The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1897-01-29

- . OsAN ~ OAIO
prisoners while not remarkable for
extras and fancy desserts, is good and
substantial, and is better, particular
IL 10 the respect Of bel ng well.cooked
than many people who live outside
are able to enjoy. There are some
people who keep hotels and sell vict-
uals to the public, who ought to be
sent to the penitent tiary-to learn how
to cook ford decently, for certainly it
is crime the way some Of them spoil
otherwise good grub.
A part Of the prisoners are employ.
ed on contract labor, and are making
harness. There lisa bill before the
present legislature, abolishing this
contract labor on the grounds that it
comes into competition with the lab
or outside. 1t is verv likely that it
will pass, and on the grounds urged,
there Is reason for it. But on the
other hand lis almost an absolute
necessity to keep the men employed
at something; otherwise it means SOL
itary confinement. for the prisoners
will have to sit many long and weary
hours alone in their cells, with moth
ing but their own thoughts for COM
panionship, and in most cases 1t is
the worst company they could keep.
We saw Kent, the Mandan wife
murderer. His cell is labelled "Pan-
coast" which is his true name. He was
sitting inshis cell figuring up some
accounts for the Warden. He is an
intelligent appearing man, with dark
eyes; but shaven and close cut hair
brings out the features and wrinkles,
and he appears as man of sixty.
He is very nervous and broken down.
The reporters have written many
fairy tales about his confinement,
most Of which are without founda-
tion. He was said to be able to SIT in
his cell and see the farmhouse near
Mandan where the crime was com.
mttted. AsKent is on the ground
floor, where the tallest man could not
look over the window sill, and also on
the opposite side from Mandan, and
as Mandan itself IS not visible from
the penitentiary owing to intervening
hills, Kent can only see his former
home In memory.
The writer and Senator Dobie
shook hands with Albert Peterson of
Cavalier, whose atrocious murder of
his wife is still fresh in the minds Of
our readers. Peterson hopes for
pardon and he eagerly asked Mr..
Dobie. who wasa AserI sneighbor, il
he thought that his.t Retsrson's) fam
ily would assist him toof i \ G0t 0 r. pardon.
Peterson looks well outage begins TO-
show on him. He ruus the furnace
at the crematorY. At the harness
shop we saw Till, who was sent up for
life for the murder of Adam Miller,
near this city, q little over a year ago,
Till looks we'll, and has the same alert
and soldier-like movements. He
seemed pleased to meet the writer
and wanted us to remember him to
Mr.. Kneeshaw. Till can now speak
some English, and would probably be
able to speak more, but all conversa.
tion is prohibited among the convicJs
except by permission. Warden Will
son stated that Till was q good man
who obeyed orders cheerfully. and
made no trouble. Each prisoner, ex-
cept those like Peterson and Till who
are sent up. for life, has an oppor.
tunity Of shortening his sentence
BY good behavior, six days of
each month, and most of them
think great deal Of this, and they
prefer most any punishment for
breaking rules than to take away any
part Of their ''good time" Solitary
confinment on bread and water is the
most common mode Of punishment:
another method quite effective, is TO
deprive those who use 1t of their
weekly allowance of tobacco.
But this article IL already too long
for our available space, and we have
only space to acknowledge the cour.
tesY Of the legisla :ors who included US
In their party and the politeness and
hospitality Of Warden and Mrs. vii.
son, and Deputy Warden Mckenzie.
For pain in the chest a piece Of
flannel dampened with Chamberlaln's
Pain Balm and bound on over the
seat Of the pain, and another On the
back between the shoulders, will af.
ford prompt relief. This is espec-
tally valuable where the pain is caus-
ed by q cold and there is a tendency
toward pneumonia. For sale by T
B. Shaw & Co., Druggists. 25-S