The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-02-05


ing this months issue of THE Oahu
Prison Echo" The ECHO" is edited by
| convicts. In the current number sew
eral little jokes are INDUCED in On
one page can be found the following:
Judge tsarcastically)-'D you ever
earn dollar in your Iife?''
| Vagrant (seriouslyl-.Yes, Your
Honor, voted at the first county cleo
| ton"
Under the head of Amusing Incl
dents of the Daily Life on the Reef is
| printed the following:
The inmates of oahu Penitentiary
have at least one consolation amid their
trials and tribulations. They are con-
scious OF one fact and that is that theirs
is not a ricketty Jail but on the con-
frary one that has its place in the his
tory of the country. In its cells have
slept many prominent figures of the
old regime. Princes. ministers, law
yers. editors and business men were in
Guided in that small band of reyolu-
tfonists whom the Provisional Govern
ment and the Republic of Hawaii sent
hither for safekeeping. There are no
political prisoners within its walls now.
But against this Oahu Penitentiary can
put forth the claim of being the NEST
cosmopolitan penal institution under
the American flag. No less than sew
enteen nationalities are represented in
this community today.
Some of the inmates would make
fine subjects for students of human
nature. Take 'Whipper VIII for in
stance. He is a typical Alabama negro
and a constant reminder of the ante
bellum days. 'Whipper VIII was so
nicknamed on account of his bird-like
propensities in gathering the leaves
that fail from the famous kamani tree
which graces the prison yard. His
bodily ills include all the ailments
known to medical science. Each day
brings forth new complication. He
has rheumatism in one leg, govt in the
other, stomach trouble, an enormous
appetite. and he didn't know but that
his lungs would be the death of him.
This, however, was disposed of very
effectively when one bright sunny
morning he appeared at the dispensary
and complained of a toothache. Some
soothing drug was given him and he
went his way. Scarcely fifteen minutes
had elapsed when he made a second
call. For the next few hours life was
made a burden for the hospital steward
who finally delivered this ultimation:
That tooth must 60 Whipper VIII
was placed in the operating chair, the
forceps produced and--The usual quiet
of, the prison yard was broken by a
series of prolonged howls, which clearly |
denoted the possession OF very strong |
pair of lungs by some one Officers and |
prisoners alike wondered if a circus |
1sor ha6 ,of kan /
the vicinity of the jail for his native |
jungle. Upon inquiry however it prov
ed to be -Whipper VIII lamenting the |
loss of his tooth. AS he was leaving /
the dispensary some one inquired re-
garding the condition of his lungs, but
he ignored this remark and said: That
blankety blank steward can pull like
r jackass and it's a wonder my jaw
didn't go with the TOOTH
"One day tWhipper VIII was placed
IN solitary confinement, for fighting
with a fellow prisoner. Now of all his
iislikes solitary confinement is the
greatest. He was no sooner alone in
The dark cell than he began plan
ning how to get out. He hit upon
very ingenious plan. AS he heard the
officer of the yard coming along bring
ng him his dinner, 'Whipper VIII took
IF his trousers, tied one Of their empty
egs around his neck and the other
made fast to the door, thus doing the
ranging act. The groans, however,
which greeted the officers appearance
allied of their purpose The officer
simply remarked that he had no use
or any blamed fool that could not
lang himself properly. The only visl- !
lie result of his strategem was that he
ost all of his clothes. He had to finish
lis forty-eight hours solitary conf1ne-
nent, like Adam before the fall. No
iced to say that this was his last at 7
emit to gain sympathy by hanging.
"a fitting companion TO Whipper
Vill is 'Limpy,' an old Chinaman who
lobbles around the prison yard with {
he aid of a cane. 'Linpy is con-
rrped opium fiend and his maneuvers
0 obtain his favorite drug from the
1gilant hospital authorities are a
ource of continual amusement. Even
rison life it will be seen has its hu-
lorous side.s'
And this is the way that the convict
ditor of the Echo studies human
ature. one of his paragraphs is as :
ollows: t
"The person who is in love with !
imself is not likely to be troubled with
walls