Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-08-01
to the credit Of the tastes of the criminals their

their singing and hilarity, for in this last
stage of their journey they seemed to be in
better spirits than when they started. The
players at times joined in the singing. and all
together made themselves quite popular with
the prisoners. the convicts being asked every
now and then for how long they had signed to
play at Albany and whether they would play
for their release.
BEGISSINa TO REALIZE THEIR POSITION.
Not until the train passed over the bridge
over the Hudson at Albany did the prisoners
appear to fully realize their true position. Then
it was that song and jest were hushed and q
feeling of quiet nervous anxiety overcame each
one OF the batch: then il was SO ii seemed, that
they fully realized for the first time since they
left Washington what was in store for them.
For some reason, which was not quite apparent.
a fear that they would never leave the peni-
tentiary alive seemed TO possess them. espe-
cially SO with those of the batch who were to
serve long sentences Yet each one had
evidently determined to faithfully obey every
rule of the institution, SO that every allowance
for COOL behavior would be gained The pre-
yailinS sentiment and feeling of the prisoners
was undoubtedly expressed by the tall high
, wayman when ne remarked: well, boys, here
| we is. Nuthin' head of US fur a good long
time now. but hard work, an plenty of it. But,
ez say, ef dat is all dey want, an a-mndin'
of dere rules, why kin do all dat. Fur dis
niger is gwine to work hard. an you kin bet
yer life deere amt goin' to be no rules broke by
him. IF he pegs out befo his time il up, de
Lords will be doner'
| IN THE VAN AT ALBANY
As the train slowed up the irons about the
ankles of the men were taken of and the
march from the train to the PRISON van, a
short distance away. was quickly made. An
I officer of the penitentiary accompanied the
driver of the van. but the real transfer Of the
| prisoners was not made then. This van, rather
time-worn, primitive affair." comfortably
tad Tho aIeyhr yicfa l..As,a IT,
| STARS man took seat in front beside the
/ driver. The prison 10 situated on the southern
/ outskirts OF the city. about mile or SO from
the railroad station, and is very prettIly
placed. 1t is a heavily built structure of
stone and brick. and is surrounded by ample
and neatly kept grounds. High stone wallis
run back from the main prison buildings and
inclose the various workshops of the institu-
ton Upon these walls are stationed, short
distances apart small guard houses between
which sentrles, armed with Winchester repeat
ing rifles, constantly stroll back and forth
These men are noted marksmen and their guns
carry no blank cartridges; the inmates Of the
penitentiary well aware of this fact and
hence 1t Is needless to state that no scaling Of
the walls is ever successfully attempted.
INSIDE THE PRISON.
The superintendent of the penitentiary, Mr..
McIntyre. received the party in state as the
van drove up to his Office door. The newly ar
rived convicts were quickly unloaded from the
van and formally delivered into his keeping
A. Capt. Cole handed the superintendent the
Official commitments the prisoners were
msrched off 10 the main hall Of the prison.
while the transporting party was invited by
the superintendent into his private apartments
where the stains of the long ride from
Washington were removed. After that
an introduction to the wife Of Mr. Nc
lntyre followed, and at her invitation q
very tempting lunch was enioyed. Luncheon
HE IeDrpspOtaIIya eyplaina1 to
superintendent Mclntyre the object he had in
accompanying the convIcts, and that he would
like To see everything and be told everything
concerning the prison and inmates which was
proper To see and hear. Mr.. McIntyre stated
that III his management of the prison there was
nothing to hide or silence, and that he would
take the greatest pleasure in personally con-
Quoting representative of The STAR through
the institution.
From his private Office Superintendent Nc
lntyre led the way to the keepers room of the
PRISON. where. as 1t was then dinner hour,
almost the entire force of the officers of the
PRISON were cougregated. The room. a large
narrow one. looking out upon the prison yard,
was furnished with desks. tables, &c, and in a
rack against the wall were placed number of
loaded rifles for instant use in the event of in
surrectIOn on the part of the convicts Before
we passed out of the room dinner hour came to
an end and the, keepers hurried off to escort
their charges TO the various workshops. The
cOnyicts here do not. ; i'll some other similar
institutions. take their meals seated together in
large dining hall. but their meals are served
to them III pans. which they take to their cells.
Besides the food these pans also contain knife
ana fork. all of which are carefully collected
when mealtime is over.
TIE LocK-sTEp MARCH.
'Now,' said Mr.. Mcintyre, You can see
from here the march of the men to the work
shops" And just then was heard the loud
slow and carefully measured stamp of some
one upon the stone floor OF the main prison.
and a moment later a long line of men, of all
ages, colors and sizes. entered the prison yard
from one OF the lower doorways of the main
building. The man leading the line took
short step forward with his right foot. then
lttinS his left foot brought 1t down flat with O
sharp. emphatic sound. The man Immediately
behind HIM placed his right hand upon the
leader shoulder and hung his left hand close
To his own body And SO it ran to the end of the
line, the men keeping as closely together as
possible. The movement of the right foot was
more III the nature OF glide than anything
else. while the movement of the left one was
high and forward The whole movement Of
the line was slow and methodical and allowed
no relaxation Beside each line of convicts
marched keeper, the officer in charge Of the
work room or shop to which the particular
body OF convicts belonged These lines COM
prIsed from twenty-five to fifty or seveuty-five
men and were marched along in perfect silence,
converse ton between prisoners or between
prisoners and visitors being strictly prohibited.
THE RECEPTION ORDEAL
As the last gang Of men left the main prison
building Superintendent Mcintyre led the way
there. As it was entered the batch of newly
arrived Washington convicts were undergoing
what Is known as the reception ordeal The
moment a batch of conyicts are received their
irons are taken of of them and they are then
given the first sample of prison discipline by
being ordered to step up to the wall and face
II with hands dropped at their sides. From
that moment their conversation with each
other or with any other being ceases
until after permission from the proper
official is had. Any violation of this rule and
indeed the violation of any other rule Of the
prison is followed by instant punishment. As
each convict is wanted by the receiving officer
he Is directed to step up before q high desk.
His name, age, nationality, &c, as we'll as
most minute personal and physical description
OF him are fully recorded. He is then handed
| over 10 the prison barber, always himself a
convict, and the mans hair closely clipped and
/ his face closely shaven. From the BARRIERS
chair he steps to bath room, where he is
stripped of the clothes in which he arrived at
the prison and ordered to thoroughly cleanse
himself. On emerging from the bath he is
directed to don the striped suit and cap of the
| prison. These suits are made of coarse, stout
stun, the stripes being a dirty white and
| brown. and every article of his attire 10 Sur
| nI-lei hy the rrisop bis otbor olofbao -