The St. Louis Republic., 1901-03-31

was done by convicts. Many Of the cells
are fitted up in luxurious fashion. Lace cur
! tains are tastefuly draped about the doors.
pictures adcrn the walls clocks and trink-
cts are placed about on table and shelves
and pilcw-sips and sheets are on the beds.
Of course, all these extra furnishings must
he supplied by the prisoner or his friends.
Many of the cells are carpeted or covered
tanning canary birds hang fr front of the
cell doors, and the imprisoned men are very
fond of their pets. In 'E Hail. only male
cOnvicts are confined.
Former Warden Starke. who has been
Warden four years. and is succeeded by
Mr.. Woodbridge. took pains to treat the
permit, and the results so far obtained seem
to bear out the wisdom Of this course.
In the Womcn's Department..
A very interesting section Of the penl-
Tertiary is the womens department. con-
tanning sixty-eight prisoners, twenty-one
of whom are white. Most of the women
work in the overall department. but the
task is light one. and none appear the
worse for their employment. This section
of the prison Is under the immediate SUI
pervision of Mrs. Lima Spahr, who has
held this position for the past four years.
possible. though their cells do not appear
as well furnished nor is the location as
desirable desirable as that Of Of tn, the men pathetic
infant children. one white and two black.
The two latter were born in the institution
shortly after their mothers arrived and are
aged ,,s., respectively, 2 and 4 months. The
little white girl. a pretty blonde. with
langhing blue eyes and rosy checks. was
permitted the mother because it was
thought the latter would be more con-
tented and the child receive better care.
The little one plays about the cell door and
&c onl9 and is pstted by every M one She
" the visitor in way that he can hardly
fail TO remember.
Associated with the life of convict an
iS mar to do,
manual labor. True, he is made to work.
put the task imposed upon prisoner
En- hs nd ,bs is not an
vation. a convict breads solitary conf1ne-
ment. nae and that is what happens him II he
placed diet e Of Bread fases and water a
The factories at Jefferson City that en-
ploy convict labor are all operated by elec-
I;y tri;eity , furnished by the plant inside the
boot and shoe department. which gives eI1,-
ployment to about 500 prisoners. and turns
out 2.4Oo, pairs of boots and shoes of all
grades daily. The very latest improved
machinery is now used. where formerly the
work was all done by hand. and the output
is in 0e Charge aes Of day aasH aep abo
has been there for twenty-three years.
Guards Have "Friends."
If you ask guard or keeper at the PEN
itentiary If he does not fear assault he will
among the prisoners to fear that. On
Christmas morning when the writer. in
company with Captain Tolin. rubbed elbows
with bank robbers. train robbers, thieves
and murderers. most of them desperate,
vicious characters. and the newspaper man
asked the Captain IL 1t were not taking d
great risk. he replied:
'TWhy. no. II one of these men struck me
down the others would almost tear him to
rule them by and
victs. Then. too. 1t would mean depriva-
tion Of every privilege now accorded them