The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1896-01-16

revolving fund.
For the information of the new arrivals who
come here from week to week we wish to say, if
friends. you will be allowed the privilege by
complying with the following rule: Send to this
Office your name. register and cell number. also
full address of the person to whom you desire to
have THE MIRROR sent. DO not write address.
cell number or any other matter Oh your paper;
keep them perfectly clean and place them in your
cell door every Friday evening. Those who do
not send THE MIRROR away will confer a favor
by sending them to this office.
The thirteen superstition. which is so current
among prisoners. received a sad blow last week.
cOlOred man. doing his second term in the
Lansing prison, was in the habit of eXcusing
some of his shortcomings by recalling the fact
that he was born on the 18th of the month, that
he lost both parents by accident on the 18th of
another month. when he was only IL years
of age. and that he was "in the hole Is times
during his first Incarceration here. So he let
things take their course this time, got in the
hole at least twice - times. and after he had
lost about twice IL weeks of his good time. 10.
and behold it come around to be Friday. Decem-
Der ID. and he was set at liberty. The super
stition failed to hold out
The Rev. Thomas Alexander. Il Presbyterian
minister, long resident III Chelsea. and well
known as Il brother Scot. was most anxious to
know Carlyle. but had no opportunity OF getting
an Introduction to him. One day. III the King 5
Road. he saw Carlyle coming in his direction,
and took advantage Of the opportunity 10y going
up to the sage and saying: Thomas Carlyle,
be.ieve:'' Carlyle's reply was: Tom AleXan-
| der. KNOW They became good friends. and
| later Mr.. Alexander wrote to Carlyle for a sub
| scripton toward school building fund. and
| Carlyle wrote back refusal in dOggereI. where
upon MIR. Alexander replied that if he did not
send him five pounds. he would sell his poetry
to a collector or publish it. The five pounds
were at once fOrthcOmng.-Selected
| Each inmate has the privilege of sending his
| copy of THE MIRROR to Il friend or relative
without cost to himself or the one who receives
| it,. and while it is none of our business where or
! to whom the paper is sent. it would save us
| annoyance and the imputatiOn of trying to force
our paper on those who have not ordered it if
the paper that he is not expected to pay for it,
To illustrate the point we reproduce verbatim
| copy of letter lately received:
''Edeitor of the murror pleas don't send me the
murror emmy more never ordered it sent to me
1t has bin coming a bout month it is not wurtl
81 a yeer can get large papers for SOC yeer.''
Judging from the photography of the above
we are inclined to believe that the writer finds
it Il severe strain on his mental capacity to read
| a newSpaper-even as small sheet as THF
| MIRROR. We would suggest. as proper menta
pabul,m in his case, an elementary spelling
book and d primer.
The executive committee of the Minnesota
Prison association met OH the 10th in Secretary
Harris office, at the State capitol and effected 6
permanent organization Of the society by approx
ing the report of the committee of seven. appoint
Ell to select officers. The roster of officers. as
published at Il meeting of the membership com
mttee in December. was approved and the re
port of the committee was adopted.
1t was decided to request the st. Paul director:
to take immediate action Tor the establishment
of a local branch of the association similar t(
the one in Minneapolis. of which Judge Young
is president. +. A. Whittier. general secretary
of the association. was instructed to send on
circular letters inviting the people of the STATE
to become members of the society Judge Young
Secretary Hart and General Secretary Wlittie
were appointed a subcommittee TO draft bylaws
corporation.
Yesterdays meeting was the first the eXecr
tive committee has held. There were presen
ex-Gov. Hubbard. president of the association
| and chairman of the executive committee; Supt
w. E. Lee of the ST. Cloud reformatory: Grac,
Johnston, agent of the state training school a
Red Wing: Frank Lewis. agent of the public
school at OwatOnna: +. A. Whittier. state prison
agent; Hon. A. III. Young, of Minneapolis, ant
Secretary IT. II. Hart. of the State Board o
Charities and Corrections. A public meetin:
is proposed to take steps to organize a Ramse.
county branch.-PiOneer Press.
Secretary Holt. of the local prison reform as
sOciatOn of Minneapolis. has been investigator!
some of the prisoners at the city workhouse
He is of the opinion that much good can be dom
among the younger. element of inmates. Tn
prisoners for the most part are young boys ant
men who have been arrested charged witt
petty mSdemeanOrs. They are not criminals a
heart, nor did they violate the law with an in
!, tention of becoming criminals. Many violation
. were through sheer ignorance, while other
: were done in a spirit of bravado. Young mel
e during the winter often become discouraged ant
they do petty things in a moment of desperation
0 1t is among this class that Secretary Holt in
r tends to do much of his future work.
a II think we can do more among them than W
t can among the criminals who have been in tn
a penitentiary or who have served several sen
i fences Many of these young men really inten
o to do no harm, and they are willing to work
- vKT1s ofo1