Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-01-26
MUSIC IN THE COUNTY JAIL.
Rare Treat for SOcicty's Worst Class
of OGenders-FOrGer Turner Draws
Tn resolutions of nj

In Resolutions of Thanks.
Get out O. here an shut hat door,
you big duffer.
Bill Moore, a highway robber. was snarl-
ing at his cellmate, a low-browed burglar.
who was standing in the cell door gossip
ing. The burglar scowled and went out.
Moore, sitting on his cot. hunched his
BODY a little closer to the bars of. his
cell and said TO the reporter, standing out
side:
That's the last music III hear for
sixteen long years, an l want to hear it
all
Then he put his ear close to the bars.
rested his chin in the palm of his hand
and chewed tobacco very slowly while he
listened.
The old Jail was full of the sweetest
strains of music. TIL melody echoed and
r~csounded 81 every dingy corner Of the
prison. 1t was the first time that really
nrst-claSS music was ever heard in the
pieces of Musicians union No. %. There
were twenty-five of the best musicians in
this city, under the direction of II. T.. HUI
lett.
The prisoners on each Of the four floors
We're let out into the corridors before the
music began. Most of them crowded down
10 TIC tnU nearest the music anu isl
ened. A few. like Moore, stayed in their
listen.
It'll wit thur music. We. git huff
music every day listenin, to them niggers
singin downstairs" said one, burly no
bo,' who was lying on his back on his
cot.
Bill Adler and R. B. Turner, two of the
most noted prisoners in the Jail. did not
leave their cells during the music. They
sat near the bars, though, and heard 1t all.
''(lnIn tho lnHr and LET the mplQdV float
play Dixie. That's my favorite," Bill
went on 10 say.
Turner discussed the music from the
standpoint of a critic. Adler called him
down with the remark:
"rIl get them TO bottle some of that
music up for YOU"
The negresses on the top floor waltzcd to
the music. h negroes on the lower floor
coon jined" to it. y few of them started
a game OF craps in a dark corner of he
corridor. Thomas Clark. sentenced &c be
hanged, listened stolidly.
There was one complaint that seemed TO
be general: The music was too high
toned" Why didn't they play Hot Time
for instance. Some one told the musicians
that "A Hot Time in the Old Town would
meet with great approval. and they played
it. Cheers and wild applause followed it.
After 1t was all over Bill Adler and r. b.
Turner called a session of the kangaroo
court. All the prisoners on the second
floor ranged themselves down the two sides
of the corridor and listened intently while
turner addressed theTn. lie nelQ IN MS
hand a set of resolutions he had written.
He explained that the court had been
highly honored by n visit from such a dis
tinguished body of musicians. He read the
resolutions and asked all who were in ia
vor of their adoption to hold up their
hands. Every hand went up.
1t seems to be unanimous" said Turner
as he passed the resolutions out between
the bars TO a reporter for The Journal
They had been written by Turner offhand
and were as follows:
Whereas. Musicians union No. 20 favor.
ed the prisoners of the county jail with 4
splendid musical entertainment during the
afternoon of January %; and
Chiles, kindly arranged things as best he
could under the circumstances for the con,
v%enience of the orchestra and benefit OF
the prisoners: and
Whereas. This concert was voluntarily
rendered by Musicians union No. 20, with
out compensation of any sort, and purely
through charitable motives: and
Whereas. The prisoners confined In thi.
jail are not yet wholly lost to all sense Of
appreciation: therefore be it
Resolved. That. the prisoners of the sec
ond floor, in kangaroo court assembled
hereby tende their sincere thanks to Mu
Resolved. That the thanks of thi:
organization be also rendered to the count!
marshal for the interest displayed by hin
in this entertainments; and be ii further
Resolved, That a copy of these resolu
tons be presented to Musicians union No
20: to Marshal Chiles and to The Kansa:
City Journal"
kansas City. Mo-. kangaroo Court, Sec
ond Floor, County Jail. Jan. %, 1895"