Daily Kennebec journal., 1897-07-12

STATE PRISON GOSSIP.


oyerything running along in applepie or
asr under the management of Warden
Smith and his able deputies. The rooms
are well occupied. business is booming
extensive repairs are being made and all
hands are as happy as to be expected un-
der the circumstances.
Wa rden Smith was found in his office
nm to his eyes in business, but with his
accustomed courtesy and good nature
rested for few moments and gave the
newspaper man the time necessary for
on interview. The genial warden Is a fa-
write among newspaper men for the SIM
mel fact that he is always obliging and
has never been known to give them a
.call down.
the buildings and about the grounds.
The recent Legislature appropriated So
a1 for improvements about the prison, on
fhe recommendation of the prison COM
missioners and this sum Is being expend-
cd in raising the wing of the main build
ing a story. Here Will be located the
chapel, library and chaplain's rooms.
AT present Chaplain Plumer is COM
PEELED to hear the prisoners lessons from
their cells which is quite an inconven-
ience. In the chapel, however he will be
able to apply himself TO a class without
the prisoners going out of the prison.
The chapel will be about 50 feet square.
This will not only be more profitable to
the prisoners but will be more satisfac-
tory to the chaplain. 1t might be sald
right here that Chaplain Plumer is doing
good work. HIS genlality. pleasing ad-
dress. and kindliness of thought and ac-
tlon. is doing much to break away the
barriers and allow the sunlight of li:c to
enter the hearts of the unfortunates un-
der him. The planking over the gallows
Is being relaid. something needed for a
long time. The platform on which the
Srnesome gal,ows stood and the accom-
nanIng shed are still in the same old
place never, however. to be used again
for hanging New sills are being laid un-
ha house.
being so rotten that 1t is marvellous that
the building has stood as long as it has
without being blown over. Between the
prison proper and the workshops Chap
lain Pumer has caused to be laid out a
large and beautiful grass plot. around the,
edges of which blossoming plants have
been set, which in time to come Will be
a source of pleasure to all about the in
stItution These improvements are in
keeping with Warden Smiths policy to
nave model establishment
There are now POI prisoners, against 1G6
last wear, The increase is due largely to
the wlckedness of Cumberland county,
twenty-five convicts being sentenced this
year from Portland This is the largest
number in the history of the prison.
Warden Smith finds work for all of them
to do
In the hospital are three men. One of
them j. D. Smith. is life man. He was
originally sentenced to be hung but his
sentence was commuted 10 Imprisonment
for life Smith has served 8 years and
Is in consumption. He desires to die In
the presence of his family and Governor
Powers has been petitioned for pardon.
The chances are strongly in favor of his
getting it. His crime was murder. and
there was a woman in the case. ~
Six women are enjoying life as much as
nossible in the womenS department. Five
of them are serving life sentences. Mrs
Lucretia Hutchins will be liberated in
November after doing seven years for
manslauehter. The women have no rea-
son to complain of their lot except that
they are deprived of their freedom.
Business in all the departments is excel
lent. Harnesses are being sold about as
fast as they can be manufactured and
the same can be said of the brooms The
prison carriages find ready sale. There
are now only about 60 on hand. The con-
victs are now manufacturing buggy on
new and improved lines that rs model
for comfort and strength.
1t might be interesting to our readers to
know something about the first prisoner
committed to the prison. In the records
he gave his name as John johnson al
though his real name was Richard Pel-
ham, He was born in England, was AZ
years old. stood 5 feet. Sla inches in his
stocking feet, had black eyes, black hair,
was solfdly built and had small hands
and feet. He was sentenced in Portland
by the Cumberland county court for
for two years of hard labor with 30 days
In solitary.
The only man with any degree of intel
ligence in the prison at the time OF Val
oros p. Coolidge's imprisonment, was
Wilmot III. Boyd.wiho was serving three
years sentence for forgery. Boyd was a
good looking young fellow, 5 feet. inches
tall, had hazel eyes and brown halr.
moral and spiritual welfare of the con-
vlcts then as now and the convicts as
rule were pretty tough specimens of
humanity.
Haynes has his days of ugliness but as
rule behaves himself quite well. AS Is
well known he is of an ingenious turn OF
mind. He is now engaged in making I'M
itations of the Maytiower chair and the ne
imitation is so good that it Is practically
impossible to detect the new from the
original. Haynes has just completed a
serviceabe medicine chest for DR.. Smith
In the carriage house is an assortment OF
tennis rackets, base BAN bats. rocking
chairs. desks. etc, made by the cunning
ingenuity of Haynes.
1t has always been almost impossible to
escape from the prison yard at Thomas
ton put Warden Smith, nevertheless. be-
leve\an ounce of prevention Is worth d
pouH of cure and he has made escape
doubav impossible. by the way OF the
eastebn wall at least. This wall is about
NO 1eet long and extends from the prison
! proper to the eastern guard house. Along
this wall and only six inches apart War
uen Smith has caused to be inserted in
sne %all huge prongs. two feet long.
Top OF the waM. The points of these
prongs are as sharp as needles and the
man who attempted to throw rope over
the wall or to scale the wall would lind
Y an almost impossible job ahead of him:
IN The insane department are about the
HI usual number of inmates. King William
mas become enriched to the amount OF
millions and in the generosity of his heart
NE gave the Courier-GaZette man $2OUO
with the stipulation that he should not
spend 1t for drink or in rotious living.
Inc promise was readily given and the
money will be laid aside as nest egg
against the time when the C.-G. readers
reiuse not only to pay their subscription
put also refuse to stop their paper rom
was was busily engaged in making key holes
ana puzzles with a jack knife Tom Is
yulte an artist with the knife. he now
mas more tnan 800 keyhoies all of difer-
eilt pattern, and every one of them is the
work of an artist. He also displayed a
number of puzzles that would drive
line ,II man into insanity. Tom Is very
Iulet, peaceful fellow and tbs hard II
understand that he is not in his right
nlnd The colored inmate is still stuffing
Mads OF paper under his vest and so II
goes with these poor weak minded NOR
ILLS lis with but a single idea.
hnx varSt