davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1891-04-30

Mark Twain tells, in one of his books,
about western fellow who. being alone
and wounded, amputated his own leg.
This one of his lies has been outdone in
truth. A few days ago Joseph Coutieur. a
hunter. found man named McKennon ly-
ing in lone hut near Winnipeg nearly dead
from starvation and suffering. He found
that some weeks before the mans feet had
become frozen and when modification be-
gan in one foot he had in desperation cut it
off with butcher knife. The hunter did
what he could for the man and then set out
to procure assistance, but while he was
gone the man. insane with suffering, cut off
the other foot which had become mortified
also. The poor man is now being cared
for in the hospital at Winnipeg. This is
the most remarkable case of the kind we
ever heard of.
The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1891-04-30

The Christian Register says: "A bill now
pending in the Massachusetts legislature
has as one of it's central features provision
that. when the police are satisfied that a
man who has been arrested for drunkenness
has not been arrested twice before within a
year, they may release him when he be.
comes sober. The purpose is to make a
clear distinction between habitual drunk
ards and those who may occasionally take
too much, and. if possible, to save the lat
ter from losing his employment and his
family from want" That will be a good
law if passed. The practice of imposing
fines upon men for becoming drunk occa-
sionally is in several respects unjust. In
the first place. it is only the very poor men
that are arrested for drunkenness. and of
course they are least able to pay fine. So
long as the municipal powers license the
sale of liquor, men will drink too much of It
occasionally. To fine the drunkard does
not lessen drunkenness, but, we think, it
tends rather to aggravate the evil. If the
The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1891-04-30
Convict Labor.

Except so tar as it affects the prices of
wares and labor. the competition of con-
victs is not objected to by either manu-.
facturers or intelligent wOrkingmen. They
realize that were the convicts free and self
supporting they would still have to be COM
peted with. 1t is not the volume of prison
labor but the cutting of prices that causes
the depressed condition of the trades and
classes OF merchandise affected. What
they do object to is the letting of the labor
of convicts to INSCRIPTIONS contracting
manufacturers at rates so far below the
price of free labor that they are enabled to
throw their product upon the market at
greatly reduced prices. thereby forcing the
outside manufacturer to lose his profits or
reduce the wages of his employees to meet
the unjust competition. The State account
system is equally ruinous from competi-
tive standpoint unless the greatest care is
exercised by those having charge of the bus
mess to see that prices in every instance are
maintained; and that no cutting is INDUCED
in by the State. The better way, perhaps.
to solve this question. and at the same time
do away with the competition complained
of, would be to prohibit the placing upon
the market of any prison made goods. Let
the 800, 600 prisoners confined in the re.
formatories of the United States be en-
ployed solely in the manufacture of such
articles as can be used in the prisons. asy-
lums, "homes. and other institutions main
tanned by the State. AS it IS now. scarcely
a single article made in prison is worn or
used in prison. Tie State sells it's prison
made goods, or the prisoners labor, which
to all intents and purposes is the same
thing, at low price, and buys the same
class of goods for use in the State institu-
tons at high price. Let the state prisons
give up the manufacture of stoves. hollow
ware. chairs, brOoms, brushes, agricultural
implements. wagons. harness, and other ar
ticles of merchandise for sale to the general
public in open market, and instead make
shoes. hats, clothing of all kinds, etc.. for
use in prisons. refOrmat0ries, insane and Or
phan asylums. almshouses and other state
institutions. the inmates of which are main
tanned at public expense. By doing this
competition would be minimized, the
market will remain under control of the
manufacturer. prices will be affected only
by natural competition. and that. is all that
is asked. Minneapolis Daily Times.
The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1891-04-30

Gen. Won Moltke. Germany's great war
riOr. died suddenly of heart failure at his
home in Berlin at 9:45 p. m. April "a. He
was playing whist with party of friends,
when, feeling himself growing i'll. he ex-
cused himself and retired to another room
where in a short time he was found breath.
ing his last. He had but lately celebrated
his ninetieth birthday.
The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1891-04-30

We copy in this issue an editorial from
the Minneapolis Times on convict labor, in
which it is suggested that the convicts should
be employed in the manufacture alone of
such goods as can be used in the prisons
and other state institutions The suggestion
is impracticable from an economic stand
point. The prison cannot compete with
the large factories in the manufacture of
such things as hats, shoes, clothing and
other articles of like nature as suggested
by the Times except they are produced in
large quantities. All the shoes worn in
this institution used to be made in the
prison, but are not now made here. because,
counting the labor out, it is cheaper to buy
ready made shoes. There would not be. a
sufficient demand by the state institutions
for such articles to keep even the state con-
victs fully employed. 1t would be cheaper
to support the prisoners in idleness than to
attempt to keep them all fully employed at
such work and under such restrictions as
proposed.
The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1891-04-30

In the southern portions of the United
States the destruction of alligators for
their hides has brought about quite plague
of muskrats in many districts. These rats
are tavOrite food with the commanding
gator, and. as the latter become scarce, so
do the former increase and multiply. In
one place the necessity for preserving the
alligator has been so much appreciated that
the killing of them has been prohibited by
a fine of $40, or a months Imprisonment
for each offense. In Victoria the iguana
enjoys in the same way general immunity
by reason of the fact that he has an ingen.
ious habit of crawling down rabbit burrows.
and RECALLING himself upon the young bum
MES, of which, needless to say. there is an
abundant supply at all times The Church
man.
The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1891-04-30

An editor is expected to say something
whether he has anything to say or not. and
that is the reason so much finds it's way into
print which it would have been as well or
editorial matter in our ablest newspapers
that gives evidence of having been written
for no higher purpose than to fill up space
and make good showing to the eye.
The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1891-04-30

his trial. If it had been known that the
third bullet fired from his pistol was even
then in the body Of his faithful wife. moth
ing would have saved his life. 1t was only
after the miserable man had been convicted
of murder in minor degree that she ap-
piled to a doctor. and confessed that her
husband had shot her. and that the bullet
was still in her hip. No novelist ever in
vented more touching tale of a woman's
devOtiOn.-The Churchman.
The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1891-04-30
TO THE PUBLIC.

THE PRISON MIRROR is a weekly paper pub
lished in the Minnesota state prison. All matter
published in its columns is contributed by the
inmates. except that properly credited. Its sup
BORT must come from the outside as every inmate
10 given a 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 q
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 prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1891-04-30

The MIRROR gratefully acknowledges
the receipt of copy of proceedings of the
twenty-fOurth annual meeting of the Min
nesota Editors and Publishers association.
THE MIRROR is indebted to the members
of the association. individually and collect
lively, for that public recognition which it
has gained. From the beginning to the
present time the editors of Minnesota have
been saying to THE MIRROR: You are do.
ing famously, just keep it up. Had they
said the reverse. there would be no MIRROR
to-day.
The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1891-04-30

At present the Car eschews all Russian
newspapers; their pseans and lamentations
never reach his ears. Among the many de-
partments of the ministry of the interior there
is one called the department of His Maj
esty's Journal" which is charged with pre-
pairing day by day carefully wOrded resume
Of some mild articles and items of intelli-
gence meant for the EmperOr's eye. A Tschi-
novnik of the Censure rises from his bed in
the gray of the early morning and hurries off
to the department., where advance sheets of
the journals come in damp from the press.
These he reads over. marking with lead
pencil all the passages the interest of which
is not marred by injudiciousness. There
are certain events as we'll as words and
phrases, which Russian Emperor must
never be allowed to hear. The marked
passages are then cut out, pasted together
on sheets, and handed over to the director
of the department., who, after carefully
considering and, il needs be. curtailing
them, signifies his approval. The extracts
are then copied Geographically on the finest
description of paper. forty or fifty words to
given to the Minister of the Interior or his
adjunct If this dignitary is satisfied, it is
passed on to the General in Waiting, who
deposits it on His Majesty's table about four
o'clock the following day. The news that
slowly dribbles through this official filter is
seldom of nature to discOmpOse the feel
ings of the Gar. or disturb his sleep.-Lon-
don Telegraph.
The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1891-04-30

One is fOrcibly reminded of the fact that
Americans are pre.eminently commercial
people when, on reading in the Pioneer
Press glowing cable eulogy of the late
Gen. Won Moltke, he finds the tribute wind
up with dealers in Hamburg and Bremen
expect at an early date to import large car
goes of American hogs. The trade in
American beef continues to BOOM"
The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1891-04-30

Nearly all the members of church in an
Iowa town withdrew recently because a
black sheep entered the fock-said sheep
happening to be black on the outside in
stead of on the inside. Those good people
will be in an awful fix if that black man
should die first and get into heaven ahead
of them. Wonder if they would want St.
Peter to put the nagur out?
The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1891-04-30

Another of MinnesOta's grand men has
passed on to that other world. On last Fri
day evening at s o'clock, Gen. H. P. Van
Cleve died of pneumonia. aged 81 years.
Gen. Van Cleve came to Minnesota in 1856
and has been an honored citizen of the state
ever since. Many here will remember his
bereaved wife who has on several occasions
addressed the inmates of this place.
The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1891-04-30

A bill has been introduced in the British
parliament by the home secretary. which
provides for the punishment by hogging of
youthful criminals and misdemeanants un-
der the age of sixteen. The father of the
offending child may be made to pay fine
where his son has done any damage. unless
he can show that he was in no wise respon-
sible for his sons vicious conduct. This will
at least make parents more careful about
training their sons up in the way they
should 60. It is thought. and it is true, no
doubt, that this mode of punishment will
be far more effective in restraining the
tough youths of the cities than any form of
imprisonment, but it looks like step back
ward in the punishment of crime. 1t is
truly lamentable to see what great num-
Der of boys, even in the cities of this coun-
try, are found walking in the crooked ways
while yet at an age when one would expect
to find them innocent children.
The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1891-04-30

poor man has family the fine money is
taken most often from the wife's little hoard
that otherwise would be applied to support
ing the family. The only penalty for
drunkenness should be term in prison. and
this should be resorted to only in the case
of the habitual.
The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1891-04-30

The heroism of wife was pathetically
illustrated at the recent trial of man at
Anglesea. The prisoner saved his neck
through the devotion of his wife. who sat
at his side. pale and suffering, all through
The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1891-04-30

The Morgan Messenger begins its second
volume this week, in which it has this to
say: Zone of the brightest. most reliable
and neatest little papers that comes to our
desk is The PRISON MIRROR edited and
printed by the inmates of the state prison
at Saltwater" Thanks. Bro. Small.
The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1891-04-30

The old man who expects young man of
twenty to have sixty year. old head on his
shoulders has wooden one On his own
Gen. r. w. johnson.
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1891-08-14
Orphans Court.

The Orphans Court for Cecil Co.,
was in session on Tuesday and Wed.
nesday of this week Hon. James
McCauley. chief judge; Hon. James
NJ. Evans and Hon. David P. Davis,
associate judges, present.
Sundry claims against deceased
estates were examined and passed.
Bonds Approved.-Bond of Mary
L. McCauley and Hugh B. McGauley,
administrators of John McCauley (;
bond of James J. McCauloy and
Mary R. Gritfenberg, executors of
John T. Gallaher; bond of Francis S.
Everist, administrator of Isabella
Reed.
Accounts Passed.-Frst and final
account of Warren R. Grosh, admin.
istrator of Sarah R. Grosh; first and
final account of VIM. A. Cameron,
administrator of Ann Rowland; third
account of Robert q. Hopkins, guar
dian of Hugh B, Rowland, ct al ;
third account of r. G. Hopkins, trus.
tee of same; first and final account of
Rachel A. Crouch and John f.
Roach, administrators of Stephen G.
Crouch; first and final account of NJ ].
Emma Haines, executrix of Sallie e
Haines.
Court adjourned to meet in special
session on Tuesday next, Aug. 18th.
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1891-08-14
The State of the Order.

Under this caption The National Econo-
mist, the national organ of the Farmers
Alliance, published at Washington, D. c.,
in review of the condition of the. Order
says:
sin comparing the present condition Of
the order with that Of one year ago when the
state meetings began, decided movement
for the better is at once discovered. Not
withstanding the fierce opposition the Alli-
ance has increased in numbers, become more
solidly united and is every way stronger.
1t is to-day better equipped for the struggle
for reform, better prepared to cope with its
enemies and better qualified 10 take care of
itself and defend its principles than ever
before.
ssThe public press, especially the subsi-
died portion, has persistently misrepresent-
ed the condition of the order. A false
report would be sent out from Kansas stat
ing that the Alliance was being disrupted
on account of the sub-treasury plan. This
would be taken up by all the leading dailies
both North and South, and heralded all
over the land. Another equally false state
ment would be given out through the same
channels, that the Alliance in Texas was
breaking to pieces for similar reasons. No
matter what evidence might be given that
these reports were untrue, not line could
be gotten into the columns of those papers
to inform the people of the facts. A vic
ious attack planned in Nashville, st. Louis
or Topeka would be printed simultaneously
in New York, Charleston, Chicago and all
other large business centers, proving con-
clusively the existence Of plan of cam
paign against the Alliance from this source
In fact it is doubtful if all the unfair, mis-
leading and false reports given ont by the
subsidized press, haye changed the opinions
of dozen members of the entire Order,
while the ridicule and abuse OF the principles
Of the Alliance are known 10 have started
good men to investigate these demands,
which in turn has been of great benefit TO
The Order. Every true member of the
Alliance should take renewed interest in
the Order and continue the contest revived
and refreshed by this reassuring condition
of Alliance affairs.
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1891-08-14
Government Control Cheapens the
Service.

In discussing the manufacture of heavy
guns, armor plates and ships the PhiIadel-
phia Press pays tribute (houghtlessly
doubtless) to the economy Of government
control oil large enterprises, and which
points out the advantage 10 the public which
would result from the government control Of
railroads and the telegraph. The Press
says:
1.-THE advantage is seen in the experience
of the Navy Department, which has reduced
the cost of manufacturing 6.inch guns from
$3400 in 1886 TO $l298 in 1890, and the
average time required for the production OF
gun was shortened from lis to sixty days.
There was similar reduction in time and
cost on the guns of larger caliber."
Who would agree to turn over the posi-
Office business 10 private monopoly or 10
the competition, rate cutting and finally
pooling and the negotiable "lrust," by Civ
ing the business into the hands of several
private companies. AS it is with the mail
business and as il is being demonstrated by
the manufactured cannon, ships and armor
plate, so it would prove with the railroads
and telegraph, the business would be safer
and carried on at half the present cost if it
was all under government control. So
nicely is the far reaching and complicated
mail service managed by government con :
troll tina! if single mail bag is misplaced,
where tons of mail is shifted with the utmost
hurry and dispatch, the mistake is imme-
diately known at headquarters, and the
fault traced up TO the agent in few hours
after. If any employe supposes he may
venture 10 steal few letters while handling
thousands and no eye to see him, before he
is aware Of it the officer has him under ar.
rest, and the evidence of his guilt is placed
before his eyes. If the telegraph was in the
hands of the government half our cores
pondence would be done in that way greatly
Tightening the letter service, and reducing
the expense. Railroad freights and fare
would be reduced to one-halfat once and ere
long to one fourth of what they are at pres.
ent. The frightful railroad murders that
daily fill the papers, which are pretty
nearly all traceable to ineficiency or care
lessness, would be reduced to minimum.
No one in the employ of the mail depart
ment can shirk his business and escape
complaint and sharp criticism from the
public, and being reported TO headquarters.
And it would be the same in the railroad
and telegraph. The argus eyes Of the pub
lie would be ever on them. The public
will not endure much longer to be abused
ane robbed through these mediums by a
select, favored class. ~ On
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1891-08-14
Against SILVER.

Since the editorial page of the Ap.
neal has been initiated into the order
of the golden calf it espouses the
cause Of the foreign debt holders and
is even violent in opposition to sill.
yer restoration to its constitutional
ard ancient place as one of the
money metals. The last declaration
of the appeal is:
"We hope that when the Republi-
can State Convention meets it will
Insert in the platform positive
declaration that the Republican party
OF Maryland is opposed to the free
coinage of silver"
We hope so too. Let there be nc
longer any bogus division of politi-
cal parties on imaginary lines called
Republican and Democrat. Let the
true lines be drawn that everybody
may see and understand them. In
future let the parties be known as
the Rich non-producing Plutocratic
party and the Poor Producing party
These are the present natural politi-
cal divisions Of the country. Taere
are in reality no Republican and
Democratic parties. These are only
names of parties that once existed
and are handed down to us as Tyre
Babylon and Carthage. The political
divisions masquerading under these
names are one in principle on the
tariff-both are advocates of pro-
tective tarifi-both are in unison on
financial matters. Their policy is to
sustain the present banking system
which makes debts and money dear
and labor and the products of labor
cheap. The financial policy OF both
ID TO make the rich richer and the
poor poorer Both cry out against
monopolies and trusts while adyocat
ing the policy that upholds them.
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1891-08-14
The Australian Ballot Law at the
Primaries,


One important duty developing on
the next legislature of Maryland will
be extending the Australian ballot
law over the nine counties which the
local bosses prevailed on the last
legislature to exempt. There is no
sufficient reason why this judicious
law should not be extend over every
voting precinct in the state and
many good reasons why it should.
The law should also be made to in.
clude the primaries for here is where
the most mischief to the franchise is
done. The primary should name the
candidate and make 1t the business
of the judges of the primary to meet
at Elkton to count the votes and pull.
lish the names of the candidates the
people selected and this is all the
county convention should be EN-.
powered or permitted to do. No log
rolling and swapping either at the
primaries or the convention, and no
boss dictation and coercion. Let us
have the Australian ballot extended
to the primaries as well as TO the
general election.
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1891-08-14
A Little Girls Experience
I'm A Lighthouse

Mr.. and Mrs. Loren Prescott are
keepers of the Gov. Lighthouse at Sand
Beach, Mich and are blessed with a
daughter, four years old. Last April
she was taken down with measles. fol-
lowed with dreadful cough and turn
ing into fever. Doctors at home and
atDetroit treated her, but in vain, she
grew worse rapidly, until she was a
mere "handful Of bones" Then she
tried DR.. Kings New Discovery and
after The use of two and half bottles,
was completely cured. They say DR..
Kings New Discovery is worth its
weight in gold, yet you may get trial
bottle free ct L. r. Kinks drug store