Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-05-18
THE STATE PRISON
Visited by Party Of Maine Detectives
and City MarshaIs.
A Journal Man Accompanies the Party and
Describes the Trip.

-. Cuiin Oh Lewiston, CITY M1rShalS
| Henderson. Morse and Drake from the
respective cities of IIallowell, Augusta
ana Gardiner, and Journal represent
alive constituted n party who visited
| the Maine State prison at Thomaston
Friday of last week
Leaving on the $50 morning train
' close connections We're made at Bruins
wick for the Knox e. Lincoln train
| which by good fortune was in charge
| Of Conductor Il. l.. Jones, well known
by several members Of the party, and a
right popular. genial officer Mr. Jones
Joined the company with pleasure.
| After two-hours' ride through the
picturesque Knox county towns and
villages; now speeding by the placid
waters OF some beautiful lake. and now
rumbling through long passages cut in
| Lodges OF hardest rock, the train ar
rived at the quiet little towp-of Thorn
aston.
| Chief of Police Peabody had received
| a telegram shortly before announcing
| that party of convicts 90 would ar
rive on the noon train, and requesting
| him to have means of conveyance Ia
| the prison. al the depot. He accord
| ingly had fine hitch in iting-a
| roofny, old fashioned stage coach, and
with the company aboard, a body
guard of policemen and detectives on
| the roof. the van moved on. across the
pretty seafaring town to Warden AL
lens big stone palace.
! Arriving at the grounds. the party
alighted and assembled the steps to the
| PRISON. In ring a he iall
at the entrance. Officer of the Guard
f. A. Willis turned the key and the
massive iron door swung open.
| on receiving letter of recommended
ton from Hon. o. b. Clason of the
Council prison visiting committee the
| pleasant officer of the guard expressed
| his pleasure at being at liberty to wait
| upon the company and explain any
| matters of interest
On inquiry it was learned that Dep
uty Warden Northey was i'll at his
| home. but Mr.. Willis. vested with the
authority to receive visitors treated
| the party in a most courteous and
0bliging manner.
FIRST in order was tour of the prison
proper. Everything was scrupulously
neat The walls and the interior Of the
cells were spotlessly white and the very
| floor seemed to shine. AT this time the
prison was vacated. all the inmates be
ing at their respective posts of duty in
the workshops. All of the prisoners are
well disciplined and are rarely a source
of trouble to the officers. None have
been in close confinement for some
time.
Passing from the prison into the
cook ROOM we found the cooks busily
at work preparing dinner All would
receive liberal supply of corned fish
potatoes and bread.
The company was next ushered into
the prison library. and this is indeed a
department of the institution worthy
of more than passing notice There are
1900 volumes in the library. and each
convict is allowed two books a week.
Here il may be said that none but the
daily papers are excluded from the
average prisoners list Of periodicals.
The several workshops were visited.
including the blacksmith shop, furni-
ture. carriage. harness and broom
manufactures. The Convicts work 10
hours day and were at work dill
gently.
Entering the harness department. the
visitors were cordially received by
Superintendent Charlie Shorey, for
merly in the harness business in Au-
gusta. Harnesses of many kinds are
manufactured here. and regarding
quality of workmanship and finish are
rarely equalled by any manufactured
in this section of the country.
At the present time there are 113 con-
victs in the prison, five of whom are in
the women's department and 10 in the
insane department. Among those serv-
ing life sentences in the women's de-
partment are Mrs. Mary f. Barrows
and Mrs. Mary Cowan. Mrs. Barrows
was arrested with her son, Oscar C.
Blaney. at Kittery. for the murder of
Mrs. BarrOws' husband, and were sent
from the York county court, Sept. 80.
1884.
She and Blaney being charged with
murder in the first degree, were sem
fenced to be hanged, but the new State
law abolished capital punishment the |
death sentence was committed and i'm |
prisonment for life substituted Blaney
committed suicide in his cell, some |
months ago. Thirteen long and weari- |
some years has Mrs Barrows lived be- |
Iiiiiu tI- pIlSou Walls dl lnOndStOn, |
hut fully resigned does she seem to her
fate. Although DAY after day and year
after year, EOthing falls to her lot but
the same unchanging work of prison
routine. and little at that, she bears upI
bravely and enjoys good health. She
greeted the reporter cheerfully and said
she had become quite accustomed to
life in the prison. She spoke in most
terms of the privileges
granted those in the women's ward,
and of the kind treatment at the hands
Of the officers.
Mrs. Mary Cowan was arrested in
this city. some over year ago, and
taken to PenobscOt county, where she
was convicted of child poisoning and
sentenced to life Imprisonment. She is
in good health and seems bright and
cheerful. Through a cataract she has
lost the use of one eye. and
the other is now seriously affected.
Three of the visitors were permitted
to have short interviews with the we'll
known principals of the Dexter bank
and the Barron murder case,
David l.. stain and Oliver Cromwell.
Stain is now IS years old and was
BORN in Mt. Vernon. He was sentenced