Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1893-1895, 1893-08-18
LIFE BEHIND PRISON WALLS.
Described by an Inmate Of the
County Jail.
A philosopher IN DURANGO HbR
He Compares Bills Of Fare at HO-
tel Knight, Strongs and
Willamette.
A PHH0S0PHER IN DURANGO EILE

/
Ia civilized communities the progress
" mankind along the paths Of humani-
ty and coinmiseration is strongly en-
phssized by the changed manner Of the
treatment accorded to criminals and
thOse accused of crime, and everywhere
10 seen evidence of the adoption Of the
scientific theory that it is disease,
which may be cured; or a temporary
oerversion Of faculty, which may be
remedied.
To add misery to this sum Of misfor-
tune is as mistaken az it is cruel.
AS write, there are five men ia Sa-
lem jail. Two are city committals for
plain, unscalloped drunks; and three |
are beId to await the action Of tine
grand jury on charges bringing them |
within the province Of that body. If
bonds Of, respectively, $50, $3.50 and
500, the latter presented for stealing
morse, were furnished, the latter three
would be permitted to mingle with
their fellowmen until the opening ol
Inc next term Of court; or, In default OF
Ineir appearance then the forfeited
money would appeaSe offended justice.
Of course the sworn officers Of the
law have their plain duty to perform.
Upon them is placed the onues or safely
zeeping and duly producing these men
when called upon by the Judiciary, and
they have wide latitude In their treat
ment Of them. They might, in their
election, keep them confined all the
Time, solitary and alone in separate cells;
give them just enough Of the coarsest
food TO avert starvation and deny them
the slightest privilege which would
tend TO ameliorate the prisoneFs' condi-
ton. But 30 far from such merciless
course they seem inspired by desire to
make prison life as endurable as posi-
BILE. The Jail occupies the whole base
ment of the large county court house,
the cells being built In the middle and
surrounded by a broad corridor, the
outer wall pieced with many windows
the floor being on a level with the
square and streets, so that plenty Of
, light and air are afforded, and the view
is unobstructed. The cots are comfort
able and provided with plenty Of blank
cts; and in the common room, are q
large stove, a table, and chairs.
Three times day at 8 a. am, IL m,
and p. m, really good meals are fur
nished; clean, welI-cooked, palatablt
and plentiful. / have before me as /
, write a caste OF Strong's Restaurant,
and remember with sadness and long
ing the choice and elaborate menus Of
mine host Wagner OF the Willamette;
and while / must confess that the table
here does not come up TO the standard
of either Of these, yet the ch nged con-
dition Of then and now, makes the
meals furnished by the consideration Of
Sheriff Knight something 10 be thank-
ful for. The bread is as white, as light
and as sweet, as goes TO any table In
the state; fresh, sound, wholesome
] vegetables, and good meat Of various
, kinds comprises the daily fare; and If
, the debenues wish to send out for but
ter, sugar, or other delicacies there Is
no restriction on their doing so. There
> Is plentiful supply OF hydrant water
; and electric lights burn all night In the
, corridor.
But do not for q moment, imagine
that all this humane treatment make es
jail life agreeable or attractive. Even
, were the cells carpe'ed and adorned as
some Of the rich bank wreckers aud
} embezzlers Of the East have thelrs;
even We're the meals served from the
, Willamette or Strong's, there would be
no cheerfulness, comfort, or pleasure
where the bright blue OF the sky Is
broken by the bleak, sinister iron bars,
whose forbiddlng shadows creep along
the cold stone floor, In front Of the dis
NAL doors Of the reeedIng cells. The
laugh that Ia sometimes raised is hollow,
tuneless and evanescent; and the prIs-
oners whose Ave or ten days sentences
have expired, aud who step across the
Jail threshold penniless and uncertain
as to where their next lodging place or
meal Will be, doso with sunlight break.
out all over their bronzed and unshaven
faces. The prison air, the oppression
OF close bOrdered and restricted space,
aud the knowledge that tomorrow and
tomorrow, will lie bat repetltlons OF
today, weigh upon the soul aud even
temper meas speech aud actions tJ |
a llafleaaneaa thai All huf allmnlal.a a Il
walking death.
The glorious uncertainty OF life Is an
Incentive 10 happiness that never Ia,
trudes within the prison bounds.
Ihnocent or guilty. convicted or
waiting the trial which shall terminate
Ia enlargement or prolonged imnrison-
ment, the life Of poor wretch ia Gus.
tody has all the elements of misery and
regret; sud when he has for custodlans,
men ia whom the "milk Of kindness"