The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-07-27
PRISON PUZZLES.
Convicts in New Jerseys
State Prison Know All
the Latest News.
SCHEMES THAT DEFY DETECTION
Rigid. Rules of Silence Cireum-
vented by ShreWd Jailbirds
Curious Facts.
THAT DEFY DETECTION
srecial to the Jeaseu cttu Nsaps.

A.
ways close to 1000 convicts in the big
gray stone structure bounded ny Third,
Cass, Fedora and Second streets. known
as the New Jersey State Prison. These
men have committed every known crime,
and they comprise the pick of the crina-
inal population of the State. There are,
Of course, novices among them. but the
air is so permeated with crime that be-
fore they are many months within the
prison gates, these tyros know nearly all
the tricks of the craft.
When a man dons the prison stripes his
mouth is supposed ITO be sealed and he
must not speak except in Imperative in
stances. Then only must the keepers
hear his voice. A convict is forbidden
to converse with another, and woe be
to him who is canght disobeying. If his
lips move he is p~ounced upon by the
vigilant deputy and undergoes a certain
degree Of punish ment. In some cases
he is forced to stand in the centre or
main portion Of the prison, into which
all the wings lead. Here he is placed
facing the wall, apart from everyone
else, and he must not turn or ever look
around. but must keep his eyes on the
bare blank wall. This IS only a slight
punishment. If the offender is a FREE
quent transgressor.. he is placed in soli-
tary confinement. and if he is unruly
and refuses to submit to the regulations,
beside the latter punishment he may
perhaps lose his good conduct record and
he will then have to serve many months,
hnenent which he would otherwise es-
cape. Knowing this, the conviets are
seldom detected in the act Of talking or
cgnyeying information in any way.
But still they do talk. and frequently
TOO. But how they do it is a puzzle which
the officials Of every large prison would
like to solve. Men who ave been mon
conyscts many years and studied and
cover The system Of communication used
by conxiets, They dare not use the finger
sign system, being compelled to fold their
arms when not working When the men
are in the workshops Or In the yards they
are almost constantly under the eyes of
the guards. They march TO and from their
work in the lock step. each squad look
ing lke &. long caterpillar as II swings
acncss the yard, and each. man in that
squad facing the same way. There is not
an instant when the men are unmatched.
and it is difficult to explain how they
communicate. In the New Jersey peniten-
tjary where lack of room has forced the
~eonvicts 10 be crowded two n three in
d cell, il is of course a very easy matter
for room mates TO exchange gossip, but
how the. news passes not only in such
limited circles, but from one end Of the
prison to the other. is an interesting cons
undruln
If there were a Presidential election to-
day nearly every convict in the State
Prison would know all about the results
in a very short time, who the President
elect was and just how the different States
They are now we'll posted on the
gold and silver controversy. Every In
n rs = p flsn- vv-xI1 Or-1r 49,.
know about, yet to read a newspaper or
to be caught with one IS q serious offense.
IN some prisons in the country a sort of
library is provided for the convicts. and
Newspapers are furnished for their en-
l-ightenment. but no such privilege exists
here.
When a noted prisoner arrives; every
convict knows all about It before. a day
criminal history of the others and knows
al the bad mem in the institution.
one OF the best known methods of
spreading the news consists Of a.. series of
.raps corresponding to the Morse telegraph
code. Il a prisoner understands telegra-
ply he may transmit messages To- another
Prisoner Who IS also a telegrapher by rap
ping out the Morse code IN. the workshop
or mess room. without much fear of dftee--
ton. OF course, the success of this plan
depends ppen both men knowing the
Morse code. but a knowledge ct biography
Is so common nowadays and SO very USE
fui to the experienced crook. that many
= - ~ &AA4F - E ~ iL< IL &A1C t-llLh
walls Of the State Prison this would be
impossible IN the cells, but in the new
wing it IS thought that conyiets will have
a much better chance Of using this
method. the partitions being of steel.
The fake fight, Ii is said, is a comma
trick Two conyiets Will spring al each.
other ike enraged beasts, without a word
Of warning. and ciutching each other
around the neck, will roll over the ground
in an apparent frenzy Of rage. Blows
and kicks viii be dealt with terrific force.
but all the time valuable words will be
exchanged: Genuine Sights of this kim
occasionally occur. but so. faithfully are
the lax hgh1s carried out that ii is diff
culT to determine the false from the real.
Prisoners also have g. system of comipu-
nieating with friends on the outside which
the prison officials would be glad to- dis
cover. In prison p~aTlance 1t is known
as the "underground.o The convicts are
allowed to write nome once a. month, but
each letter is. first read, IND if it contains
ANYTHING objectionable il is Withheld.
Cenvicts, upon being discharged, may
carry verbal messages to friends, and. in
q Few cases a written one. although they
are thoroughly searched before leaving.
Me- only do the ~eonviets manage 70 ex-
change news. but they do ether things.
For instance a man who has been con-
fined for twenty years left the prison on
his. release whistling- one of. the latest
comic opera airs. How ne managed TO
pick up the tune and retain the notes in
his, marnrfsy * rl1zy11nr