Telegram-herald., 1891-03-29
AMONG The CONVICTS.
Life Inside the Frownlng Walls an
Jackson.
HOW THE PRISONERS EAT AND SLEEP
Transform alton on ArrisAi-Ths Rou efns
of Daily Lab0r-sehsei Aaa Church
Prisileges-Iliiterasy and Morbid
fropsnsisies OF the Mea-

Almost instlnenyely mind OF deli
cate organization shoulders IL the sound
OF the word prison. There 10 instantly
conjured up woful imsg lnings OF dun
geon cells and men in stripes loaded
with chain and ball, moving IN painful
silence aligned IN iockstep.
There Is. however. q small world pre-
sented for most interesting study with
in the high and thick walls that enclose
over eight hundred men IN the State
prison AT jackson. The buildings are
within a great yard surrounded by a
high stone wall. The guards, armed with
Winchester's. pace up and down, from
turret house 10 turret house, ready 10
shoot any prisoner who may be unfor-
tunate enough 10 be seen while trying
u escape. The main building contai Ms
the warden's residence and the Offices,
the chapel, school room (for iilterate
conyicts are put under Instruction.
Long wings extend on either eide aud
these contain the cell blocks.
Committed to the Prison.
To suppose a case: The sheriff is
taking the sentenced criminal 10 the
penitentiary from Grand Rapids. Just
about as the tram passes the long walls
of the PRISON the brakeman calls out,
jackson, change for points north. east,
south and west, Jackson" The con-
ylcts heart sinks within HIM as he sits
in the seat handcuited 10 the officer.
"Come on" he is told and is loaded INTO
back and wheeled away TO the place
that will be ms home for say the next
fifteen years. A drive OF a mile and
they alight and enter the hall way and
up TO pr waite room. His name, age.
color, residence and other personal
data are carefully registered. lis per-
SON is accurately measured, every scar
or peculiarly noted. his photograph
taken, hair and beard cut, and arrayed
IN suit of coarse wooden stripes, he Is
gwen a number 10y which he is after
ward known. lie loses overwhelmingly,
and should he look in a mirror he
would scarcely recognize himself. A
cell feet by feet, with marrow iron
bedstead is assigned him; the heavy
iron gate clangs behind him; he Is lost
to the world for fifteen years, he might
as well be dead.
His Life on the Inside.
And now for some strange things
within the walls, phenomena that Will
be observed nowhere but inside a
prison. Suppose the new arrival comes
IN the morning, before night almost
every convict IN the place will know
his name, crime, term, from whence he
came and all about it. How is IT?
Prisoners are supposed to carry on no
communication, but never was sup
position based on more fallaclous
grounds. The subject of inter-com-
municatlon is one of deep interest and
offers more mystery than almost
any other phaze Of prison life.
The "silent voice" is one of
the tricks earliest acquired. A prisoner
Will stand and with absolutely motion
less lips and expressionless face, talk in
throttled tones to his nearest neighbor
1t is almost a species of ventrlloqulsm.
A long-termer on regalning freedom
does not speak as OF yore, but his talk
reminds one of a seaman as With roll
ing gait he takes his first steps on solid
earth. Certain telegraphic signs are
also soon learned. There 10 class OF
convicts who are called "trustys."
they are the most efficient mail car
riers, as they alone are allowed outside
the walls without guxrds.
How Letters Are Passed.
1t is comparatively an easy matter to
send letters out, but it is harder to get
them inside. Often the contractors or
free lahorers working on a contract are
efficient in bringing communications,
addressed apparently to themselves,
but by some insignificant mark to some
convict. There many little secret So
cietes among the convicts, seldom ex-
ceeding five in number. One of these
two years ago got up the dynamite
scheme. An outside pal furnished dy-
mantle cartridges. and tossed them over
the wall securely packed in cloth and
cotton, fastened to aspurof iron. which
in falling buried itself III the ground.
The same scheme is often used TO send
messages outside. A piece OF red cloth
or leather lies on the ground outside
the wall. The pal finds It and pulls out
the spur, around which is tied note.
Another method of Communication is
the single hand deaf and dumb alpha.
bet. but It's use is limited. Every sun.
day the convicts may talk.
Money Earned by Making Trinket..
They OCCUPY their time after their
tasks are done in making trinkets for
sale. In many ways they can collect
few cents at a time, and at the end oil
long term have quite sum coming
All are put Mt work and hence Learn
some trade, at least partially. The ris
ing hour Is 6 a. nj. They go to bed ut
p. m. Their food Is plain, but whole
some. The daily life, however, is one
of continual monotony of repetition
The school sessions are IN the evening
Under the "reform Administration oi
Warden Hatch, literary and debating
clubs were encouraged. Punishment
were rare. Warden Davis has alread,
acquired the reputation OF beng an
old-timer and - rather more
street than the reform methods
require, vet TO all appearances he will
make good and successful warden
But few incidents are added in wear
to the chapter of escapes. They are
most frequent among the "tFustys.'
/ The tunnel plan was worked from be
meath the floor of the blacksmith shOi
a few years ago. 1t took nearly year
20 build Il. and out of the i've who
went through 1t, three were captured
I The other two have never been hear
| of. Once n man went ont on a wagon
! load of ashes, but now every susplciou
I load = prodded with long iron pixies
FScsups or attempts are rare.