Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1894-07-27

One of the greatest institutions in
the State is the penitentiary At Walls
Walla. Although the grounds cover
a hundred and fifty.fve acres and af.
ford employment to 436 convicts, few
people know very much concerning
its workings. The prevailing idea
that the convicts have a hard time
and experience all the horrors OF the
condemned, with dismal dungeons
shackles, chains, and sometimes blows
is erroneous.
"A Ledger correspondent, returning
from the flooded districts of the Co.
lumbia river, spent two days at the
penitentiary lately and was wildly
impressed with the good behavior of
the large majority of tho prisoners.
study of the sea of sad faces, be-
meath the stripped caps of black and
white, demonstrated that the army Of
convicts is inclined to make the most
OF their Imprisonment and take their
fate philosophically. They are re-
quired to work no harder than ordin-
ary free mechanics; they are not
abused and their food, of which they
are given plenty, is wholesome. There
are but two things at Walla Walla
which make the convict's life an un-
happy one-the knowledge that he
receives no remuneration for his labor
and the stigma which he knows, the
world over, is attached to the name Of
a convict.
In the penitentiary are bankers,
blacksmiths, butchers, contractors,
architects, farmers, masons, ma
chinists, plumbers, painters, actors,
musicians, laborers, lawyers, and. in
fact, every walk in life has its sad rep
resentatives here save the newspaper
profession. 1t is a singular fact that
there are no newspaper men in prison.
With such a force the warden is
enabled to execute all manner OF work
from the construction of houses to
the building Of steam engines, and
under the work of reorganization,
which the present warden has studi-
ously instituted, every convict, except
three who are now in the hospital, has
his special and separate duties to per-
form. The work is sufficient to keep
him busy all day and he who works
faithfully has not time to brood over
and consider his condition and the
Observation-Disclosures.
Warden J. H. Coblentz has insti-
tuted numerous reforms, has cleaned
out some of the old hangers-on,
leseened the running expenses and at
the same time increased the produc-
tiveness of the jute mill, brick yard
and farm. Since he took charge, the
stockade about the prison has been
extended so that it now covers six
acres instead of three; the high fence
about the jute mill, warehouses and
brick yard has been built to enclose
eight acres instead Of four. A three
story brick hospital has been built
within the prison stockade and anoth'
er force of convicts is also employed
at laying the foundation for a brick
building to be used by the warden as
a residence. Besides these improve
ments there has been grading. level
ing and planting until now the place
looks like garden of Eden compared
to its condition year ago.
But one of the most important re-
forms, aside from the putting up OF
new buildings and the work of beauti-
flying the place, has been the estab.
lishment of q rigid system of disci.
pline. Now not only are the guards
better protected, but the prisoners
feel freer; they know just exactly
what is expected of them and are cog
infant of the limits to which they can
60 with safety. Every convict under
stands that he must obey orders with
out q word; if he is rebellious the
dungeon and, perhaps, death will be
bis measure and punishment. At the
present time the dungeons have no
occupants; however, one life was sac.
riiced before the proper degree of dis
cipline was established.
The death of Dryden, alias Snow,
alias Hawthorne, desperate criminal
from Seattle, will probably be recalled
by the newspaper readers ON the
Sound. He had been in the peniten-
tiary lees than q week before he began
to hatch q diabolical scheme to effect
Wholesale delivery of the jute mill
convicts. He was employed in the
mill at a hemming machine directly
beneath the mill guard, who, from his
position in an iron cage, could observe
any suspicious act. Thus it was that
Dryden's scheme was necessarily ar
ranged in his cell after working hours
and secretly passed from mouth to
mouth. His plans were almost ma
tured, when trusty gave informa-
ton concerning the proposed break
for liberty. The next morning the
convicts found an order posted notify.
ing them on pain of death not to leave
their machines in the mill unless &C.
companied by labor overseer. The
convicts were infuriated when they
found that their plans had been frus.
trated and an attempt was made with
out success to kill the trusty who had
foiled them. Dryden did not give UP
hope, however, and continued to
scheme. A few days latter . sham
fight was started in the mill between