The Bessemer indicator., 1894-05-19

in Its situation. 1t has the usual
prison wall and the customary
guards, but these are morely for
dumb show. The convicts. who
come from various parts OF Arizona,
know that In the thirty years OF tho
prisons existence only one man has
reached freedom across the fearful
deserts that surround the prison,
while the bones Of at least hfty
bravo and hardy mon who have tried
to gain old Mexico now lie whitening
in the desert The prison stands on
. high bluf at the junction OF tho
Yuma und Colorado rivera Tho
only feasible avenues OF escape to
civilization are along the line OF
railroad or by the Colorado river.
To follow the river is to be certain
Of capture before the convict has
gained distance Of fifty miles. To go
up or down the railroad Is to be sure
Of recapture, for. with the telegraph
and the telephone, the authorities
may head of any fugitive In . few
hours.
The only chance for the desperate
man who yoxrns for freedom 10 TO
strike across tho desert to the south
Of Yuma and make for the limo Of old
Mexico.
Discipline has always been inforced
In the Arizona penitentiary by hui
mane methods, despite the desperate
character OF the convicts. says the
New York Sun. The only punish
ment permitted is incarceration in
the dark cell. No AogRing 10 per-
mitted. As rule. solitary confin-
ment for few days on diet
Of bread and water serves to
break the spirit Of the most
hardened criminal The case Of John
Clay, therefore is noteworthy be-
cause IT is an exception to the gen.
eral rule.
Clay was received at the prison In
May. 1892. from Maricopa county.
sentenced to seven years on two
convictions Of grand larceny. He
was 21 years OF age At his admission.
He Is native Of Tennessee. OF pow
srful physique. over six feet in
height He is remarkably temperate; ;
he docs not smoke but chews tobac.
co. He Is poorly educated, but Is OF
wide general ssinformstion, and his
mental popularity consists In re-
markable self-will and obstinsoy
when he has once made up his mind
on any question. As he is very i'm
pulsive. he is more often wrong In his
conclusions than right, but his COM
panions long ago abandoned any hope
Of convincing him Of any Of his errors.
Clay was closely watched by the
officials on his arrival, because they
feared some outbreak due to his
peculiar temperament. but after
several months strict surveillance
was relaxed. One day Clay was do
tailed with several other prisoners
to build new oven for the bakery.
The foreman Of the gang happened
10 be convict named Howard Win
throw. q negro Clsy's antipAthy to
the colored race led to trouble with
Winthrow, and the negro complained
TO the superintendent When spoken
to about the matter Clay made An
insulting snswer. and was sent to
the dark cell He remained there
eight days. when he was released.
On tho following day. Is tho CON
victs were marching through the
main corridor Of the prison at the
end OF the days labor. Clay. without
warning, sprang like a Wild beast
upon Winthrow and slsshed the me-
gro savagely in the neck with =
sharp knife. The injured man. ees.
perately wounded rs he was. seized
Clay by the throat, and for time Il
looked rs though the guards on the
walls would be compelled to shoe,
the men in order to prevent . gen
ersl outbreak. Finally the ofioer,
and attendants were able TO quel
the excitement and to separate tn.
two men. Clsy's only excuse for hii
attack was that Winthrow had USED
offensive language toward him, ant
he added that he would kill him tn,
first opportunity that offered
Superintendent Thomas Gates saw
at once that Clay would have to bs
severely punished or prison disci
pline would receive q fatal blow, q
the man WAS looked up to by cor
tain body Of conviots - . leader
Gates ordered Clay into the darl
cell, and told him that he shoult
stay there until he had apologized
not only to him. but to the injured
convict. Clay replied passionatcly
n will lie in the dark cell until
rot before will take water" H,
Dragged that he could remain II
solitary confinement as long - tn,
superintendent could keep hin
there. So he was thrown into th,
solitary cell. where he remained fo
l07 days
In the dark cell. unable to read
unable oven to sec, this extraord
mary convict maintained cheerful
ness and . certain measure OF healtl
until the last two weeks Of his stay
His daily rstions consisted OF bres.
and water. except ON Sundays, whel
two ordinary prison meals were fur
nished. Only once day wss b.
visited by an ofiicer, who passed hin
in his food, while . fellow convic
under the eyes Of the oiIioer cleans,
his cell
For . long time tho omcsr
thought they had chsckmated II
convicts In their efforts TO help Clay
Food which was intended for hin
was frequently captured. and Tobacco
and other articles conhscated. Tn
cell. however, adjoiued . statsroos
connecting with the kitchen, and
after long watching, the superin
tsndout discovered that sucoessfu
efforts had been made 10 pass III
man In solitary connnoment liquid
like coffee and soup and occasionall,
. little tobacco. These were Intro
duced by . long. narrow tin tubs
through hole in tho cell which ha.
been ingeniously constructed An,
then concealed from observation.
ThaAa articlaa a0rnua NJ swhln]