Sunday Washington globe., 1901-12-29


T. Rowles. This liquor was dealt out 70
each man in a graduate, and the liquor was
kept under lock and key in the office Of the
kitchen. had charge Of the liquor and the
key, but induced the kitchen guard to deal
out the whiskey from his guard stand as
the men came in dripping wet and cold
from their work on the frozen river to their
light supper. The men in the kitchen, Of
course knew that the superintendent had
placed the liquor in my charge. and after
his departure in the evening from the
prison I was besieged by demands, en-
treaties, bribes, etc. from these thirsty and
longing souls for a little Of the life-saving
fluid to all of which turned a deaf ear /
was the FIRST prisoner in the kitchen in the
morning, a. M, and the last one at night,
Up. m.
The guard did not go on duty until a. m.
and departed at D. m. so that in the morn.
ing there were three hours of a hiatus
without the oppressive presence of the
Shiny Hester and one hour in the evening.
Now few of the prisoners who were TO
be at the kitchen at ago a. m, failing 10
soften, cajole or bribe me into giving
them any Of the liquor, reported to James
that drank the whiskey in the early morn.
ing. OF this Of course, was unaware and
marveled much that James visited me sew.
eral mornings almost as soon as reached
the Office. Finally he came one morning
beautifully drunk, If such an adjective is
permissible, and then in his maudlin af.
fectionate manner, when under the in
huence, let the cat out Of the bag and in.
formed me why he had called so early,
hoping to catch me. He also stated that it
was reported to him that the coffee and
sugar, lemons, etc. were being sold by
some one in the kitchen TO the prisoners
and that was suspected. But he knew me
/ and would not believe that / could descend
to petty theft Of the kind
Now Bill " continued this type.of prison
warden, II know yourself and family. /
| will do anything you ask me for your chill.
dren for love them I know you don't
drink liquor and know you wouldn't steal,
but you are the boOkkeeper Of this depart
ment and there are thousands of dollars
being stolen by the steward and superin-
tendent. You know this because YOU keep
the books, but can 7 detect it; you are too
smart for me aud you have the books fixed
all right. | know that in the weights Of
beef and other meats and in the vegetables
sold by Elmer Miller at present U. s. Col
leetor Of Colrmbus) there is big rake of,
and if YOU will cough up and tell me what
you know will secure you pardon from
! the Major (the late President then Govern
| or you can show me in the books how the
| trick is turned. If you wont do it I will put
a guard down here 20 weigh everything and
keep note Of all that comes in These
fellows are making $4,000 a year, while l.
as warden have only my bare salary of
81 800 and quarters, and by c., Bill, I'll
not stand IT,"
He said much more and talked for over
an hour, while all could do was to gaze at
him mentally as helpless from anger and
amazement as he was from his nights de.
bauch and red liquor. When my friend,
the honest old Dutchman, Munshower,
showed up at a. IN. broke the Warden's
astounding story to him, and had all
could do to prevent his seeking out James
and thTashing that semi-crazed drunkard.
I advised that he pass it over unnoticed and
await developments, If the worst came to
pass he could see the governor and explain
matters. AS for the whiskey, / induced him
to remove il from-the office and place il in
charge of Guard Hester (where the men
subs iequently got at it and emptied a two
gallon demijohn), thus relieving us both of
suspicion. AS to the selling of the coffee,
sugar, etc, we knew it was going on, but
we finally caught him in a trap set for the
slick individual, he turned out to be the
wardens informant, a second termer named
Healy. James with his usual eccentricity
had him removed to the front Office of the
prison and detailed as his special runner,
and he ultimately secured his pardon
Time went on and we heard nothing from
James for the week or two he kept sober
| Suddenly one morning while / was taking
the weight Of the meat on the scales
guard appeared, escorted by Julius Whiting,
the manager, and Warden James In my
presence the guard was instructed to weigh
everything coming to the subsistence de-
partment and make duplicate slips, giving
one to the superintendent (Muushower)
and the other to the warden or his private
secretary at the front Office. After the de-
narture of Whiting and James / learned
that another guard had been detailed to the
stewards Office to perform the same duty
therel Thus the steward and superintend-
emit bonded officials of the prison, had
guards set over them to see that they did
not steal
pass over the Indignation of the steward
and the superintendent (honest Munshower)
and pass on to the result. The guards at
either end of the line made a delightful
MISS anu AAAA up VI AuN weighing TOT III
stance in returning the weight of the meat
etc, they omitted the little fact of deduct
ing the weight of the wagon, and, under in
structions from the superintendent en-.
tered on the ledger the weight returned by
the guard, with the consequence that at the
end of the month when drew off my bal
ance sheet and made my averages per capita
/ made every prisoner consume six pounds
each Of beef four pounds each of mutton
and FIVE pounds each of pork daily Thus
each prisoner consumed according to the
weights of the meats returned by the guard
FIFTEEN POUNDS OF MEAT DAILY, besides
enormous quantities of vegetables, butter
etc, from which the tare weight of course
had not been deducted. When my monthly
statement was examined by the Board of
Managers at their meeting there was the
utmost astonishment, and Supt. Munshower
was sent for to the boards room and asked
to explain / supplied him with the guards
! s1ins which when tOtalized exaCflv figured