The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-12-26
AMONG THE STRIPED MEN.
s'Becky Sharp Visits the Kansas PEN
itentiary on Christmas.
TALKS WITH SEVERAL CONYICTS.

warden Lynch.
spent Christmas at the Kansas state
penitentiary.
Unlike the majority of people who go
there I went unattended and unan-
nounced.
There is feeling of delightful uncon-
ventionality about going anywhere that
you are not expected. My train was
late and whom I stepped out on the lit
tie platform at Lansing at least half of
the half dozen people standing around
wore prison stripes. Approaching one
of these. a colored man, l said, sis Mr.
Lynch at homer"
His cap was lifted quickly, and he said
"Yes'm, did you want to go up to the
building?"
noticed later that those of the prison
TRUSTEES who are allowed to talk speak of
the prison as ''the building" 1 answered
the man in the affirm
ati7e and he said, IF you had a sdnt
word, there'd been a carriage to meet
you"
Assuring him that 1 would be glad of
seat in the big wagon, of which he was
driver climbed up beside him at the
of the mules at least eight feet below,
When l arrived at the prison office l
was told that Mr.. Lynch was in the chap
ell and would be down soon.
But did not wait. had come to see
how the convicts spent Christmas and l
would so up to the chapel if some one
would show me the way. which one of
the officers did. Following him up into
large room over the dining room. en-
f1rir, 81 a
stage, we saw "full house." one which
in point of mum bers would surprise To-
peka's Mr.. Crawford.
Straight out in front were sitting the
majority OF TOO prisoners. Their faces
were uplifted, expectant, pleased; they
were listening at the moment to a song
which negro prisoner with a most mu-
steal voice was singing. As he ceased
Warden Lynch arose and stepping to the
front of the stage said:
"Boys, you are now about to hear Sc
| lection not down in the programme; I'm
little old fashioned but 1 rather like
this particular piece, though it is a little
new, and hope when you get used to it,
that you wilL.''
As Mr.. Lynch sat down. there was APP
| plause, and when zone of the boys"
stepped out and struck up "The Arkan-
sas Traveller" on his fiddle, Il believe it
is fiddle instead of d violin on which
| airs of that kind are played) there were
| bowls of delightful laughter; yells of ap-
! proval which almost drowned the old
| fashioned tune Then suddenly they
grew strangely quiet. If you had ever
! been to a country dance you could i'm
agine that those of the
"boys" who had, too, were listening
for the shuffling of feet on the puncheon
floor.
Here and there face grew dreamy
and reminiscent.
But again the enthusiastic ones cheer
ed until the music was scarcely audi BILE.
When the fiddler sat down. Mr. Lynch
got up and said: "Boys, I'm glad you
liked that" but as be attempted to an
nounce the next number his voice WAS
drowned by repeated calls for more mu-
sic. This time 1.-The Mocking Bird"
was given and once more the audience
gave vent to its delight, though as the
plaintive tune went on, here and there a
hand went furtively up to wipe away a
tear, and one poor fellow, whose face
like many another in the crowd, was
young and not uncomely, buried it on
the shoulder of gravheaded old man
next to him and sobbed and shook with
emotion.
He was thinking no doubt of another
time when he had heard that air, of u
Christmas in the long ago. when he was
happier, worthier mayhaD.
At the right of the stage in company
| with the matron, Mrs. bles. sat near
ly dozen women in blue striped dresses
their uniform. Half of them were
white and one of these wept quietly all
the time.
To me her face was not very bad,
| though not an Intelligent one, and | was
Mortified when Deputy Warden Naill
told me she was the confessed murderer
of her own mother. The exercises were
more than half over when l arrived, but
there was still much that was entertain
ing. Warden Lynch has under his
charge colored chorus that can sing
and dance we'll enough to make good
minstrel troupe. These were very en-
tertaining, one of them called Buttons,
particularly so.
Buttons unpacked a grip on the stage
and very gravely presented the warden
with toy train of cars; then he gave
Deputy Nail two gaily colcred balls, be-
cause as he said ''he keeps de ball
rollin', you know"
One of the last performers was a col
ored boy also who played wonderful Sc
lections on a small harp-mouth organ,
he called it. He gave an imitation of
train leaving a bum and it could be
heard, steaming away. whistling and
ringing the bell, then it slowed up he
called out Holiday! change cars for
lansing" and there was another laugh.
have no sympathy with the morbid
curiosity which likes to gaze on misfor-
tune, but once there l could but look in
speculative fashion at these men, so
many of whom looked like anything else
than criminals with their intelligent and,
in some instances. good-looking faces.
THAT man." said deputy Naill in
answer to an inquiry from me, 'is life
man, charge murder; oh yes, he's a super
Tor man: was judge. That nice looking
gray haired man is in for murder, too,
but only second degree.
Buttons there, who is singing. is in
for burglary and he's a second termer
My wife asked him how he got here, and
| he said oh ken, hnhrin, things IN,