Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-05-06

The GaIIows.
$50. 1870 and go. They get coffee three
times a day. and one-half loaf white bread
at each meal. Their last TWO meals ara
generally alike
The other prisoners get TWO meals day
- and 2:i1-aad got one-half loaf white
bread at breakfast and corn bread at din
ner. The women get ouc-half loaf white
bread at each meal
The workers.
The working men. mentioned in the bill
of fare. are those serving jail sentences
who are employed in The prison kitchen. a
most excellent and well-,quipp-d cstah-
lishnent. 10y The way. and those who are
engaged in doing the small Oh res about
the building ana grounds. This work is
eagerly sought 10y the prisoners for the
reason that the work i of a light chardc-
ter. and because in performing il thsy ub-
tain a release from their cells and certain
small privileges. Warden Harris regrets
very much that through lack of facilities
he cannot employ those Of his charges sem
fenced to imprisonment in The institution
in regular channels 81 labor. for tha en-
forced idIeness of the great majority Of the
prisoners not only tends t. their further
moral degeneration, Uat also prevents HIM
from making the prison in part il NOT
wholly. salf-SUpp'rring. There IS authority
of law for requiring those sentenced 20 i'm
pr:soumeut in the Institution To labor but
as there ara no workshops provided and
no wall about the prison. II is practically
impossible Ia work them. save in the kltch-
en- and IN other light labor
Thars Is another feature OF the iu~titu-
ton watch IN, warden regrets exceedingly.
and mat l. the necessity uf cuutulnG luve-,
nile Offenders IN close CONTACT with those
Old and hardened in crime. To- overcome
This very serious evil as much as possible
Warden Harris confines the boys SoEt Go
Jail for punishment or for trial in the up
permost tier Of cells in the south
wing. But through those mysterious chan
nels of communication which prey fiL do
spite the earnest ard persistent efforts Of
the officials in all prisons. The boys come
more or .ess in contact with their older
associates and such contact. although linz
tied mucn as possible. results in many
instances in the complete ruin of The boys.
even Of those who are for the drsl zine
undergoing imprisonment The warden
agrees with Other authorities on the subject
that young boys a." girls should ia no case
be confined in jail not even when awaiting
trial Juveniles Of both sexes. he believes.
should be hold I'm the reform schools and
for that reason he hopes 10 sec the laws
obtaining here 50 amended as to permit the
courts to send youthful offenders 10 re
fOrmatories Instead of 10 the jail or To the
workhouse. The District Commissioners
are of the same opinion in the matter. and
it is understood that they. together with
the judges Of the Criminal and Police
courts, will join with Warden Harris and
lntendaEt StouteEburgh of the District
workhouse ia asking such change in the
laws by Congress.
Occupants of south Wing.
In addition to the boys. there are confn-
cd in the south wing Of the Jail. set apart
for males. those who are awaiting trial
for alleged penal crimes and those sentenc-
ed to the penitentiary or To death. The
north wing = utilized Tor the conilhe-
ment of men sentenced to Imprisonment
in jail. The lower tiers Of the south wing
are. as a rule given over to those charged
with or convicted of the most serious Of
lenses, and the cells on either sid of the
corridor nearest the rutunda are occupied
by convicted murderers, of whom there are
at the pres mt time four, three OF whom
have been sentenced to die early next
month. Cell No. of this wing is the one
in which Charles J. Guiteau, the assassin
of President G&rt- Id was confined after
his conviction. and into which Sergeant
Mason fired his rife for the purpose OF
cheating the galOws of its victim ms
cell is now occupied by Smith. the negro
murderer who is to hang Fr-day next IN
cells 1 and 3, opposite hln Suathef hio
Winston, who were hanged yesterday were
confined up to the time Of their execution.
The instrument Of death stands IN all us
grimness at the extreme end OF the east
ern corridor of the north wing OF the
nrisou on il Guiteau was executed and a
dozen or more murderers since then II
is ALWAYS ready for instant use, ana j a
model of effective simplicity. STOUT posts
support a platform about ten leet MLuo
by about five or six feet deep, the piaA-
form being reached by stairway OF about
a dozen steps. great cross beam rises
above the center of the scanold' from
Witch the fatal ropes descend. A trapdoOr,
which, upon the signal of the warden.
swings noiselessly downward and BACK
ward occupies the center of the platform,
with accommodations for three or four
criminals The trapdoor is held in place
by iron bolts beneath 1t, which are re-
leased at the proper moment by a pull on a
rome with which they are connected, and
which runs into a cell opposite. In this
cell stands the real eXecutioner, who is
hidden from sight, and who is unknown
save to the Jail officials. When all is
ready the warden gives the signal by
motion of his handkerchief. the rope is
pulled by the man in the CELL the bolts fly
hack. the trapdoor falls and the condemned
man plunges into eternity.
The District jail is not only model one
in point of construction, but also in neat
ness and cleanliness, and the health of the
inmates, despite its close proximity to the
Eastern branch, is invariably good very
few cases of serious Illness occurring. A
few days ago the number of prisoners was
305, of whom 261 were colored and Al
white