Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-04-19
REMOVING A WHOLE PRISON
The New Reform Law in Effect in In
diana.
Stories Told Of Old Prisoners and
Their Behavior ON the Rail-
road Journey.

A1nday ass convicts in the Indiana state
prison at Jacksonville were sent by spe-
cial train to the prison at Michigan City
and 291 young prisoners from Michigan
City were conveyed by special train to
Jeffersonviife. This is in accord with the
new prison reform law. The northern and
southern Institutions are hereafter to serve
distinct purposes. The institution at Jeffer-
sonville becomes the Indiana reformatory,
while the Michigan City prison is to be
known as the Indiana state prison. The
effect will be to separate the hardened and
confirmed criminals from the first term
prisoners under thirty years Of age. Every
foot OF track was inspected fifteen minutes
before the trains passed and every bridge
was carefully examined. Even the switches
were spiked and the trains were given the
right OF way over everything. No stops
were made for crossings, Governor Mount
having given permission for this violation
Of the state law. and no stops were made
except for the purpose Of changing engines
or taking water.
The account Of the removal as told in the
Indianapolis News gives most interest
ing picture of the lights and shadows OF
prison life.
lat $50 the guards reported for duty,
and they at once aroused the prisoners.
All those who were to be transferred were
OSLcu ~ 80 a. ouCc 10 Tue utHlHS EOOIu.
where breakfast had been prepared for
them. Before the men rose from the break
fast table, Assistant Superintendent Gar
win made a brief speech to them. He told
the train that was in waiting and that all
of them would be shackled as q pre-
cautionary measure. He told them that
all men who had any personal belongings
which they wished to take to Michigan
City might go at once to their cells, get
their bundles and take them to the train.
As soon as they had their effects on the
train they were to return at once to the
dining room. The removal of the personal
belongings of the prisoners was a sight.
Nearly every man had some little bundle
which he wished to take with him. A
great number of men had musical instru-
meifs. and more than one prisoner had his
things packed in a Saratoga trunk. While
the men were carrying their things to the
train. four convict blacksmiths were in
the dining room getting ready for the
manacling of the convicts. Each of them
had a blacksmfth's hammer and a small
anvil. As the men came in they were
seated on the floor, their backs against the
wall, and the heavy irons were riveted
about their ankles. 1t took less than a
minute for each couple of men. The whole
process Of ironing the men occupied one
hour and twenty minutes. They did not
seem to resent being placed in irons. but
rather recognized 1t as a precauti-n prop
erly taken by the prison officials. 1t was
rather pitiful to see them walking. or
IdlaSF STUMBLING, away aIteF the DldCk-
smiths were through with them.
They found it difficult to keep step with
each other. a measure rendered necessary
by the shoEtness of the connecting chain
their arms about each others necks and
so mutually sustaining each other. Hmped
down the yard and aboard the train.
The saddest part of the early morning
embarkation was the carrying of the sick
prisoners to the car. There were five of
these. all Of them bedridden. and very
weak from consumption. They had to be
carried to the train in cots, improvised of a
strip Of canvas supported between two
iron rods. They were carried as carefully
as possible. but in spite Of it all the I'M
wonted exertion left them lying On the
floor of the baggage car. used as hospital
car, gaSping for breath and coughing VIC
lently.
LAS the bands Of manacled men hobbied
painfully, but in comical manner, across
the yard, the men in the cells greeted them
with bursts of laughter and cheers, which
the guards were too busy to attempt to
check or restrain. When the prisoners had
taken their places in the train, there were
seats for all. Assistant Superintendent
Garvin went through the eight coaches
counting the heads. He found that the
Enthusiastically corresponded with his
list. and he gave the order for the train to
proceed.
The switch leading out of the rear Of the
reformatory runs up a steep incline, and
two Pennsylvania engines were necessary
to haul the train on the main track. There
the two extra coaches were waiting, one
an ordinary day coach. containing the
militia: the other a parlor car. the same in
which w. J. Bryan toured the state, for
the use of the officials and others. At the
suggestion of Mr.. Garvfn, the militia were
kept out Of sight. The blinds were pulled
down. and. although the convicts in their
coaches passed the car containing the SOL
diers. they could only guess what it con-
tanned. There were twenty-eight militia
men in the car. Many of them saw service
n Nnl -f~{lrr C,.yIs
county. A large crowd had assembled In
the rear of the prison to watch the coaches
pull out. Fully 1000 were gathered there
Many were attracted merely by curiosity
but there we're weeping women and anx-
fous-looking old men in the crowd rela-
tives of some of the convicts. who had
come down to have a last look at them be-
fore they are lost to sight amid the sand
dunes of Michigan City.
THE prisoners took 1t all as a matter Of
course. They betrayed no expressions OF
surprise. but some Of them laughed at peo-
pie In the crowd who ran screaming and
excited by the side Of the coaches. Only
one man Is known to have shown any signs
Of emotion. This was Henry Ritter. life
numbering his wife and placing her body
on the railway track. He had a seat next
to the window, and as the coach in which
he was seated passed slowly up the track.
woman In the crowd. a woman with a
baby in her arms, waved a hand at him.
The child also waved Its hand. The pris-
Oner waved his hat in return to them, and
as the train passed them he burst into
tears.
The prisoners took the journey comfort
ably. The green fields and the running
streams were pictures to them There
were men on the train who for over twenty
years had not seen a field. and had only
had practical evidence that grass sti1 con-
unues to grow every spring from the
meager grass plots inside the prison walls.
The removal was the occasion for many
"reminiscences about old prisoners.
One OF the most amusing Incidents OF
Warden Patterns administration was the
little courtship carried on by the aged life
timer. Tom Shepherd. who. being a trusty.
Was allowed to sleep in a shanty near the
gate. SO that he might admit wagons as
soon as possible IN the morning Shepherd
had been fascinated by a handsome SER
Want girl whom he met at the 'warden's
house, end he used his solitary nights to
fashion a rope ladder, with which he scaled
the supposedly unscaiable wall under the
shelter OF darkness. The girl met him at
some house In the netghborhood, and they
courted, until one fine night he forgot him
self. Some one discovered the rope ladder,
took 1T down. and poor old Tom Shepherd
VAS shut out from the prison. But he did