davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1891-01-01
DON'T.

A word of advice founded on experience
and observation to the young man ambitious
of becoming professional thief: Don't
To this advice the young aspirant to pro-
fessional hOnors will probably say RATS"
but from those who have attained pro-
fessional distinction and are now passing
their declining years in temporary or per-
manent seclusion we hear thousands
echoing our Don't" The young man
who aspires to be thief may be put
down as one lacking good sense. 1t he
were endowed with sound judgment he
would see that he was betting the happi-
ness of his whole life on the DEVILS monte
game. taht always wins. no matter on
which card he lays his wager. Even should
the willy old gambler allow his victim to
win at every turn it will only be for the
purpose of leading him on until he finally
wagers his whole, when he rakes him in
body and soul and closes the deal. Like
all greenhorns you think that you can beat
the game by doubling your bets. but you
can't for the game is not devised on that
system. The very best you can ever do
after having once become entangled in the
play is to withdraw. But to withdraw
while you are loser is no easy matter. You
do not like to quit behind the game; your
foolish pride urges you to play on, while
you are heartsick with hopelessness; you
fear to hear your fellow players say you
have weakened; and you play on and on.
experiencing all manner of humiliations,
hardships and heartaches until some day
you will turn away from the game dis
couraged, to discover that your hair has
turned white and that you are tottering
upon the brink of grave in convict bury
ing ground.
The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1891-01-01

The newspaper men of the east are much
more enterprisng than their western breth-
rem as is instanced in the New York
Worlds account of the discovery of the rob-
bers' cave near LIE Sueur this state. The
World, not satisfied with giving the cave
story as given by the st. Paul Globe. goes
into the great beyond and discovers the per-
sonality of the spirit whose flesh once
clothed the human bones discovered on the
floor of the inner sanctum of the cave.
Those eastern chaps have wonderful facil-
tiles for gathering news.
The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1891-01-01
wOrkmen and tho ''devil' are monthly
readers of the Inland Printer. technical

wOrkmen and tho ''devil" are monthly
readers of the Inland Printer. technical
journal devoted to the art of printing. 1t
is one of tho largest and most complete pub
locations. devoted to the interests of the
printing craft, in the world. Each number
contains information of many times the
cost of the yearly subscription to any one
engaged in the business and besides this,
every number contains several proof speei
mems OF fine engravings copies of which 1t
would be difficult to procure in any other
way. Specimens of the finest color work
and rule work produced by the leading
printing houses of the country are given in
every number. The criticisms on specimens
of job work are invaluable to the young
job printer or old one for matter of that
The December number announces that in
the January issue will be presented the first
chapter of a new shorthand guide which
will be continued from month to month un-
til completed and will be found worth
many times the price of subscription. Ad-
dress the Inland Printer. 1873 Monroe ST..
Chicago, Ill.
The Weekly Republic is new paper
recently started at San Luis ObispO. Cal.
1t is new and bright in every respect. C..
B. HugstOn is the editor.
There are certain publications that come
to our table from which the wrapper is torn
with unusual eagerness. and one of these is
the Northwestern Printer, issued by the
Minnesota Type Foundry Co.. St. Paul.
The winter number is before us, and our
eyes never rested upon more elegantly
printed journal. One misses in it's pages
the vivacious pen of its late editor. Maj. T..
M. NewsOn, but in saying so we do not
hot ic hrin Oh
tied by Mr.. F. S. Verbeck. The journal is
filled with matter of interest to the print
ing craft in general and the publishers of
the northwest IN particular. On the first
page is contribution from the pen of II.
l.. Baker that would do lazy editor good
to read. We are sure it would break him
of the habit of heading his local page every
week with the startling announcement that
"NeWs is scarce"
The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1891-01-01
have been crushed by the GOODNESS and in.

have been crushed by the GOODNESS and in.
difference that have been given them. 1t
is the animal nature against animal nature,
that comes in contact with each other,
which grows the heart colder and colder all
the while. and brushes out the few natural
desires born and bred in the offending and
fallen individual. Such treatment is almost
directly and certainly indirectly Satanic.
Christ the great Savior and model law giver.
always extended pity. Why should not we?
Who are the greatest reformers and phi
lanthrOpists. but these::w who are full of mercy.
full of forgiveness. and full of Christ's
spirit The man who Furnishes by brute
force. produces brutal spirit in man. The
man who by his elevating words, points ar
gument and extends mercy. is the good
christian man. who serves as an instrument
to pluck the poor unfortunate criminal from
everlasting disgrace and punishment and
places him on the road of usefulness, honor,
and OftentimeS renOwn.
The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1891-01-01
Crime and the Public.

The treatment accorded to the principal
actors in great crimes and scandals by the
public to day is not only serious and grow
ing evil. but threatens to become menace,
as it is already disgrace. to our social sys-
tenn. 1t is not the mere record of the facts
in cases of this kind that is so mischievous
-altgough even that. as general RUE,
ought to be made as concise as possible
but the elaboration of detail, of suggestion,
and of color, and above all the representa-
ton of malefactOrs, of the most brutal,
debased. and sordid, in heroic or semi heroic
proportions. 1t can scarcely be necessary
to submit formal evidence in support of a
condition of affairs which must have i'm
pressed it. long ago, upon the percep-
ton of even the most casual Only few
weeks have elapsed since there were tele-
graphed every day to all parts of the United
States the sayings and dOings of one of the
most deliberate. treacherOus. and remOrse-
less murdererS that ever swung from glib
bet: an educated assassin, who lured an in
nOcent lad from his home under the guise
of friendship, robbed him of his last penny,
shot him through the back. and left him to
rot in a swamp. The idle words which fell
from the lips of this depraved wretch were
treasured as if they had been the utterances
of some great sage or statesman. What he
ate, what he drank. what he wore, was
faithfully noted down by ObseQuiOus OBJ
servers, who expressed themselves charmed
| by his personal appearance. his manliness,
and his urbanty. TO crown all, syndicate
was formed to pay a large sum of money
for quantity of t1ippant rubbish which
this william called his autobiography and
which was duly printed with all the hOnOrs
of big head lines and large type.
This is conspicuous and convenient but
by no means solitary instance. 1t is the
fashion to talk of convicted felOns as if they
were saints about to suffer martyrdom. The
accounts of their cheerfulness, courage, and
resignation might lead one to believe them
models of all the Christian virtues, and I'M
dOubtedly makes them objects of admira-
ton to the vicious and ignorant class from
which the ranks of criminals are recruited.
All this is bad enough. but in the stories
from the divorce courts the OffenSe is still
deeper. being against good manners as well
as good morals. On this point it is i'm
possible to be specific, but everybody knows
that especially in the North and West, the
utmost prominence is given to foul details
when OugnC never 10 De whispered OUTSIDE
the limits of the proper tribunal. A veal
ago the London correspondence of certain
journals was so abOminable that it was
necessary to exclude them from decent
houses.
The vendors of news, if called upon tC
excuse or explain this condition of affairs,
would declare. doubtless, that the chief OBJ
ject of their existence is the publication Of
news, that they cannot justly be held re-
J sponsible for human depravty, and thai
they are compelled to supply their cOnsti
The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1891-01-01

THE MIRROR has been favored with a
number of 1891 calendars printed in PRISONS
The most artistic calendar is that from the
state prison at Charlestown, Mass. 1t is a
beautiful piece of color printing. The cal
endar from the printing department of the
House of Reformation. Deer Island, Boston
Harbor Mass. is large and serviceable
one and Is fully equal in workmanship to
that class of work done in any of the large
printing establishments. The boys in the
printing department of the SockanOsset
School for Boys. at Howard, R. L.. have
sent out plain but serviceable calendar
that does credit to their good taste.
The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1891-01-01
Convict Camps in Georgia.

Chairman Clifton. of the Penitentiary
Committee of the Georgia Legislature,
presented to the Legislature on Dec. 81,
report signed by twenty five members,
only five dissenting. which represents the
convict camps in Dade county to be in a
shocking condition. On visiting the camps
the committee found everything fixed up. as
if the lessees had been expecting it, Not
withstanding this the clothing of the pris-
Oners the bed clothing and the sleeping
apartments are said to have been filthy.
Two children had been born in camp.
one soon after it's mother was taken there,
the other a child of All old convict. The
committee found men at work lying on their
stomachs in mud and water. compelled to
do so in order to accomplish the necessary
amount of work to save themselves from
being logged.
The committee recommends the appoint
ment of a Board of PardOns.-St. Paul
Daily News.
The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1891-01-01
tuents with the sort of matter which they

tuents with the sort of matter which they
wish to read. They would assert that 1t Is
a case of demand and supply. But there is
an obvious fallacy in each of these three
lines of defense. In the first place the do
scriptive writing which gives an attractive,
if perniciOus, form, to an unwhOlesOme and
unpleasant subject. is not news. but prac-
teal perverSiOn of it; in the second. one is
responsible for an evil in proportion as he
abets or fosters it; and. in the third. the
constituency that prefers coarse or unclean
reading is not the constituency from which
great newspaper derives its man support.
1t is true that the uneducated or only
partly educated classes are great majority
of the population and that ignorance and
vulgar taste are apt to be found together,
but it must be remembered also that the
public does not prescribe what shall be-
printed. 1t is quite certain that nobody
has ever received a request for the publica-
ton of unclean matter. 1t may be granted
that there are plenty of depraved persons
who would buy paper for the sake of the
imprOprieties which they expected to ap-
pear in it, but their number is insignificant
in comparison with the host VINO buy it. in
spite of the improperly. because they must
take the whole or none.
After all. the main question is not
whether the popular taste is depraved and
vulgar. but whether it is the mission of the
press to act as pander or an instructor.
TO this question. put thus BADLY. there can
be but one reply. and it is a gratifying fact
that some of the most prosperous daily
journals in the country are conducted with
scrupulOus regard for cleanliness. AS
has been intimated, already. the mere rec
ord of crime is not necessarily harmful. 1t
may be made, indeed, to teach the most
salutary of moral lessons. But to effect
this, the facts about the crime and the
criminal ought to be set down with rigid ex-
actitude, without malice but without pal
liatiOn. The features which ought to be
dwelt on, are not the seductive elements of
the Otfense, nor the brilliant or attractive
qualities of the offender, but the steps in
the downward path pursued. and the pain,
sorrow, and degradation incurred by them.
All the pulpits in the world would not be
more powerful for good than press thus
conducted. There are offenses of which
the mere mention. to say nothing of de-
scription. is poisonous to the social health.
Their existence is inevitable so long as hui
man nature remains as it is, but they are
committed in obscurity and in obscuritY
they ought to be expiated.-The Chautau-
guam.
The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1891-01-01

The editor of the Swift County Monitor
says: 1--WE notice by the last issue of THE
Prison MIRROR that the management had
hoped to don new dress by Christmas
time but owing to the delinquency of its
subscribers the old type will have to serve Il
while longer. 1t is pity that those taking
THE MIRROR should let their subscriptions
get behind and thus oblige the paper to
foregO the pleasure and convenience of
coming out in new type. They should
send in their dollar per year more promptly"
Yes, it would be good for their eyes.
The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1891-01-01
HOWARD ASSOCIATION.

We have been favored with copy of the
annual report of the Howard Association
of England IN which we find much matter
of an interesting character concerning Brit
ish penal laws, prisons and the reformation
of criminals. Among other things recon-
mended to the attention of Parliament is
the adoption of regular system of SEN
fences characterized by very moderate"
Every certain" cumulative" Speaking of
the First Offenders Act of recent passage it
says: 1T gives magistrates the opportunity
of allowing first offender, in petty cases,
haviour. for certain period. without the
stigma of cOmmittal to gaOl; and it is cal
culated to Obviate many inprisOnments.
while effectually restraining young and
thoughtless offenders" In it's summary of
foreign correspondence is given this black
picture of the condition of the French pris-
ons at the convict stations in New Caledo-
MIA and Cayenne:
A traveller visiting Cayenne not long ago,
reported that the pestilential prison stations
there are named 1.-The Devils islands. "
The seas around swarm with sharks-the
living sepulchres of the poor wretehes. when
their miserable lives end. The visitor de-
scribes the bare stone cells. small. dark.
and without windows. Here many maniacs
were chained to the walls. fed on bread and
water. and left to await death. I'm the
first cell lay confirmed idiot. his eyes half
closed, and besieged with flies, his feet
swollen and suppurating with chigoes, a
tropc insect pest. which pierces the flesh
and breeds under the nails. The attendant
gave him kick to stir him up. the better
for us to see. and remarked. as he did So
The sooner he dies. the better.'"
The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1891-01-01
Innocence INDICATED.

Gov. Beaver. of Pennsylvania. made Mrs.
Frank A. Aldrich, of Stafford Kan, a happy
woman by sending her as Christmas gift
a pardon for her husband from a seven
years. sentence for having buncoed man
named Lemon out of ten thousand dollars.
Aldrich was convicted through the Oper-
atiOns of private detective agency which
swOre an innocent man into disgrace and
Imprisonment.
Well knowing her husband was guiltless,
Mrs. Aldrich set to work to secure his re-
lease. and through her efforts the actual
robbers. three in number, who squeezed the
money out of Lemon. were discovered,
though they had fled to Europe.
The case demonstrates the hazard of ac-
cepting detective testimony with slight
analysis. as was done in this instance. If
such convictions could be sifted there would
be revelations that would astOund the pub
lie.
1t is gratifying that in one conspicuous
case some measure of reparatiOn has been
secured to an innocent party whose char
acter and liberty were taken from him by
methods far more Infamous than the crime
with which he was wrongly charged.-St.
Paul Daily News.
The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1891-01-01
TO THE PUBLIC.

THE PRISON MIRROR is q weekly paper pub
lished in the Minnesota state prison. All matter
published in its columns is contributed by the
inmates, except that properly credited It's sup
port must come from the outside as every inmate
10 given q paper without cost. 1t is published in
the interest Of the prison library and after paying
for the printing outfit. contributed $l5O 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 leeds of the prison by rejecting
Its inner life and thus aid the OF moral ad-
vancement and Lrison reform.
The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1891-01-01

Some person or persons took upon them
selves the great task of writing Christmas
letter to each inmate of this institution, but
the recommendations contained therein are
all lacking in one very essential point-the
endOrsers signature. Anonymous letters
never carry much weight.
The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1891-01-01

In commenting upon an article that re-
Gently appeared in THE MIRROR under the
heading of practical Punishment" the
editor of the Ohio Industrial School Journal
says:
In consequence of harsh treatment in
state prisons, few persons 60 out of them
as reformed men. Their finer sensibilities
The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1891-01-01

How far may an editor willfully deviate
from the truth in re- editing news matter
without bringing upon himself the Odium
of being malicious liar? Judging from
personal observation there is no limit.
The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1891-01-01

MinnesOta's legislators will come together
in the state capitol at st. Paul, January 6.
to make and unmake laws for the govern
ment of the people of Minnesota.
The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1891-01-01
| 80 ! :.

THE MIRROR wishes it's readers Happy
New Year.
The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1891-01-01

Light. whether it be material or spirit
ual, is the best refOrmer."
The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1891-01-01
NOTES.

No printing Office is prepared to do its
best unless the proprietor, the foreman, the
The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1891-01-01

Mans Mind Is Himself.
The man who says. IF l were you
This is the sort of thing I'd do"
Seems to forget if he were
Only my point of view he'd spy.-Puck.
The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1891-12-09
THROUGH A BRIDGE

Frightful Drop of n Passenger Train to
tho Bottom Of q Bayou-sixteen People
Wounded.
MEMPHIS, Tenn, Dec. AS the
north bound train on the Louisville,
New Orleans & Texas railway was
bowling along Saturday ut the rate Of
thirty miles an hour terrible accident
occurred at the bridge mile and half
this side of Bobo station and over
White Oak bayou. The train consisted
Of baggage car, q smoker. ladies'
car and a sleeper. Just before the
bridge was reached the rear trucks of
the tender broke and so great was the
speed that no check could made before
the bridge was reached
The engine, dragging the broken
trucks. which split the bridge down as
though It had been made Of paper. ran
clear across and some 800 yards on this
side. but the entire train OF cars dropped
fifty feet to tho bed OF the bayou bo-
low. Fortunately there was but little
water In the stream, else some Of the
passengers would have been drowned
As IL was, sixteen were moro or less in
jured, one or two probably fatally.
The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1891-12-09
II Propose. Absolute Free Trade.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 7.-It'is expected
that soon after the senate has settled
down to work the president will send
TO II the new treaty which has been
negotiated with the Hawaiian Islands
This treaty is sure to provoke discus-
sion. The point Of interest about the
treaty is that 1t proposes absolute free
trade between the two countries.
Hawaii will admit free Of duty every
article imported there from the United
States, whether agri "Iitural or manu-
featured. in return for which the
United States will receive without q
tariff everything which the Hawaiian
Islands may send here.
The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1891-12-09
CARNIVAL OF BLOOD.

IhristIans Mxssacrsd by Chinese MODS
No Mercy shown to the Victims
LONDON. Dec. SPECIAL dispatches
from Shanghai fully confirm the pre-
vious announcements Of massacres Of
Christians in the disturbed districts. A
carnival of blood and lust prevAils
0rphanages are being burned, as well rs
buildings occupied by adults. Helpless
children are subjected TO the fury Of
heartless mpbS The roads are in some
places Uttered with fragments OF the
flesh Of these little fugitives, who, hav-
ing perished either from violence OF
starvation. have furnished food for
rowing dogs The measures taken by
the central government TO suppress the
uprising are wholly inadequate. Mar
tial law has been proclaimed in Man.
churia. but the proclamation can not bC
made effective, owing 10 the disaffec
ton of the whole population and the
weakness of the army.
The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1891-12-09
sheriTs sale.

Hiram Tillotson vs. Lyman W June, In Lo-
rain county Q. court Of common pleas. Case
No. 1892. Order Of sale OF property attached
after hnal judgements:
In pursuance Of an order issued from the court
OF common pleas within and for the county OF
Lorain, and state OF Ohio, made at the october
term thereof. A. d. 1891, and to me directed,
Will offer for sale at public auction at the
north door Of the court house In the village OF
Elyria on Saturday, December IL, "A. u. 1891,
between the hours Of 10 and II O'clock o. m. OF
said day the following described real estate,
t0-wit: Situated In the township Of Hunting
ton, county Of LOrain and state Of Ohio. and
known as the equal undivided one-sixth inter-
est Of said defendant In the undivided one
eighth Of the 6S . acres In lot No nine a)tract
No. I've (5) bounded as follows: On the north
By lot line, on the east by lands OF the heirs OF
Mary s. June, on the south By the highway,
on the west by lands OF Milo j June. Also,
said defendants one sixth interest In nine and
one-eighth % l-Sl acres OF land in said tract
and lot aforesaid In said township. bounded
as follows: On the north by lot line on the
east BY lands owned by T. d. Phelon, on the
south BY the highway and on the west by the
east line OF said So 7-8 acres above described,
said lands above described being the
real estate OF one Mary g. June. de-
ceased, Lyman w. June's Interest In the
above described property has been appraised
at $50 and cannot sell for less than two
thirds Of said appraisement. Terms Of sale
cash on day of sale. 49
J.T. HASKELL. CHA6. @. ENSIGN,
Pins Atty Sheriff Of LOraln Co.