New-York tribune., 1903-06-07


denly become suspicious of one another When the
inmate OF cell No. 10 meets the inhabtant OF cell
No IA both likely to look askance. as II fearing
detection. They pals the day before talked
over their past achievements. planned future
crimes. plotted escape from the dreary walls Of
their prison. Now they fear each other One sus-
poets his former companion OF being spy, and the
thought haunts him that perhaps all his words and
acts may have been reported in black and white to
high officials of the prison department.
Those warders and keepers also who may have
worked something the side.' in similar
state OF trepidation- Any hour order may come
from Albany summoning them to appear before
the Superintendent Of Prisons In the mean time
the prison officers who have done their duty and
fear no investigation Of their conduct are silently
watching their fellows and waiting for a bolt to
fall
There has just been a shakeup in Clinton Prison.
at Dannemora, in the Adtrondacks. Several detec-
entered the institution some In the guse Of
prisoners. others as keepers and guards unknown
to all except Warden Deyo. They kept a lynx eye
all that happened within the prison walls One
detective, who passed a convict, was regularly
committed burglar. His hair was clipped
in his cell and got the common prison fare In the
daytime he worked with the convfcts in the tin
ware room. the cotton spinning plant. and the
penter's shop. He was measured and photographed
for the rogues' gallery and his map sent to
the prison department at Albany All this the
result OF the determination of Cornelius V Collins
State Superintendent Of Prisons to investigate
alleged irregularities"
So secretly the plot laid that not even the
clerks in the superntendents own office knew any
thing about It. There is young woman for ex-
ample, in the Albany Office. who has charge OF the
Bertillon Bureau. She has the pictures Of nearly
all the rogues IN the United States. as well as
Canada, indexed like the cards OF the Astor
Library. Give her the measurements Of a crimi-
nails head. with perhaps the detail OF mole under
the arm or a scratch back of the ear. and she can
snap uD the picture OF the in three ten
seconds.
arrived they handed over to this young
woman without a word Of warning. Some time
later she begged pardon for bothering Mr. Collins.
but she wanted to say:
Il spent two hours trying to identify these men,
but I couldn't do It What is the matter?'
You can let that go for the present." was the
supertntendents reply. to the still greater surprise
Of the custodian OF the Rogues' Gallery
The fake convicts. after they were locked up
IN their cells each night full reports Of
what they had seen during the day. 1t is from
p. to p. m that each prisoner IS sent back to
his CELL and then he may have paper and pencil to
write for 1.-THE Star OF Hope" the prison news
paper. detective guard would pass a confed-
crates cell and in voice loud enough to be
heard UP and down the hall:
Hey. what you doing there?'
Writing for The Star of Hope" was the an
swer. and the sleuth would pass out his manu-
script The report would then be transmitted TO
the prison superintendent. The other convicts
talked little with the newcomers the first few days
When one introduced himself a thief. they asked
him if he were dip pickpOcket: a strong
arm" man, or highwayman. gun burglar
The detective said ne gun" and after
time he made friends with his smooth scaped
striped suited associates One day a convict. with
a paleness of complexion that seemed even TOO
pshd to have been caused BY prison air a disso-
lutte past history grew particularly talkative and
after remarking that eft too d bad for such
q good locker to be serving time" said. in spirit
OF friendliness:
you don't use dope. do yer2'
Sure" was the reply, but you can't get Pill
In here"
Yer can II yer know the ropes" said the white
faced man. TN get some fer you. Have you got
'kish'?"
The detective knew by the language OF the under
world that his companion wanted money. "Can l
get the opium from a guard?' he asked
No" said the convict cagily, but know a
feIler as has some. Give some kish, and III get
you pill
According strict prison rules the convicts are
not allowed to talk with another at their WORK
but the detective found that his conversations were
not interrupted He handed his confederate some
money and in a few days he received ball OF the