Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-05-09
GIVEN A BIG RAISE.
Ex-Market Clerk David Hastings Is
Promoted to Jail Crier.
HOW FRANK GERADE KILLS TINE.
The Murderer Reproduced Flowers That
Cheered Ills Youth.
PRISON SNAPS THAT HAVE VANISHED

Ex-Market Clerk David Hastings, of AL
legheny. who is now in Jail for juggling
with accounts, is being made official crier of
the Jail 1t is a position almost as impor-
tant as court crier, but is not hampered by
a salary. The place is one that is always
filled by some long-term man who can be
trusted His duties are to keep track OF
all the prisoners and their location. In the
Office prisoners are known by names, but
behind the bars they are known only by
numbers. When a man is wanted the Jail
officer simply calls the name to the crier,
who will call, for example, Range Is, pre-
pare No. 60 for COURT
The man is then gotten ready and brought
down. The place requires man who can
keep track of details. The man who now
occupies the place will soon be released and
David Hastings has accepted the position.
Before he was doing carpenter work about
the Jail. Warden McAleese says he is one of
the handiest men with hatchet and saw
that he has ever met This new position
will give the market clerk greater privi-
leges and will keep his mind constantly
employed.
nope benInu Ir1HOn BARS.
Warden McAleese then got to talking
about how confinement affected people.
SIN here, - he said, every few ever get de-
spondent. A Jail, you know, is simply a
place of detention and there il always hope
as long as they are in here. The prisoner
can build fancies on how he will come Off at
his trial and there is none OF that give-up-
the-struggle feeling that comes to men SEN
fenced for period of years. An example of
this can be found in the case OF Frank
Gerade, who beat out his step-daughters
brains. For two years he has lived in q little
5xS cell and has never been outside of 1t ex-
cept when he was taken 70 court. Such close
confinement Tor that length of time in the
Penitentiary would drive o man insane. All
that keeps him up here is the hope that he
may yet obtain cemency. Gerade has twice
been tried and twice convicted of murder in
the first degree and he now has an applica-
tion in for the third trial. Under the prison
rules we cannot put him at anything on the
outside and he simply sits in his cell and
smokes. He was a painter and has devel
oped into quite all artist"
Then the Warden displayed a piece of
Gernde's handiwork. 1t was basket of
that were familiar with him in his child
hood days i'll the Fatherland, and were re-
produced from memory in colored chalk
Each detail had been brought out. He had
spent weeks in making the picture, and he
had even reproduced the grain in the wood
of the table.
Keeping tbs Mans Mind Employed.
eve supply him with material" contin-
ued Warden McAleese, land when he has
finished one drawing we ask for another,
saying some one else wants one. He does
some very fine work in the way of enlarging
photographs. and seems to take pleasure
in the work"
care prisoners allowed to have meals sent
in?" was asked.
"Not any more" was the reply. when
first came here meals were being sent in at
the rate of 100 day. This is not place for
people to come to enjoy themselves. l had
to shut down on that. We allow prisoners
all the clean clothes and tobacco they want,
but they are only allowed one basket a
week. or course" the Warden added with
n wise look, I'VE object to the size of the
basket.
"The tobacco trade was formerly profit
able one here. When first came 1 caught
sight of the tobacco stand behind the bars
and asked how long it had heen there, and
was told 90 years. 1t just took me 20 min
utes to wind up the business"