The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1896-01-08
SONGS AT sing SING.
n,,HKsGIvlNG DAY AT THE GRIM
PRISON.
"a Laughter Filled the Old Stone
Rnilding From End to End. Chick
en- ana Pie for Dinner.

o.;,ding From End to End. Chick
en- and Pie for Dinner.
4 -, the New York Recorded.
r,v overfowed in Sing Sing prison on
thanksgiving day.
SONG and laughter filled the old stone
n hsilding from end to end.
As a rule there is not much mirth in
SiOc Sing. 1t is safe to say that never in
ia memoay of the oldest inhabitant was
Ebo,a such wild hilarity as that among
he folks who are doing unpleasant SER
vice for the state.
chicken and m nee pie alone did not
,onse all the enjoyment in Sing Sing;
,bav come with every Thanksgiving and
cbIistmas. This year, for two whole
,oors the couvicts were permitted to
toIk veil. shout, sing, whistle. 1t was
bo first time that such liberty was eyer
c,anted,the prisoners, and itiwas howl
ngsuccess.
The idea originated with Warden g.
h soc. and he was so delighted with
+be experiment that the same liberty
-vas granted again at Christmas.
One of the strictest rules of the prison
that silence must be observed at all
times. So turkey and mince pie were
rot in it with those two hours of vocal
exercise.
On Wednesday Warden Sage had
caused typewriter notices to be posted
in each cell, stating that the warden de-
sired to make the inmates as comfort
able and happy as1 circumstances would
permit; that he MISUNDERSTOOD how the
most trying rule to observe was the one
Imposing silence, and that, in view of the
4yee,leut manner in which this rule had
been observed, everybody, except those
the hospital andIextension, would be
permitted to laugh, whistle, play music
Al instruments, shout, talk and sing to
their hearts content, provided no inn
woper remarks were made or Improper
songs Isung, between 3 and ) p. m.
Pounding on cell doors was not permit
lied. Notice was also given that the hour
of would be announced by three
strokes and the hour of 5 by five strokes
At o'clock in the morning the 1860
prisoners had breakfast, consisting OF
chicken. mashed potatoes, bread and tea.
Then they took their exercise and were
}cked up until 1920 o'clock, when they
were formed in companies for dinner,
which they took back to their cells, to
BAT when they so desired. 1t consisted
Of chicken, in addition TO which each
man received one-t third of mince pie,
one half pound of cheese, four apples,
tea, sugar, and two cigars.
Every zebra was waiting anxiousiy for
he gong to strike 8; and the quiet ex-
element among the men was wonderful
to witness. Some of them seemed fairly
bursting to yell and shout and to hear
how their voices sounded again when
run at full pressure. Every moment was
counted, and, by accident, the!prisOners
had ten miRutes more of vocal liberty
than the warden had granted.
At $50 messeger from the warden
entered one of the galleries to call a
keeper. He raised his hand, and the
person in charge of the gong, thinking
this signal to strike, struck. The sharp
stroke rang out, and bedlam was let
loose. The biggest dog show ever had
was as quiet as a Quaker meeting COM
pared toit. From every cell came yells,
AovlS of delight, songs, shouts of delir-
louSIoy. No one paid any attention to
what any one else was shouting, and so
The din continued. Convicts just stretch
ed out on their cots and roared
Down in one corner of the prison there
was slight lull when Convict Fisher,
The celebrated female impersonator, +"
announced that hewould sing the "Side-
walks of New York" He did, and the
'u'rus was frightful, but hearty. Fisher
'2t sang 'HOm and Mother" his voice
VnuPr and pathetic, and there were
PFAty of tears when he finished.
oonVict2, life prisoner, who has been
long inside the walls that he has for
O''en to count the years, had hard
~e getting his talking apparatus into
VAlng order. For years and years he
I"' only spoken few words in a whis-
" and when he spoke out loud his
almost frightened him.
0lea Warden Sage passed along the