Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-12-14


az the present the great strides in prison
reform made by governments show that
they ere becoming better even if the
percentage of criminals is not lessened
S'he prison reform people have done much
good. a5lG will continue to co so. unless
Sheir enthusiasm makes them mawfish.
had the questionable pleasure of din
iuE in the convict kitchen OF the Vir-
gtHia peritentiary one day last week n
the invitation of the oblig:rg assistant
superintendent. Mr.. Z. T. Morgan, just
10 see what sort Of food is dishcd out to
the 100 inmates of the State prison.
There's a big difference between eating
2 meal. as a matter Of experiment. and
having 70 eat ii to sustain life-doubtIess
IT'S more palatable in The latter instance
Bring this gentleman 4 dinner said
Mr.. Morgan. y daTl.cy hustled over to a
stack Of wheat bread, and brought back
huge cubical chunk. Ii dfnt taste like
the bread our mothers used to make but
!, was wholesome, and as the darkev
said Of the dried apple pie, "powcrfui
film ' Got any buuer2" \ dozen or
more negroes who We're cleaning UP the
place. dropped their mops and laughed.
Beans Hot from the Boiler.
You must eat tie whole thing" satd
I-. Morgan. This is bacon day. and
we've boiled beans. too. ISring the whole
bin Of fare. The darkcy came back
with tin plate of beans lot from tbs
boiler. They We're dull brown in color,
and barring the fact that they lacked
favor. they We're quite good. Air. Nor
gan said they were very filling also,
which | found out later to be absolutely
true. Another negro helper brought
tin plate that was covered with u rect
angular piece Of corn bread about six by
four inches in dimension. and lying next
breakfast bacon. but that part of the
hog anatomy known in commerce, / be-
Heve. by the not Very alluri1g name OF
"sow-beily" ] managed 10 get on terms
of familiarity with the beans and bread
hut the bacon stpmpeG me fat. although
Mr. Morgan urged q trial of il. This
food may not be tempting, bat it's sub
stantial. The penitentiary is no first
class cafe" added the superintendent
-Four days in The week. we give 'en
hull soup It's really meat stew
with vegetables Everybody eats the
same 1are except the hospital patients"
Like Il striped Serpent.
The dissertation on the merits of the
dinner stopped Tor the ringing tones of
the nocn-day bell We're sounding. and in
fhe penitentiary court the long lines
# convicts were forrning-a regi-
Tnent of prisoners in single tile-preparing
to march by the kitchen. where the help
ers handed cut the bacon, beans and
bread 10 each man as he passed. From
an elevated point Of view the thin line
Of convicts in their striped suits OF white
aad brown looked like a monster serpent
winding along his 1ortuous path to his
dem There was not a smile to be seen
on the face of any Inan-an unusual
sight when mon are going TO dine There
7yrre expressions OF Indifference. and re-
sigrattcN and chiefly curious g3ances az
the little group of visitors gathered near
the inner gate. They took their dinners
just as a Goor-keeper takes return checks
Al the theatre, and joGrncyed on to their
cells. where for three quarters Of an
hour. they are allowed TO cat, and t72d
sgch recreation from social intercourse.
as their dispositions and environment
permit Then back into line again IT.
their respective duties, and so the hours
roll into DAYS weeks, months and years.
for some OF them the years mean then
earthly existence. unless there's an es-
cape over the great white walls, or o
Governor pardons or perhaps death
brings freedom.
@Thars Nick GiIii@an."
''N,ho's that tan fellow with the black
ha!r2'' That's Nick Gilligan. He killed
old man Turner down in Isle OF Wight
county on remember ll!'- tiSS. i1S
vas coUrting MIR. Turner's daughter al
che time He's up for eighteen wears,
sEld Nlr Morgan. The fellow just be-
hind him is T. u. Garrettson He was
sellJ Hp Gom Roanoke for attempted
criminal assault. He has a thirty-two
Neags' sentence Garrettson escaped 10
Chicago after his crime, and got life
eentence 10 Joliet prison in Illinois for q
similar offence After serving sjNteea:
months he escaped. and finally landed
here. He has served terms III Tennessee
and Texas prisons. Garrettson is about 50
wears old; is above the average convict
ia intelligence. and his features do not
indicate that he is the criminal that his
yvcord shows.
A"rong the men pointed ont was Julian
T. Lane Of Hanover county, who is serV-
ing Il second term. The court gave him
Ave wears extra on his second conviction,
but il is understood that his attorney
Il seeking TO have the additional SEN
Ience removed, as Lanes disabilities were
after his first sentence by Gov
crnor Holiday. He has made good re-
cord AT the prison There's old John
Orrel" said one Of the Keepers. Hes
convict No. /. lie was sent here from
Ibis city September %. 1870 on If"
sentence" OrrcIl has served more years |
than any other convict. and while an
old man seems good for many more
years.
Stole q Communion Service.