Sunday morning globe., 1901-10-20
PARr H.
n TwENrY-rWrH PAPER.

The owd hung around the guard and re-
cepdon rooms Of dhe prison and strung
along to the outward entrance or porch uu.
I til forced to leave by the prison officials
I They loudly murmured at the consideration
I shown me IN not being subjected in their
presence to the usual search or examination
of my pockets Il is the custom when
prisoners arrive at the prison for the cap
tain of the guard room to personally search
each Individual and make list Of the ar
ticles found on his person, such as money
trinkets, pocket knife pipe, tobacco etc
I Photographs and a handkerchief, il he has
them, he is allowed to retain, all else being
contraband and kept in the prison safe until
the prisoners release by expiration of his
sentence, pardon or commutation.
Knowing this rule as well as my news
paper enemies, / had the deputy sheriff
search me ia the Jail before starting for the
penitentiary and as there was no possibility
Of obtaining anything contraband en- route
which only consumed fifteen minutes, he
was able to conscientiously affirm to the
deputy warden and captain of the guard
room that had nothing contraband on my
person Thus my forethought had deprived
A the mob of the exquisite pleasure they had
anticipated of seeing their hated "tyrant'
searched like common felon. The after
noon papers, the Dispatch and Press POSI-
came out in scare head lines reeking with
abuse and the vilest language in condemna-
ton of Deputy Porter and the prison officials
for treating with such exceptional consider
alton the cowardly murderer so Justly SEN
fenced to hard labor for life" A demand
was made that / should be instantly put to
work and the governor (Campbell) was ap-
pealed to in passionate terms to instruct the
officers Of the prison in their plain duty
towards the vile criminal" that morning
immured where he belonged aud where
he must die"
Under the inspiration of telephone mes
sages from Claude Meeker, private secre-
tary of Governor Campbell, and the un-
grateful wretch had so sigually befriended,
Deputy Porter, much against his will
ordered that l should be prepared for as.
signment to work" This preparation CON
sisted of the most humiitaung character to
any individual who ever had even an i'm.
pulse Of decency and self respect It is,
however, preparatory humiliation through
which all prisoners must pass on entering
the prison, with few exceptions, and these
exceptions are at the discretion of the war
den only where no public clamor slikely
TO arise by the concession, 10 the feelings Of
the prisoner
had been doing in the chair for some
time when Assistant Deputy Warden Brady
entered the corridor, and touching me on
the shoulder in a friendly and sympathetic
tone of voice said
Colonel, they are raising such h. Porter
has weakened and has ordered me to pre-.
pare you for assignment TO a contract
"All right, Brady, ] want no consideration
shown me whatever and ] much prefer to
be set to work as soon as possible"
This apparently relieved the deputys
mind and the barber was sent for The
barber is as much dreaded by the sensitive
prisoner on his first introduction to prison
as the headsman or execuuoner. / Quietly
sat in the chair and his clippers soon re-
moved the suspicion of any hair from my
head.
"Shall take OFF his mustache captain'"
exclaimed the barber
Before the deputy could reply, / said
YES certainly; trim me up in the regu-
lar style"
on went the mustache and I arose from
the chair with the observation that it was
"the first hair cut and shave / ever had
free" John r. Malloy and his friend Kelley
stood at some distance eyeing the process
or transformation the former highly enjoy
ing in his mean and contemplate spirit this
humiliation Of a man who had helped to
feed him after having paid taxes for his sup.
port and raising at the Orphans Home
Kelley looked shame faced and avoided my
eye but he was Malloy's guest and must
perforce stick II out or condemn by his de-
parture the conduct of his patron and host
The next step in the preparation was a
bath, after which l was introduced TO a
suit of striped clothing of the regular prison
pattern All through this transformation
scene Malloy stood almost at my elbow and
even tried in his vulgarity TO follow me
into the bath room, but was prevented by
the guard on a motion which decency forced
me to make to that official. When dressed
in the prison clothes / could not have looked
more evil than felt but this feeling con
cealed and carried myself with perfect
obedience and GOODNESS through this infam-
ously designed process for the degradation
Of the unfortunate How any person can
pass through this introductory discipline
and retain a suspicion Of selfrespect, ex-
cept he Is made Of that material which
neither gives nor purposed humiliations
can affect, is a marvel to the prison reformer
andthe humane criminologist. That the state
should design such a hideous uniform and
subject the individual assigned for cor
reotion and reformation-the objects of i'm
prisonment-toth this deliberate and purposed
degradation is as marvellous as that any Of
the wretches so degraded ever reform or
again become rehabilitated in spirit and soul
with the ordinary humanity of the race
Warden Coffin, on assuming charge of the
penitentary, Immediately abolished the
striped, or zebra, uniform on the ground
that no reformation could be effected in the
prisoner by the state the state persisted iu
furtherdegrading him and sinking him lower
in the scale of seli-respect. Mr.. Coffin Is
practical penologist and criminogist and he
soon demonstrated the beuefcent effects that
this abolition Of stripes had upon the bear.