New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-11-29

10
v,,es County Penitentiary. in Brooklyn. yesterday
- see how the convics there spent the day.
~avsr,heless he learned that behind the
,rovuing gloomy walls of that place of punishment
thanksgiving Day by comparison may be time OF
,ass,ne and gladness: day set apart from other
osvs ~ be looked forward TO with pleasure and
remembered with gratitude toward the kind people
who made II so.
Most convcts are cynics You can that in
their furtive glances and their almost mpercepti-
nle sneers A really good honest happy fellow be-
ing is a perpetual irritation 10 the who is
neither good. honest. happy nor free; and when the
honest citizen goes the unrighteous prisoner. with
. tract in his hand and conscious rectitude in his
countenance. the prisoner is not always so deeply
,opressed $ ne would be II the philanthropist gave
him things he could eat smoke or drink. ana en-
,ov ate: the fashion Of his kind The convict cares
more for ppeful OF tobacco than ne does for the
longest sermon ever preached and turkey and pie
ar more to MIN than all the tracts in Christen-
don, 1t is unregenerate idea. but that is the
WAY h, feels about II. His feelings are OF little con-
sequence Of course because he is put away from
society 10 oe punished: yet the fact remains and
il gave a particular significance 10 the observance
q. Thanksgiving Day in the Kings County Peniten-
,arv Think Of men who spend day after day in
"ueary undelight." following a routine that makes
wears almost as blank and pitiless prison walls.
and then think OF them-nearly thousand outcasis
-clspplng their hands and shouting with honest
gAe. or forgetting PRISON iaAe III AV1S'' anu -
VII appear tina, Thanksgiving Day really meant
something to the criminals behind those walls.
Warden Hayes. Of the Crow Hill Penitentiary.
was a busy early yesterday morning. when the
reporter was admitted TO his presence through an
iron gateway He arranging the prelminaries
Of the twenty first annual concert and entertain
mem. be given under the direction of Mrs. sara
Harris Blaisdell Moreover he arranging for
the Thanksgiving dinner for the prisoners. to allow
the entertainment. The Warden hustled about Ike
a nervous stage manager giving his last directions
five minutes before the beginning OF a new pay.
Then the "ta,ent'-all volunteers but able and IN
,eresied-hegan arrive. and the Office OF the
penitentiary and the corridor leading thereto were
livelier than they had been for many day before.
Mos; o ladies young and curious TO
developments A number Of them had musical in
strumsnts. II little like being behind the
scenes" in a theatre.
The audience had not assembled. hut it wait
ing and expectant. A door in the office was opened,
and part Of the audience could be There
rows and ,iers Of cells in white apartment.
and standing in group number Of the
convicts dressed in the hdeOus black and white
striped prison uniform They pale and shaver
and shorn. and they all looked with interest al the
performers peering curously at them through the
doorway Presently the venerable chaplain Of the
prison, the Rev. job q. Bass, passed through the
doorway. ard watchful guard in gray uniform
closed the door after him 1t about 10 o'clock,
and nearly time for the entertainment TO begin.
the reporter went three long flights Of stairs 10
q stufy little gallery away off .one side of the
chapel Looking down from that gallery only one
wing OF the chapel with platform in the distance
could be seen. on the platform were piano and
a sem-circle Of chairs The floor Of the big
covered with hundreds Of strong wooden
benches. all unoccuped The audience had not
rived,
In few moments there sound Of shut
fling feet and a line OF convicis marched down
the stage and seated according 10 the drec-
tons OF the guards. simultaneously prisoners
head appeared in opening in the floor the
gallery Following him up a narrow. winding. iron
staircase leading from celiroom the chapel,
came hundreds OF other convicts. Reaching the
chapel floor they folded their arms across their
breasts. according 70 custom. and marched rapidly
% the benches assigned them. Soon without
word being spoken and amid the sound made by
the regular shufilng convict step. the large room
was completely filled. There were between $50 and
1000 mae prisoners in the chapel There
room for the women hut. for the first time In the
history Of the penitentiary. all the male prisoners
had been invited TO be present On the platform
were Commissioner Burtis and some OF The talent"
In all that great body Of men before the enter
tainment began there not smiled.
There great hulking. low-browed fellows;
there ninb.e little chaps who walked with
q light cai-like tread. and reminded one OF fox
terriers; there men with Intellectual features,
VINO sank into their seats with weary Indifference;
there were huge. builet-neaded negroes: with
the faces OF parsons and the morals Of thugs:
equare-jawed. small-eyed Bowery toughs; forgers.
defauters, burglars, murderous men intelligent
men and all and conditions of
good men. Looking down from the little gallery
1t seemed II the bottom OF the chapel paved
with hum backs. Most Of the men were broad
backs and all were barred with the broad stripes
OF the uniform. Above the backs hundreds
and hundreds of human heads so closely shorn
that the deficiencies and pecuiarites Of the skulls
stood forth plainly.
So the convicts waited watchfuily nonchalanty.
expectanty. with gaze directed upon the platform:
a striking instance Of how passion and individu-
allty may be crushed by discipline There
hum of conversation. although here and there a
man talked to his neighbor. In a Bowery theatre
these men. being free, would have been raising
Cain"
STIRRED BY MUSIC AND SONG.
Presently the Old chaplain walks TO the front Of
the platform. and there is stir OF interest in
the audience tells his hearers Of the entertain
rnent provided for them, and that they may
p,aud with their hands and voices. but with
their feet Then the first number on the pro-
gramme is announced. II is the overture, Mari
nettes." by the Berkeley Quintet Club. 1t Is heard
respectfully and encored but 1t is LITTLE "over
the heads" Of the majority OF the audience. Il is
followed by soprano solo. "A Spring song ana
Swiss Echo Song" by Miss Annie L. Walker.
This is more 10 the taste Of the audience, ana
there is storm Of hearty applause Iae singer
recital 'How Old Folks Won the oaks by
Miss Loretta Tappan Greene. Is announced next
Miss Greene is young and pretty and dressed IN 2
gay gown. with opera CLOAK. she 10 cheeieu
before she begins and then there is silence -,
Miss Greene with effective gesture, theh teils
the story Of little coored boy-a wal Itoi ii no
Jockey In a great in a southern STATE. A.
her recital proceeds the prisoners, 40 pniesina.io
before become excited and break in on the story
with tempestuous applause As in me des s
OF the re ce little "Old Folks plungng on MS iacei
back (, supposed 10 be the finish the auoISise
can contain itself longer II Whistles am
sound identified with the Rebel feI "neieDs s
the exctable American citizen Is wont 10 eHpi eo
his supreme qualification. When MISE MISE - 70
finishes she is applauded in way that pu eSaee
shame the desultory handciapplhe o. by
gf,Sne a humorous and sentimental little song ana