The Florida star., 1902-12-19

Roland B. Molineux's Story Of
Life In Sing Sing Prison.
THE GREws0ME LAST NIGHT.

scrfbes Secrets and Rites of the
Hopeless Condemned How He
Watched n Man About tn Die.
Roland Burnham Molineux. who was
acquitted Of the murder of Mrs. Kath-
arine Il. Adams, has written n book
describing his four years Danish
Inent" in the TOmbs and in the death
house at Sing Sing prison.
The title Of the volume Is The
Room With the Little Door" 1t is
1902, by Roland Burn
!. Jam MOlineux and will soon he issued
by the publishers, q. W. Dillingham;
company, by whose permission the fol-
lowing extracts are given. MOHneux
wrote most of the twenty odd chapters
while in prison.
The unique feature of MOlineuX's
book, says the New York World. is a
chapter entitled impressions" and 1t
Is divided into two views, The Last
Night" and THE Next Morning. de-
scribing the last hours Of a man sen
fenced to die byeelectricity. He says
that Il man about tO be executed Is re-
moved from his cell TO an apartment
directly adjoining the death chamber
OH Saturday night. He then knows
that Ire is to die week frSm the fol-
lowing Monday. He asks no questions.
He is given everything new-clothing.
bedding. books or anything he asks for.
.sIyv hot
neux, "a certain unW.tten etiquette
among us Is never violated. His own
way In everything so far as we can
possibly comprehend Ii Is our law.
Does he ask fOr-f song or story. his
demand is acQuicsced in at once. VIII
he play checkers? He will choose his
opponent, and he will always win. We
send him our oranges, the top layer
from the box OF cigars one has pur-
, chased. We do anything-anything we
can tO please him.
I'll there. been a quarrel between
him aud another? 1t is completely for
gotten. On his part he must make the
ghastiy regulation jokes during the
week. Tkcse are two In number. one
WITH the hccpcI upOui ehC hSN oui' Va
clothes. Il suppose you will be wearing
this week after neSf'
"No . is with the barber. Don't
forget to cut my hair short on top"
or the grewsOme last night Of a con-
demned man Molineux writes:
but ut midnight the last rites among
us of the death chamber take place.
The keeper cemes TO my cell. carrying
perhaps the little paper box my depart
ing friend has kept his tobnccO i'll so
long, one that he made and decorated
himself. Keep that TO remember ME
by.' | heard from the direction OF the
little door.
THANK you reply.
"'GOodby. | hope you have luck and
get out is the next part OF the ritual.
must respond: Thank you. GoOdby.
and God bless you
This Is repeated to each one sep
arately. He gives everything away;
books. pipe, all For six months he
has been turning over in his mind just
what treasure each OF his companions
shall receive when the last night
comes"
Molineux says no condemned man is
ever given food OH the morning OF his
d '-Ncution. He describes the parting
>aLsween one condemned man and his
spiritual adviser as follows:
IF you have slept and do not hear
the death watch draw down the cur
tains in front Of all the cells when the
night outside turns gray, you will sure
ly be awakened by the noise Of many
feet. Ii is the priests who have en.
tered. AS you lie in your cell Uhe
drawn curtains make il resemble lit
tie box wide awake you know that the
last confession is being made. the last
sacrament is being administered.
''This is another reason why no
breakfast Is given to the traveller.
saw IL all one morning. The curtain
was not quite down TO the floor. l
made myself as fat as possible. | saw
the priest kiss him. hold up the cross
before his eyes. bid him have faith and
then back out OF the cell. Then | heard
the little procession march rapidly into
the next room. What happens in there
and how il felt three minutes later !
cannot tell you. but I came very near
finding out"
Molineux says "u0me. Sweet Home"
Is never sung in the deathhouse. He
says the condemned men indulge In
mock elections, contribute TO a manu-