent to any address receipt of subscrip
ton price: Shopper year, 6Oc. for six months
The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1889-04-18

The friends of the contract labor system
in Minnesota have been pointing to Wiscon-
sin as shining example of the wisdom of
their position. They have been urging that
Wisconsin was satisfied to retain that sys-
tenn. had decided to do so. and that Mime
sofa ought to profit by her example and re-
turn to the same plan. The situation is
somewhat changed however. The Wiscon-
sin assembly has passed bill providing tor
the adoption of the state account plan. If
the Wisconsin example is as good as it has
been claimed to be we ought not to hesitate
to stick to the state account plan after hav-
ing once abolished the contract system. The
Wisconsin bill was passed on the ground
that the reformatory work. which it is now
conceded is one of the first duties of our
penal institutions, was not practicable under
the contract system. Evening
Journal.
The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1889-04-18

The senate bill to provide for the manage
ment of the states prison was up in the
house some time ago, and the warden's
salary was cut from 49, 900 to 49, and
the deputy warden's from 50, 900 to 81, 500.
The senate refused to concur in the amend
ments. A conference committee was ap-
pointed and the Senate's position sustained.
Last night the house receded from the
amendments to the disgust of Messrs.
McKusick, Benson and jacobson.
The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1889-04-18
The Poet Whittier Protests Against
Convict IdIeneSS.

John G. Whittier, the venerable poet,
has written the following letter to w. NJ.
F. Rounds, secretary of the New York
prison association, apropos to the meeting
of that association which will be held at
Steinway hall next Monday evening:
My DEAR FRIEND RoUNDs:-I am glad
to hear that a public meeting is to be held
in your city to protest. in the name of Chris
tianity and humanity, against the enforced
idleness in prisons. perilouS alike to body
and mind which can only result in filling
your prisons with maniacs My sympathies
are with the labOring class in all their de-
mands. and l would favor every legitimate
measure which promises to benefit them.
But the suppression of labor in the prisons
is too small gain for them. to be pur-
chased by the transformation of prisons into
Warehouses. l trust further reflection, and the
knowledge of the dreadful consequences of
the slow torture of brooding idleness will
ere long induce them to fOrego what must
be very trtling benefit at the best. With
my best wishes for the success of your phil
anthrOpic endeavors, l am very truly thy
friend, JOHN G. WHITTIER
Danvers, Mass, April 5, 1889.
The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1889-04-18
TaylOr,s Veto Condemned.

Nashville. Tenn, April Ex-Governor
Taylor yesterday created considerable indg-
nation by vetoing bill for the removal
and rebuilding of the State penitentiary.
He reserved his veto until both houses we're
ready to adjourn. when, for lack of a QUO
rum, no action could be taken upon the
veto by either house. The indignant legis-
lators thereupon voted recess to May
instead of an adjournment and declared
that when they re-assembled they will
pass the bill over his veto.
The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1889-04-18

We acknowledge receipt of No. l Vol.
1, of Modern Thought to be published
monthly at Kansas City. Mo. In its salu-
tatory address to the public it gives clear
definition of its mission, which. briefly
stated, will be the advocacy of a liberal
independent religion. We quote from the
address the following:
Modern research into the customs, languages
and belief of the nations of bic times has thrown
such additional light upon the original meaning
of the scriptures that it is not safe to assert posi-
lively that single paragraph of the Bible is
understood in our day, as it was intended at the
time it was written. 1t is the spirit rather than
the letter of the text, that those worship, who
have within them the true Christ principle. The
development of that principle of love and charity,
The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1889-04-18

THE PRISON MIRROR is printed still. 1t
has to be. for prisoners are not allowed to
talk.-The Hatchet. And ''still'' there are
many vacant cells in our prisons.
PRISON MIRROR. Yes. and there are lot
of sells on the outside who should be on
the inside of the cells. Hatchet.
swap places with you.
The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1889-04-18

The bill making drunkenness crime has
passed both houses and the Governors sig
nature will make it a law. The penalties
prescribed are: for the first offence fine of
not less than $40 nor more than $40, or i'm
more than forty days; for the second Of
fence, fine of not less than $50 nor more
than $50, or imprisonment for not less than
thirty days nor more than sixty; for the
third and later offences Imprisonment for
not less than sixty nor more than ninety
days.
The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1889-04-18
ssTalks to Hear His Head RattIe.,,


EDITOR MIRROR: A copy of your paper.
date, Feb. Z, 1889, has lately come to me,
and contains one article that especially
interests me. 1t is ''Harbored Vengeance
Keeps Men in Prison." For twenty. seven
years | have been interested in criminal
matters, and for ten years an active mem
Der of the prison mission, and for nearly
seven years have done mission work at the
Buchanan county Jail and Jefferson CITY.
though most of my penitentary work has
been done in the southern states.
I know criminals and their ways very
we'll. That article is true according to nv
experience. Men in prison will plan all
sorts of revenge: Will write letters full of
the dreadful deeds they will do when free,
to get even with others: will threaten all
kinds OF horrible deeds. and yet have
never known them to 90 near the threat
ened parties except in friendly way.
The air of freedom blows away all
thoughts of revenge, and they are as harm
less as lambs. One case in Jefferson City
illustrates this: Jack Sheldon is there for
term of A years, having been sentenced in
August 1882 He is 40 years old, good re-
liable workman. and there is no doubt but
his sentence is just and beyond all rea-
son. | knew him when he was a boy, and
after years of wandering all over creation
found him in his present boarding house.
People tell me he is a dangerous man and
say they are afraid OF him because he
threatens such dreadful things. In vain do
tell them that Jack only talks to hear his
head rattle, and that once free he will settle
down quiet and peacabIe man.
He would have been pardOned ere this
only for the reckless tongue which says any
thing that enters his head. He talks the
same way to me when he has cranky fit,
and pay no attention. | tell him he must
be careful how he threatens other people,
and he will be penitent and premise, until
he gets angry again, when it is the same
old story. SO long as he does this will our
efforts for his release be useless.
"A threatened dog is long lived" and
convict that lets his feelings escape in talk.
is never dangerous when free. 1t is the
silent ones that plan and keep their thoughts
in their heads. that are to be feared. And
when free they disguise their intentions and
watch their chance.
like your little prison paper and wish it
success. wonder if | will ever live to see
all prisons conducted on common sense
principles; when the object will be to re-
form men, and not as now. simply to get
the last atom of work out of them. and
when their term is out, set them adrift
homeless. moneyless and friendlsss: wear
ing suit of clothes that says ''peniten-
tiary' just as plainly as the stripes.
The world moves and the time will come
when fallen humanity will be regarded diff
ferently from what it is now, and ex-con-
victs will have chance to earn an honest
living. Yours Sincerely,
Mrs. ELLA BOWER.
st. Joseph, Mo. April 6, 1880.
The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1889-04-18

A bill has been passed by the Wisconsin
legislature providing that the state board of
vict in the state prison at any time after he
shall have served the minimum period pre-
scribed by the law for the crime he COM
mitted
The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1889-04-18

Fully 1O0, 900 persons are hanging around
the borders of Oklahoma ready to rush in
next Monday. There is only enough land
for 10000 hOmesteads,. so we may expect to
hear of some lively land-grabbing being
done
The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1889-04-18

An 1rishman wrote home to his friends
over the briny, that in this blessed land
everybody is so honest that reward has to
be offered for thieves.-SpectatOr.
The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1889-04-18

An excursion party of roo New Orleans
people visited the state prison at Baton
Rouge La. few days ago.
The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1889-04-18

Better poverty with security, than riches
with fear.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-16
HOW NOT TO DO 1T.

The unique features of New York's
NorlIs Fair movement continue to be
principally characterized by an overwheIm-
ing desire not to put up the cash for it The
latest plan published was based on the neat
little arrangement of having the land on
which the L air is TO be located bought for
s., 900, 600, and after the show is over of hay-
ing sold for So, 900, 600. This simple oper-
alton, it is quite plain, would let the Expo
sition out even.
Pending the adoption of this or some other
scheme, the Herald calls upon the public to
''Sive the committee time to formulate a
plan" The committee being composed of
the principal miliionaires, who should put
up the largest share of the funds the time
required TO adopt the simple plan of writing
down their subscriptions should not be very
great. As that is what no one in New York
seems ready to do-except the lively editor
of the New York Sun-a plan by which the
New York millionaires can escape the pub
lie duty of paving anything is likely to take
q good deal OF time in its architecture.
New York's inability to do anything the
right way seems to have got in its most fatal
work last week. Just when it should be
raising the wind for an Exposition it sue
ceeded in raising the wind for an ocean
storm.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-16
ENGAGED, Welded, WIDOWED.
An Eventful Hour in the Life of n Provi.
dence Houkek eeuer.

PROVIDENCE, September 15.-The death-bed
marriage of John Lawton, Past National Su-
preme Ranger of the Foresters, has invested
the closing scene of his life with touch of
romance. Lawton was man of considerable
means and had big and generous heart
Touched with the devotion of Clara Louise
Elinora Fogg, his housekeeper, he offered her
his hand and heart as he lay diving, with but an
hour of life to live The person to whom he
offered to devote the remainder of his exist
ence (about So minutes) did not ask for delay
nor toy with the offer. She was no coy maiden,
but a matron of 30, who had passed through
period of miserable matrimony years ago. She
had nursed him with tender solicitude and
with unseltish devotion, and had refused to
be relieved of duties trying enough to PROSTATE
the most robust woman. He appeared to be so
desirous of being accurately informed as to his
condition that he created an impression that if
there had been any hope of recovery he would
have reserved his hand for some other woman,
to whom rumor says he was engaged in New
York. But the medical men were positive
nothing could save him. His housekeeper had
gone into the bedchamber with tray contain
ing delicacies when Mr.. Lawton beckoned her
to his sice.
II want you to do me favor" he said 81
want you to marry me. have but few hours
to live. and want to make you some return for
all your goodness and attention. Will you have
me?'
Half an hour later the Rev. Mr. Plummer
read the marriage service at the side of that
deathbed and Mrs Fogg became Mrs. Lawton.
In less than another half hour she was Widow
Lawton and her husband was being prepared
for the grave.
Mr.. Lawton's estate which goes to the widow,
is valued at $50 0O0 but his relatives will try to
get it on the ground that Mrs. Fogg having a
husband living, was not legally free to marry.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-16
RICHES uNnREAMEp oF.

A new and stunning idea of the increase
of national wealth is afforded by recently
published speech of Senator ingalls,. That
statesman is reported as having declared to
his auditors that "the national wealth in
creasesat the rate of S42, ,0OO, 900 for every
tick of his watch" This assertion of the
increase of our wealth at S42, 2,000, 900 per
second, the Senator conceives 10 be full
justification for amore liberal pension policy
than has yet been dreamed of.
The ability of the nation to support a
liberal pension policy is conceded; but the
magnitude of the Senator's abilities in deal
ing with figures deserves some attention. 1t
is to be remembered that he is reported as
speaking of the increase" of national
wealth, not of the total production. If a
man produces thousand dollars worth of
grain, and eats it up or wears out the staples
for which he barters it, the national wealth
does not increase at all. It is evident that
the learned Senator therefore alleges pro-
duction far in excess of the increase of ma
tional wealth; and as expense of production
is necessarily the greater half of it, we do
not see how the statement of aggregated
national production on his figures can fall
below S1OO, 900, 600 per second.
Let us see where this leads us. There
are go seconds in minute, 60
minutes in an hour and "a hours
in a day. According to the Senator's
figures, therefore, the daily increase of the
national wealth is represented by the neat
little sum of S352, $50, OOO, 600; and we
shrink from the task of burdening the col
umns of The DISPATCH with the figures
necessary to show the increase of our
wealth for single year. 1t is plain that
this statement of facts should warrant a
decided change in our national policy. We
should paw of the national debt in the first
quarter of an hour, and then devote a slight
share of our surplus wealth in buying up
the rest of the world and stopping wars and
tyranny forever.
Another remarkable disclosure. There are
about %, ,00O, 600 men in this country engaged
in the work of production. The average share
OF each individual in the increase of wealth,
according to Senator Ingalls, statistics,
therefore, should be s. 10 per second, S126
per minute, s., $50 per hour Sls1, 40 per
day, and the remarkable total of over S54,-
100000 per year. When we compare this
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-16
ODD ITEMS FROM ABROAD.

THE ''scab" in England is "blackleg."
ArTER October the French soldiers paw
will be q centimes a day, or little over 5
cents.
MINNIE PALMER is to play the title role in
"Cinderella," the next pantomime at Her
Majesty's Theater.
THE amount given away by the Emperor of
Austria during his recent visit to Berlin was
A,OOO marks, of which 15C00 went to the poor
of the city.
THE tan shoe may have permanent future
after all. One of the results of the recent
maneuvers of the feet has been the suggestion
that the marines Should wear tan or brown
shoes henceforth instead of black ones. and
brown gloves instead of white.
THE most famous barber now living, proba-
bly, is about to celebrate his silver wedding in
Paris. He is NJ. Adolph Paques. He was the
greatest of his kind go years ago. He num-
bered among his clients Chateaubriand, Lam
artine, Victor Hugo, Theodolph Gauter, Mile.
Mars and Maiibran.
WHILE the Ajax was engaged in shell prac-
tice after the recent maneuvers q shell ex-
ploded within 38ton gun, that had been run
out in the turret to be fired, and the gun burst.
The greater part of it fell into the sea, but one
piece flew into the turret, one seaman being
slightly wounded.
FIFTEEN hundred and ffty-eight million
letters, or Al per head of population. were de.
livered in the United Kingdom during the year
which ended on the alst of last March. Besides
that there were 8O0,000.0O0 postal cards, news
papers and parcels. The telegraph service
showed deficit of f24O,O00
THERE are several good reasons for the at
tempt to train swallows for military messen-
gers, instead of carrier pigeons The swallows
are swifter and more difficult marks to shoot
at. The experiment so far promises we'll A
young swallow from Roubaix few home from
Paris, los miles, in an hour and 30 minutes.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-16

average for each workingman in the United
States, with the actual pittance of 500
to $500 per year, it is impossible to resist
the conclusion that some one must be get
ting rich very fast.
The Senator is too modest in his deduc-
tion. When there is an increase of wealth of
s., 500 per hour for every worker in the
country and the average worker has to
hustle to earn twenty cents, the conclusion
that the old soldiers should be pensioned is
entirely weak and impotent. Everybody
should be pensioned. A pension of $780,
OOO, 900 per year for each veteran would give
them no more than the average, and one of
say s1O,OOO,O0O for each ordinary citizen
would leave vast surplus. We hope to
see the Senator introduce a bill to rectify
this vast inequality upon the assembling of
Congress. All this wealth should not 60
undisposed of.