The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-07-26
AT THE COUNTY JAIL,


Interesting sunday Services for Prisoners.
The Intuition "a Model or CLEANLINESS
and Order Something OF The Prisoners.
Good old-fashloned hymns waiting
through the barred windows of the
county fail yesterday, aroused the curl
oslty OF an Intelligencer reporter, and
he sought entrance to the massive
building There is a charm about the
deep-toned church organ, or the pealing
Sabbath bells, but this singing of n
score of voices sounded strangely sweet.
Jaller William Mccormick. with his
characteristic good nature, bnde the re-
porter o warm welcome. and kindly
showed him around what is certainly a
model institution Of It's kind. The sing
ing came from the mems quarters. or
what might be termed the Jail proper
Down In the corridor there sat two rows
Of intent listeners 20 the religious SER
vices that were conducted for their
benefit and the spirl: with which they
entered into the singing would nave
done credit to many a church.
They were not the best singers in the
world. but their manly voices blended
sweetly In a simple rendition Of the
hymns selected. The Jail boosted Of an
excellent quartette recently but there
is only one member OF the quartette
confined within the walls at present. To
the scriptural readings and the nd
dresses they paid great attention. This
service is conducted every Sunday af-
ternoou. by Mr. A. G.. Wincher, and II
Is a pleasing break In the monotony Of
the week,
Mr.. Wincher, by the way, has made
these services a feature of religious
worl. for the past thirty years. He WIS.,
tied every Sabbath the prisoners In the
state penltentiarg, when II was located
I'm Wheeling. and he has continued at
the county jail ever since. Yesterday az
ternoon the women prisoners We're
treated to good talks by Miss Anna Nc
Fetters, matron 0t the Rescue Home,
asglsted by tY0 other ladies. and little
girl The singing Of the latter was a
treat. and the women were greatly
struck with the child. At the conclus-
ion OF this service. these Christian la
dies went doWu to the Jail proper, and
spoke and sang with the men for about
an hour.
It is said the men on Sunday morn
lngs even sing better than they do In
the service In the aftcrnooA There are
seventeen OF them now, oil well dress
ed. neat ieaSiHS fellows. In fact, neat
ness Is seen on every hand. from the
clean, hard cement floor TO the white
washed walls and ceilings. Everything
on every side bespcaks cleanliness, aud
as cleanliness "a next to godlness, the
inmates have good start for the next
world.
Tho iron work looks az bright and
pollsbcd az possible. Lots Of fOap and
water and SENT weekly securing has
nut Ohio tounty's Jail upon a par with
Inc best so clean and cheerful does its
interior look, that the visitor forgets It's
uses until ne hears the Rcv turn In TIM
lock, IcttinR him out Twice since the
now year has whltewash been applied
To the walls and ceilings and the floors
are so clean that the model housekeep-
or would fall In love with them.
n IlNlNtu llliN FI'NN ~ al'Nl N'NH 80
terest and pr0nt In this Institution, n
Lesson can be learned from the effects
OF good management. AS goes tho
town. 70 goes the country" and 80 on,
Equally true lP. an the lnilcr, "a the jail.
The efficient management Of Jolly "BilT'
Mccormick Us reelected In many ways,
As an Instance of the feeling between
him and the prisoners, II r. necessary
only 10 note that whom he called upon
volunteers to do some work about tho
building, every man walked forward,
but one who was stick
At present there are twcnty.0ne prs.
onorH. seventeen male md four tgmnlc
During the eight months the lall mas
been under the present administration
tho number Of prisoners Is loss than In
any eight months under the former
The prisoners nre nh In good health,
and appear In be- looking on the bright
side NJ lIfo. Those able Ia do -, secure
the dcicnclcB ~ the season. Threo arc
In this class. nh NJ whose names are IA.
millnr 10 Newspaper rpndcrs' Robert
Loworv Dana Goyor and william En'
ton Tho trIO are quito chummy
Tho NH nj fare w simple ~ wpull
naturally DO expected Bread moln'7nl
nri cofioc fOf breakfast ana supper
10 al noon each prisoner cots mar q
pound Of fresh meat, and all the bieRd