The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-01-27

~ ~ WV "A IL, IVA ~ ~ - n I,
earn. Furthermore, the money thus due to
the prisoner is to be divided, half TO serve
his needs for little Injuries while in jail.
half TO De saved up for him against the
may not be obliged TO give him help. Here
is drain on the contractor. The problem
is TO get back again the few cents a day
fore the canteen. In theory it is a species
of cheap prison restaurant, run without
profit, destined TO sweeten the existence of
the unfortunate and encourage him in We'll
doing. Practically. by the reduction of the
given rations 10 a less than life-supporting
minimum, ii becomes the prisoners neces-
sity for meat. In the book binding depart
ment, which is the best paid, the most ex-
pert workman can earn c1ly cents a
day. A veal stew costs cents. You
may believe that the prisoners all work
well at the Grande Roquette.
BY $50 D. m. the dinner is over. and the
prisoners are promenading. The Grande
Roquette is constructed in the style of all
old infantry barracks-four narrow build
ings form hollow square. which makes
vast interior drill court, The Grande Ro-
quette is simply this, with the addition of
wall. In the drill court the prisoners are
prOmenading. four hundred men with hands
united, armed with heavy wooden shoes
which are weapons in themselves. not TO
speak of the heavy files and other tools of
the iron and brass working ateliers. To
guard them there are but four guardians
lice. guardians and soldiers in the whole es-
adjustment. The French are lovers of
economy.
world gives promise of ability TO handle
papers. etc.. without spelling or soiing
them is put in the book-binding workshop;
the inexpert are set to work cleaning
ostrich feathers or cutting wire; while 9TH
ers, who appear to be allied to mechanics.
are set TO filing brass. In the workshops
they are given places. inflated to the labor,
and then left to struggle clumsily.
The hours pass on, the lights are lit. and
II is always work. work, work. Whispered
conversations instruct the newcomer in this
or that. Among table neighbors there is
certain curiosity to learn what is going on
in the outside world for no one sees news
papers. The newcomer. not yet reduced to
the average hungriness, is wheedled out of
portion OF his loaf of bread. In return he
is shown tricks in skimping work. Such
newcomers as have made appeals, or, rath-
er. elected to make appeal after their trans
terrence to the Grande Roauette are not
required to work, but sit idle. Each bor-
rows convicts library book. and feels
content to lose himself in IT, But those who
know state that it Is curious sight to see
| something like meat food now and then.
UNJUST RULES.
| z p. m. sounds. with the order to stop
| work. The convicts leave regretfully in
winter time. but joyfully in summer. Be
cause. in the astounding system of the
Grande Roquette, the prisoner has not a
moment for reading other self-improve-
ment except that gained in his cell. These
cells are never lighted. AT Z o'clock in the
summer of Paris it will still continue light
enough to read for two hours and half.
In the winter. on the other hand it is dark
at 4:30. No difference is made on accoun.
of this at the Depot des Condammes of
| Paris. II is now winter, and they go to
bed in the dark lying on their beds s twelve
| nothing else to do, because the cells are
too small to walk about in. and it is too
cold to simply sit up and stare into the
darkness The building is so damp that it
| is the practice to make up ones bed with
the coarse sheets on the outside. as you
can almost wiring water from them. Damp
ness trickles down the walls sufficiently to
wet your hand. The more knowing resort
to making a boat of the bed" which is
really kind of bunk. They take out the
Stats each night. let the straw mattress
down into a shallow. bathtub-like cavity,
SO protecting themselves from the wind.
The prisoners iawere.L unlocked from
their cells at I'D m. They do not
wash; The towels given them for that are
found to be lore CO ,veniently used as muf-
flers. Congratuating each other on the re-
turn of day. the prisoners struggle in a
| weakened rank past the bread distribu-
tor mo1 the n Spess pS tn
| they take soup in the church. II is vegeta-
BILE soup the vegetables being thin slices
of turnp, carrots and onions, in small
quantity Actually it is hot water favored
and made greasy with a certain amount OF
fat. And then begins another promenade
of half an hour.
| The prisoners are back in their work
shops. At noon halt of half hour is
called. for the eating Of bread. Such can
tine delicacieS as the more fortunate pos
sess are consumed at this hour rs well
The only distractions are Q) Sunday rest
| when we bore ourselves worse than or
other days. in the cold church half the day
ard marching the rest"-with the changing
of library books and few extra hours in
which. to read them; Q) letter. writing and
N GO rda N " al an Nhlrrc
days and Sundays; and (D the taking of g
purge. on any day. There is a division OF
opinion as to this latter distraction. The
doctor of the Grande Roquette will give q
dose of EPSON salts for every malady un.
der the sun. except the itch Those who
by putting themselves on the sick list oper
themselves to the universal panacea have
the satisfaction of spending a morning
away from the workshop-"among the ole
men," in a long. well-heated room, where
hoary headed criminals sit all day round
stove and grumble. never being asked to
work. The old men get now and then tn,
guardien. SO that one may smell tobacco
smoke If he is lucky When / was showr
through the Grande Roauette came upor
this living morgue at the very momen
when Sale. the bloody assassin, was Their,
with the old men, on the morning of his re
| prieve. He had been condemned to the
guillotine. and the death watch had beer
set on him. Two soldiers always guarded
him. he had tobacco wine. restaurant food
and playing cards. He had naturally
come to look on himself as person of note
and his manners, even that morning, wer,
grave, consequential and psthetcaly funn,
| in their self-importance. He was an elder
ly man, with a beneyolent-looking blacl
beard and silver spectacles. But when tn,
chief warder. to give treat TO the prisoi
inspector and the visitors. sent for tn,
barber. the jignified assassin started. look
ing rueful. He knew what it meant-cip
ping and shaving. His tobacco had alread,
been taken from him. his soldier-guard
his wine. his restaurant food, his payins
cards He had become only life prisoner
doomed sooner or later to embark for New
Caledonia. Now he sat in the barber.
chair. and soon the deed was done. II,
had been a grave and consequential elderl,
man. with benevolent beard and silve
| spectacles. When he came out he looked
like a poor. bald. weak-faced little baby
He tried his spectacles, but OWNED tina
they must be Ineffective. He shut them III
and put them in his pocket. With a sigi
he spit at the stove, took a seat on :
bench. and became common convict lik
| the others.