Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-01-25

Immediately after breakfast the prisoners in
the tier are let out for an hours exercise, but
they are not allowed outside of the corridor in
which their cells are located. What a scene this
hour of exercise presents. The man sentenced
Tor horse stealing walks side by side with one
of the prisoners charged with murder; the
policy writer and the habitual drunkard form
another pair, while the burglar and the youth
sentenced to two years at Albany for assault
and battery with intent to kill follow be-
hind. Thus they form in pairs and walk
briskly back and forth, eagerly discussing the
merits OF their cases and the probabilities of
the future. This continues for a while until
'Git En- Up" or some other young negro
starts romp, which is generally engaged in
by all the young men. This usually continues
until the Waterman blows shrill blast on his
whistle. when the men return to their cells and
are locked in until the following morning at 8
o'clock.
Between the exercise hour and 8 O'Clock,
when dinner is served. the prisoners spend
thelr time reading. writing and talking to their
neighbors In the adjoining cells.
MOOT COURT.
Toward o'clock, when the shadows of
night begin to fall over the gloomy interior of
the Jail, casting weird phantomlike pictures on
the whltened walls of the long corridors and
through the narrow grated windows of the
cells. the prisoners usually hold moot courts
and try each other other for the offenses with
which they are charged. On the second night
OF my incarceration No. % was tried for shoot
lpg companion through the hand on the
night OF July last. No. 20 George Carr COL
ored), who has been sentenced to seven years
at Albany for horse stealing, impersonated
Judge Miller, while No. q. young colored
man known rs Git En- Up" who will soon 90
10 the Albany penitentiary for two years for
having shot at another colored man. played the
part OF Prosecutor Armes Judge Miller
hrst lnterrogated the prisoner as follows:
Nv har Won de mite Of TuIv 90,
Up at de O-street market wild some fren's."
DID you have airy pistol wild you?'
''les, sab. but it didn't long to me-
"Hem. Didn't you know 1t wuz agin de law
to carry pistol?"
No, sah."
What you doin' shootin' dat pistol in de
streets, and how'd you come to shoot dat man
through de han'?'
well, you sees, yer honah, it was de mite
before de Foth of July an we wuz celebratin'
Jim-dats de fellow shot-he wells out. 'Rah
for de Fo'th Of July and den lets de pistol
go 'ker-bangn 1t wuz dark as a black cat am
Jim he done had his han up in de air He
yelled out: Ouch! you dun shot me- an den
foun' out dat dc bullet went through his ham
OATS all knows about it, yer honah."
Up 10 this time Prosecuting Attorney "Git
I'm Up" had not said word but a bright
thought suddenly occurred to him and he said
to the prisoner:
What did dat ar pistol cost"
Dunno replied the prisoner
II uun heard your statement" resumed the
judge, AN you dun convicted yerself. De
court sentence you to two years in dat big hotel
at Albany and may de good Lord hab mercy on
yer soul an body"
A young colored man charged with snatch.
ing lady's pocket book was next tried.
Il Dunno anything bout dat lady's pocket
book" he pleaded. .'Nebber sot ewes on it."
Den what you doin' runnin' away when de
policeman Gomez" interrupted the Judge.
sumner from no oh
and after stammering awhile the prisoner said
that he was always afraid of policemen and
made 1t point to run every time he saw oae.
ms brought out Prosecutor ''Git EN- Up, who
gravely inquired:
book?r
Twelve dollars" quickly and unthinkingly
rephed the prisoner. Then realizing that he
had made a bad break he rejoined: Oats
what hear em say"
"Ha. la! har' laughed the prisoners along
the tier, and the judge said after the laughter
Young man, you dun glib yourself clean
away to de court You can hab five years in
Albany"
LIGHTS OUT.
BY this time So'clock-''lights out"-had ar
rived and the night guards whistle sounded
shrlily; echoing sharply through the corridors
and cells. Then followed pattering of feet
as the tiersmen rushed about extin gushing
tne Jew burning gas jets. With the exception
OF the office and rotunda the great Jail was
now in total darkness and An almost grave
yard slience reigned. In about five minutes
the stiffness was broken by the steady tread of
feet and then came great glare of light. 1t
was the sturdy night guardsman making his
curly rounds and inspecting the cell locks
with the aid of his rejecting lantern. These
hourly rounds and the tolling of the clock in
the rotunda were the only things that relieved
at all the monotony of the dreary and sleep
less night. Such was the daily routine in the
JAN during my six days confinement there.