Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1901-07-11
THE PENlTENTlARY.

by the courtesy of Warden Haddox,
and piloted by Archdeacon Spur, we
were permitted to make thorough in
spection of the prison. The peniten-
tiary buildings and walls that enclose
them take up space of about five
acres. The buildings are Of a very
substantial sort, naturally, and are
not without architectural merit. En-
tering the corridor from the street the
visitor comes to the business offices.
To get into the prison proper one
steps into circular iron cage, which
is swung around by means of levers
worked from an adjoining room, con-
trivance that very efectually pre-
cludes the idea ofbreaking out. Who
enters there leaves such hope behind.
In the inside is a courtyard that is
well-kept and very pretty with green
lawns and playing fountains. The
workshops are within this court
There were $50 prisoners in the pen
itentiary at the time, and Of these 600
were at work in the several shops. The
most important industry seemed to be
that of making whips, where articles
of this sort Of every description are
turned out by the hundred, from the
dainty little lady's riding whip to the
Mexican quirt or long bull whip for
driving big teams. The pants factory
is busy place, also, and l25 dozens Of
trousers are turned out daily, while
Just as busting a scene is the factory
where ladies skirts are made in large
quantities. The broom factory fin
ishes l 200 brooms daily. These shops
are the scenes of greatest activity, The
convicts work fast and attend strictly
to business, as the discipline is main
tanned with frmness. Each man has
a certain amount of labor to perform,
and when he finishes this he is per-
mitted to take his ease. The whirr-
ing of the machines and swift manipu-
latioLs of the workmen indicate that
few idle moments are passed in the
shops
The men work from $50 in the
morning until 11.9O, and from noon
until 4 o'clock. They have opportu-
nifty for making money for themselves
by extra work. A very large proper
ton of the men are colored persons,
and some Of them are indeed tough
looking customers. The prisoners
take their meals together in an i'm
meuse hall. They do not get all
the delicacies Of the season, but their
food is good and substantial and
enough for a reasonable appetite. The
table was set for supper when we saw
it, and each man had two big hunks
of bread, a cup Of coffee, and a good
sized dish of savory stew.
The sight of 600 more or less des-
perate men together, every one them
probably bent on getting out of the
prison as soon as he can and in any
way possible, causes some ticklish feel
ings to come over a visitor. 1t really
seems as if such mob could do any
thing, almost, in the way Of sweeping
away opposition if it once got started
1t is said that there are always schemes
on hand to make dash for freedom,
and it is singular that so few Of them
are tried. The prisoners have the
implements of their workshops and
other articles that might be used for
weapons, and it seems not impossible
that a general insurrection might be
planned and carried out with more or
less success. Over against this side
of the question, however, is the fact
that there are from twenty to forty
heavily armed guards always on duty
and watchful for any incipient signs
of trouble. We shouldn't like to be
the first man to start row, for it is
mighty certain that the guards would
pot good many men before a riot
could get much Roadway. Besides
the guards in the shops and about the
grounds, officers with Winchester RI
fes walk the walls day and night, and
a gatling gun is always ready for bus
mess. After all, we advise against
any attempt to escape.
There is really little incentive to
do wrong or to violate the rules, for
aside from the fact that it is hopeless
to try to escape, there is every encour-
agement for the prisoners to make a
good record. Good conduct shortens
their time. Bad conduct takes from
them many privileges. The guards
keep a record of the ofenses committed
and the offender is sure to get his pun
ishment. The prisoners are graded
according to their behavior, fiat the