The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1897-04-17
SIC SANG ~ THE PRISON.
The Voice of Lillian Russcu Rang
Through Cells of the TOmbs.


The Voice of Lillian Russell Rane
Through Cells of the TOmbs.
Let my voice thrill out through grief and strife
1t was Lillian Russell who sang. and
every WORD was weighed with a depth Of
feeling that the operate star had seldom
shown before. AS the last soft echo faded
in the farthest reeesses of the old Tombs
a burst of applause from 200 pairs of un-
seen hands thrilled each visitor who
heard it and melted the eyes of the sing
er, says the New York Journal
1t was a scene far more dramatic than
any she ever adorned upon the stage. She
| stood, beautifully dressed, at the head of
| the corridor which leads to the middle tier
of cells In the old prison. close beside a
small organ, at which Paul Steindorf, her
accompanist, was seated. 1t was shortly
after o'clock Sunday afternoon, the hour
at which the regular services begin in
| the tombs. The Rev. William Lindsay.
who conducts these services for the prison
guild, stood near with a Bible in hand,
and upon rude benches on either side
were some 20 ladies, members of the
guild, with Mrs. Beekman de Peyster its
president, at their head. Around, above
and below were bare, whitewashed walls
in which are set the iron bars which
mark the entrance to a hundred cells
Against each grating was pressed an
eager, yearning face and the eyes of every
prisoner were strained to catch glimpse
OF what was going on outside.
Miss Russell faced the tiers of cells
which hid her hearers. Her jacket was Of
black Persian lambs wool, with white
ermine collar and 'front.' Her skirt was
Of heavy black silk. The bonnet she wore
was a dainty creation of black feathers
and primroses, with a mum to match In
her hand was small bunch of violets. AS
she tripped lightly up the prison stairway,
followed by George Lederer and Paul
Steindorf, she turned to her accompanist
and said with a suspicion of a smile:
There's only a melodeon, Paul"
You don't mean it?' the musician an
swered.
Yes; but it's all right; Wen do the best
we can.
And they did. Paul steindorf drew more
melody from the modest little organ than
it. had ever yielded before and Mrs. De
Peyster and all of the other visitors told
the singer that they had never heard ner
do better. "A Song of Thanksgiving,
words by James Thompson and music by
Frances Alliston, was the selection, and
two verses were sung.
At its conclusion there was a moment of
absolute silence, as If those who listened
were dumb. Then, like a thunderclap.
there came a storm Of applause that rang
through the Railways and cells for fully
a minute. Miss Russell was urged to sing
again, but her reply was that she could
only offer some ballad as an encore and
that she did not think that would be OK
actly the thing to do. The Rev Mr.. Lind
say agreed with her and, gathering up
her music, she hurried down the stairway
without remaining to hear the services
which followed
Besides singing in the main prison she
appeared in the chapel, where 81 boys
heard the same song, and also before a
grated door, behind which 85 women pris-
oners were confined in one large room
The boys seemed highly delighted.