The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1890-12-17
A visit TO the ohio Penitentiary

A visit TO the ohio Penitentiary
Twenty minntes walk from the state House
Sausre, in Colun bus brings you to the Ohio Pen
itentiary. Thu building. at first glance. would
hardly suggest prison but for the grated win
dows. A long. plain. four story stone building,
with an extension forward in the central 'front.'
surrounded by neatly kept lawn. laid out with
gravel walks and clumps ofshrubbery. The front
entrance opens into hall, which leads to the
Warden's Office. Itlooks not unlike the entrance
to plain hotel. But pass through the hall and
down four or five steps and you are in the guard
room. This is a huge iron cage, about IL feet
square, the floor covered with zinc full of nail
heads, furnished with a desk at which convict
stands writing. a few chairs. mostly occupied by
officers in blue uniforms, and big cast iron
stove. Between the massive iron bars of this
cage one can view large part of the interior of
the prison. The interior structure, containing
the cells in which the convicts sleep. is built
tirey separate from the outside walls of the pris
on building. SO there is passaga way eight or
ten feet wide all around between the cells and
these outer walls. The cells are little rooms
about FIVE by seven feet, and possibly seven feet
high. They have no opening except door
which is closed by heavy iron grating. Each
cell has a gas jet is neatly whitewashed and Is
furnished with stool. an iron cot which turns up
against the wall during the day. with enough
bedding to keep the occupant warm. We saw
some cells decorated with picture cards. and one
having the photograph of lady in a neat gilt
frame. Most off them. however. were destitute of
decorations.
The prisen is built around a great square. with
e-ae.- e.-.-aA--.-A-:1--L-:-l--
the center of this square the general business
Offices of the prison are located.
sod IN
consisting in winter of substantial wooden goods
made in stripes of black and yellowish brown
two inches wide SO arranged that in the clothing
they run across the figure of the wearer. The
clothing seemed to be well made and good fit
1t only became repulsive to look at by its assoei
ations and the monotony of seeing SO much of it.
We were there at supper time, and saw the men
come from the various parts of the great prison
in squads of about fifty each. They marched in
two lines and in lock step. as close together as
they could walk. Each company was arranged
with the tallest men in front, grading down to
the shortest man in the rear. An officer In blue
uniform and armed. SO far as we could see. only
with a stout stick or cane, led each company.
These companies marching in such close order.
with their striped uniforms and with heads,
hands and feet all moving exactly together. pre-
sented a somewhat startling appearance. The
company looked at little distance like living
thing, a striped monster of some unkno wn species
They were halted outside the dining room door.
until all were there. Then they marched in and
stood in rows before the tables. all facing
the same way. Without word being spoken. at
tap of bell all were seated on their little stools.
another tap meant caps off. another and all be-
gan to eat. The tables were boards about foot
wide with upturned edge about two inches
high on the opposite side from where the men sat.
These shelf tables extend clear across the great
dining room and are placed SO close together that
there is barely room for one row of men to sit
between them. There were no table cloths OF
any kind. and each mans supper was before him
when he sat down, A large piece of rye bread.
little plate of butter or aplate of molasses and
a bowl of milk or coffee. am not sure but both
We were allowed to pass through the middle +
this dining room and look into the faces of the
silent men. 1t was the saddest sight we ever saw
The ignorance, degradation. brutality visible on
many of the faces sends the observer away heart
sick for our poor humanity. There were some
bright and intelligent faces among the convicts
not many. One was impressed with their youth
full appearance. hundreds of them mere
boys. conspicuous number were ignorant.
coarse locking colored men. The question natur
ally arose. What brought these men here ? The
answer is. Lack of parental control and training,
and strong drink We were informed by the po-
lite guard who acted as guide. that there were in
the prison Nov 18th. 1861 convicts. 125 of whom
were there for life under sentence of death and
awaiting execution. Of the 1861 convicts only
25 were women. three efthem were there for life.
MORALIST.