Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1900-08-22
CULTURED CONVICT
Is Oberlin Fl. Carter a Former
United States Army Officer.

view OF the World Held in the same
| Subsection as Other Prisoners-H His
Number Indelibly Stamped upon his
Clothes Has to Mingle With the
Worst Criminals.
LEAvENwoRTH, Kan, August 21.
Within the great, high white walls
of the federal prison at Forth Leaven-
worth, Kan, is a convict, wealthy,
cultured, intellectual and of an invit-
ing appearance who would no doubt
give all his treasure to be restored to
freedom and his former position. He
is 0berlin III. Carter, former captain
of engineers, convicted OF defrauding
the government out Of hundreds Of
thousands, possibly millions, OF dol
lars-few, II any, know exactly how
mnch-in connection with the inn
provement OF Savannah, Ga. His fell
low prisoners are murderers, cattle
thieves, highwaymen, forgers, burg
lars and, in fact, represent almost ev-
cry offense in the catalogue of crime
None of them ever was his equal Off
eially, socially, intellectually, or tinan-
cially, yet it is with this class Of per-
sons that he must mess work and
mingle until the expiration OF his five
years term OF Imprisonment.
There is graduated scale OF time
off for good behavior at Leavenwortt.
Each convict, except the life prisoners
whether serving for one or twenty
years. is entitled TO an allowance Of
five days for each month for proper
conduct. This will shorten Carriers
sentence by three hundred days, and
make his period of service in the pris-
on little more than four years and
two months
HEAD GARDENER OF HOSPITAL.
AS Carriers wealth and influence
did not avail to keep him out OF pris-
on, so they can do little toward allie
Waiting his hardships. His former
standing has, however, secured for
him position in the prison less obi
Gus than that OF a majority Of his fell
low convicts. When he first entered
Leavenworth Carter was assigned as
bookkeeper in the repair shops, but as
there was very little work to do in this
capacity he was, after short time,
transferred 30 the prison hospital and
made head gardener of the place.
Surrounding this building is pretty
lawn studded with flower beds, and 1t
is this former engineer captains duty
to keep these and the other grass plots
within the prison Enclosure in good
condition. He performs his duty
faithfully and WELL his military train
ing having thoroughly taught discip-
line, and the hospital lawn is beau
tiful oasis within these drear and bar
rem walls. His helpers are two cattle
thieves from Indian Territory, and,
with them, he is required to perform
the manual labor of cutting the grass
and sprinkling 1t and attending to
the shrubs and plants. There are
some easier tasks at Leayenworth
than this, but other prisoners are as
signed to them, prisoners whose stand
ing before they became convicts was
not as high as was Carriers. The
majority, however, are more arduous,
for new prison is being erected about
two and one-half miles from the old
one, and a large portion OF the con-
yicts are employed in its construction.
Being connected with the hospital,
Carter is allowed ward. This is one
degree removed from the ordinary cell,
which is in reality cage, with great
iron bars, within which each prisoner
has his own narrow bunk. Carter is
under guard at night the same as the
other convicts in the long tiers OF
cells. His ward is adorned with sew
eral photographs and pictures and a
| few pieces of bric-a- brac such as the
superintendent has seen fit to allow
| him to have to hide the barren walls
and cheer the lonely occupant.
VISITORS TRY TO SEE CARTER.
Hospital work is more agreeable te
Carter than any other at the prison,
for the reason that visitors are seldom
granted the privilege of entering the
building, and never except by special
permission, rarely given, by the super
intendent Mondays and Thursdays
are visitors days, and every person
who goes to Fort Feavenworth is Curl
Gus to see Carter, and the guards are
piled with questions concerning him.
Few, however, have their morbid
curiosity to see the man gratified.
He seeks to avoid being seen and on
visitors days keeps well within doors,
and the people go away disappointed.
The rule OF silence prevails at Leav-
enworth, and this is perhaps the
greatest OF all the hardships which
the convicts. endure. Sometimes days
and weeks pass during which pris-
oner has no opportunity to hear the
sound Of his own voice. Occasionally
when a guard is not observing, pris-
oner may exchange few words with
bis nearest fellow, but If detected a
reprimand follows, and repetition
means the imposition Of certain pen.
aIties and finally the loss Of the good
| behavior time which the AVERAGE nrjS-