Arizona republican., 1896-07-17
BEHIND STEEL GRATINGS Society at the County
 Jail. Safeguards that the Jailers
 Observe. How the Prisoners Enjoy Them selves and How Order Is
 Maintained.

About 4 in the afternoon the prison CTS in the county jail were exhibiting an uneasiness that was in sharp con trast with their horse-play Of an nour before. The lower steel corridor, in between the double row of cells, was filled with the twenty individuals who there occupied quarters, and occasion ally one would peer through the steel grating by which view could be nad of the hallway that leads to the sher- ifs office.
 eeHere it comes,'' joyfully was shout ed at last, and down the hallway came a Chinaman, bearing, swung to the opposite ends of a bamboo pole, cans containing the supper of the prisoners. Jailer Boyd admitted him to the ce- mented corridor around the great steel cage, while Jailer Slankard locked the door behind and stood guard.
 As the outer door changed there was an answering clash of cell doors, as the prisoners, without word of direc- tion ran, each to his own compart- ment Only one man, a trusty, was left in the inside corridor. Then Boyd turned the combination that unlocked the steel box that contained one set of the cell lock levers. Within was a great paddock, which was opened and then with one swing of the levers all the prisoners on the west side were locked in their cells. The same pro- cedure was observed on the eastern tier of cells and then only was the cor ridor door unlocked.
 Trusty and Chinaman went briskly to work. Each cell had two inmates. Through a space left for the purpose in the bottom of each of the ten grated doors were thrust two pint cups, which were filled with steaming coffee to be quickly withdrawn within. Twenty tin plates were then filled by the .Chinaman and thrust in succession beneath the doors. The food appeared good and ample There was a gen. erous chunk of roast meat with gravy, boiled potatoes, half a loaf of bread and several minor features, including slice of pie.
 Then jailer, reporter and Chinaman stepped to the outside. Boyd locked the corridor door and then stepping to the side boxes threw back the cell bolts. The prisoners needed no or ders. Every cell door flew back and then the bolts were again shot, that the doors could not again be closed till locking time at night.
 The corridor inside was at once filled with the prisoners, who joked and chaffed as they ate, apparently freer from care than were the dwellers beyond the walls. Only one had other than the Jail fare. He was an Italian, held for violation of internal revenue law. To him was given a quart of red wine, of which he drank, so the jailer said, gallon a day
 AS the outer door was opened, the ce- ment corridor soon filled with visitors to the prisoners, all carefully watched by the jailers, who also inspected the little bundles in hand. One of the ugIiest of Mexicans had the gift of a sack of smoking tobacco, his wife also bringing their little black child, several years old It was evident that affection is not alone to the higher classes, for the brutish-looking pris- oner crouched low at the grating, for getful of his dinner, to talk whispered baby talk in rude Spanish .patois to the child, which was taken away only after it had been kissed through the bars
 A few feet away slender and really handsome negress was talking rapidly and excitedly to as villainous an ap- bearing African as a painter well could draw. She had brought him some tobacco and some little delicacy,