The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-12-30
WHAT LYNCH IS DOING.
What the Daily Routine is at the
State Penitentiary.
SOME OF THE REGULATIONS.
Projects of the Kansas state Board of
Healtb-Ouaraut1n Rules.

Projects of the Kansas State Board of
KEealfh-Quarant7ne Rules.
Warden ]. B. Lynch has made some
interesting regulations 10 the manage
ment of the state penitentiary at Lansing
since he has been there, and the disci-
pline in the institution now is almost like
clock work:
The rising bell and whistle are now
sounded as late as $50 a. m, alth ough
an earlier start is made in summer. FIT
teen minutes are allowed for dressing
and putting the cell in order and then
the marching bell is sounded and the
long lines of men wi0d along in divis-
ions of fifty each, night bucket in one
hand and the other hand on the should
er of the man in front of him Bread
and hash and coffee is the breakfast bill
of fare and few complaints are heard as
TO the menu. The shopmen so direct to
their labor and the mine workers are
mostly sent to their cells, as only one di-
vision at a time can be lowered $50 feet
to the bottom of the mine Two shafts
are now worked and 36J men are in this
division, getting out As 900 bushels of
coal a week.
The miners work two or three in a
room, as a rule. aud are allowed to talk
as they work. For this reason many
cOnvicts prefer the miues, although it is
hard work. The miners dinner is sent
down TO them and they are allowed time
to wash up before spending twenty min
utes on the food For dinner there is
soup or stew, beans, beef or pork,
rice, sometimes, and plenty of bread al
ways. The same dinner is served in the
dining-room for the shop men, who have
twenty minutes for refreshments.
All then go back 20 their labors until
evenin g, when they have bread and tea
or water and are sent to their cells for
the night. In order to get the men safe
ly in their cells before dark, supper is
served at o'clock p. m. so that the pris
on day is only nine hours long. The
coal men work only eight hours, as it
takes more than an hour to lower and
raise the men. AT $3.50 o'clock is the
evening count, and then the men have
until 8 o'clock to read, study, or do fancy
work. Two men are in a cell in most
instances. but talking is forbidden.
A successful night school is held, at
which about $50 men are found WORKING
away over slate and book as if their life
depended upon it. Library books are
changed once IA week. There are 5000
books and 1000 bound volumes of maya
zines, one of the latter being issued in
addition to the weekly book.
The daily routine is unchanged except
on Sundays and holidays. The rising
bell is then an hour later. The men 90
back TO their cells from breakfast
Chapel call is at 1890 o'clock, and every
body goes unless absent on sick leave.
Chaplain John Moorehead of Baldwin
lays down the gospel in true old Me.ho-
dist style and none of his hearers GO to
sleep. On holidays extra food is served
and an entertainment is given in the
chapel. Dinner is served at 2:30 o'clock
and then the prisoners are locked up.
On the first Sunday in each month letters
may be written, but no restriction is
placed on the number that may be re-
ceived.