davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-07-31

Warden of the Minnesota State Prison
likely to entertain delusions that are
agreeably dispelled by a term of one
short hour within the pen" He will
find that to all appearances humanity
and common sense, in this type of the
well-ordered. modern prison, has be-
nignly transformed cruelty into disci-
pline, persecution into punishment, re-
venge into reformation. He will ac-
knowledge the manifest improvements
over the unenlightened past, even al
though he does not f1atter himself that
any institution is IDEAL or that any
hurried, unframed visitor can ade-
quately judge of institutional methods.
Work for All Prisoners
Especially he would take notice dur
ing the business hours of week day,
that row after row of cells are empty,
although each barred door bears the
printed number and name of some
prisoner for whom the apartment"
is reserved But throughout the big
shops and around the yards he would
see hundreds of men, in the unobtru-
sive blue uniforms of the first and Sec
ond-class prisoners, hard at work in.
such, rational occupations as making
and shipping either shoes or binding
Irvine.
This is one of the most essential ad-
vantages manifest = that work in
abudance, but not in excess, hard
enough, but not enfeebling, work that
leads to something achieved and some
thing learned-is provided for all pris-
oners. Last week, for example, there
were 629 male prisoners at Saltwater,
of whom 500 approximately were en-
gagged, half in shoemaking and half in
Irvine making, and more than 100 were
performing various tasks in connection
with the care and maintenance of the
prison.
Minnesota is now confronted with
the distressing conditions that exist in
Illinois, where, because of conflicting
laws, and still more conflicting inter-
ests, all work has been suspended at
the state prison and the gravest APP
prehensions are felt as to the effect of
The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-07-31

| bull was the idol of the people. He had
amused them for a long time, never fail
ing to kill the bears he was pitted against.
He knew his business, this red bull. If
one death thrust did not reach home he
had a new one for the next rush.
when they brought him up to the old
Franciscan mission the morning of this
gala day, every one shouted for the bull.
He would surely win, and the bear who
was growing and splitting and making
desperate efforts to loosen the ropes that
bound him. was good as dead already.
Only the Indian who had lassoed the bear
and with considerable assistance brought
him to town, was willing to bet on the
bear. He had nothing but a cayuse and
his saddle, and he could have bet that
a Thousand times over.
I'VE made a great ring in front of the
mission, where there was level place,
great ring of men, women and children,
and here and there a padre. They brought
in the bull. with one rope tied TO his
foreleg. The bear was loosened all but
one rope fastened to one of his hind
paws. This was to keep him from run
ming away when the red bull began TO
gore him.
GAS the bull charged with a mighty
below, we held our breath and waited.
The grizzly was waiting. too, reared up
on his launches. looking as big as an
duODo nut.
'-They came together. but the bulls
horns did not even ruffie the fur on the
bears chest. Too quickly had the bear
seized the massive head and held it to the
ground. For moment they swayed
there. neither giving nor gaining an inch.
AS the poems ran up to separate them,
the bear struck out quickly with one Of
his huge paws and tore a cash in the
bulls neck.
1.-THE red fellow, with a growing anger
that was terrible, drew back for second
charge. 1t was as useless as the first
The bear seized and stopped him, hold
ing his head to the ground. Again the
poems pulled them apart.
cit was a prize fight with regular
rounds, this fight in honor of the great
general On the fourth or fifth charge
the bull gored the bear, but the wound
did not seem to disable him greatly In
the seventh-suppose we call it round
the bear lodged the charge and tore the
bulls shoulder terribly That bear knew
his business, too.
$50 the fight went until the bull had
charged fifteen, twenty, twenty-one times.
Then the commandant put an end to it.
1t was plain that the bear was going TO
get the better of the fight, that he would
kill the red bull, and that the COM
mandant did not care to afford. 1t was
indeed battle royal. and l. for one. was
sorry when they tossed a lasso around the
bears neck and slowly strangled him TO
dea IN
The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-07-31
Between Two Fires

A little maid of seven summers had
been busy for an hour dressing and un-
dressing her pretty doll, but, firing at
last, she sat with folded hands gazing
fixedly in the glowing fire in the CRATE
Looking up finally, with a thoughtful
expression on her face. she said:
Mamma, If I get married when
grow up, will I have husband like
papa? ''
The mother turned and looking down
into the earnest eyes of the child, an
swered with a smile:
"Why, yes, dear, if you get married
you will have a husband like papa"
The little brow clouded. Again she
asked:
IF don't get married, will 1 be an
old maid like Aunt Nellie?"
"Yes, dear, you would be an old
maid" answered the mother. laughing
at this rather complex question; but
whatever put such thoughts in that
little head 2"
But the child didn't laugh; she only
looked grave, and said, dejectedly:
We'll, it's a pretty tough world fox
us women. amt it?"-July Lippincotea.
The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-07-31
The United States of Europe
80 BeauIieu's Views of the Future 600
BY HUBERT M. SKINNER


IA NATOLE LIE ROY-BEAULIEU,
M the French writer and critic, has
come and gone, and the Amer
lean clubs and universities which
heard him on the United States of
Europe" have had time to consider
carefully his observations. The sub
1ect announced was almost startling in
Its import and there was an eager in
terest manifested in advance in what
he might predict or disclose The pub
lie uncertainty as to the precise terms
of the Franco Russian alliance, and
the chances of the French for being
drawn into the war now waged in the
East, may have led to an expectation
of something like a revelation on the
subject. But M. Beaulieu was not at
all sensational. There were few if any
real surprises in his addresses, though
they led to serious reflection on the
part of his hearers.
He took the expression, '"The United
States of Europe as he found it. No
one knows who originated it, or Just
what idea it was intended to convey.
But here it is, and people in Europe
are using it, and to them it has some
thlng OF meaning, however vague this
may be. That it is to mean in Europe
what our Union means in America is
q beautiful idea saws Beaulieu. hui "a
chimerical idea-a dream" Europe,
ne says, is totally unlike America-an
aggregation of varying states, opposed
In matters of race, of interests of ira
dltions, of memories. Neither the
thinkers nor the statesmen of Europe
are governed by any dream of Utopia.
Europe" is but a geographical expres-
sion 'Tr1Q fho foai1ifin,
cation have done away with the old
time barriers, and the material inter-
ests are thus drawn together. WHY
not the intellectual and material in
terests? Because the divisions of Eu-
rope are based on history; are a legacy
of the past. Geography explains the
antagonisms of neighboring peoples.
TO remain independent, each people
must be strong. Hence continue the
ornaments SO ruinouS, the militarism
so 0grievous. While the divisions re-
main, federation seems impossible. Is
1t, in reality?
American owes her superiority in the
economic struggle to. her possession of
new, rich and almost unlimited do
main; but she owes it also to the ab-
sence of militarism.
{ If Europe cannot wholly divest her
self of the heavy burden of her arma-
ments, can she not tighten the weight
1t is Idle to talk of an utter and SUI
pine disarmament, But let US suppose.
says Beaulieu, federative alliance
the-Sparhcular name of it signifies
nothing perpetual alliance of some
sort. :, f,5sa
Europe holds, grand place per-
haps the. grandest place in the world.
But she is encountering rival peoples
from Without-the Americans, for ex-
ample. They are Europe's offspring,
but they Seem scarcely to remember it.
The Americans regard the Europeans
as declining. America has become,
undeniably.-the rival of Europe. Nor is
Europe's only rivalry to be found in the
West. The Orient has been regarded as
a negligible quantity. But turn to
Japan. 1t is, says Beaulieu, IAN eco
nomic and military power of the first
The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-07-31

the chambers that would probably be
occupied by women of the same ex-
tractlon in their private life
Inc women enjoy other advantages.
Inc men, for example, are not allowed
TO talk on week days, except when at
tending school, the Chautauqua circle,
etc. But, as an official explained:
Can't Keep Women Dumb
No human authority can keep the
ladies' from conversing.'' The eleven
female prisoners, therefore may talk,
IN reasonable and sufficient degrees.
While they are sewing, sweeping or
scrubbing. They are also permitted to
exercise each evening in the prison
yard.
And then" said the matron, 4all of
tnem, young and middle-aged, run
around in the liveliest, jolliest way,
Ike little girls. They always play
games, too. I don't believe an even
ing has passed. this summer, when the
weather was good that they didn't en-
JOY romping game of .puss-in-t the
corner
YES, they are just like children.
why, many of them have .dollies' and
spend hours making doll clothes and
dressing and undressing their little
china children.
But that photograph you see is Ola
real oapy. He was born here not long
ago after his mother arrived, but was
ADOPTED and taken away. He is a big
boy now. His mother, they say, COM
mitted murder.
hen thew
ing with their dolls, or romping in the
YARD, or attending to their regular
work, the women love to do fancy
work or read novels. They're specially
fond OF society novels-you can't have
TOO many duchesses or heiresses in
their good stories
And they never for a minute de-
SPAR about getting out Even those
In here for life talk constantly of what
they'll do after leave here
L might mention, too, that they love
flowers. They raise all sorts of flowers
In their little garden in the yard, and
most OF them keep fresh flowers all
the time in their rooms
What They Would Do if Free
What would they do if they got out?
Well, one of them is always wonder
Ing whether the new hats would be-
come her-they never wear hats here,
you know-and another would like to
go to the theater. But usually the
older ones will say, oh, if could
only be with my children!'"
Yet the men are by no means with
out fitting diversion from the evils of
mOnOtOnOuS hroOdinp They, u,orl, to,,
hours day. In the twine factory they
are now working several hours over
time" daily, although this additional
toll is voluntary and for compensa-
ton. The Irvine factory must answer
all demands 1t not only paid last
year the expenses of the entire prison,
but afforded the state. a surplus reve-
nue. of $S5,000.
Before going to work the men, who
rise at $50 o'clock, have half an hour
The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-07-31

but of centuries. Let us plant" he
says, "let others water" I'VE can be-
gin by certain economic union. Pro-
tectionism is today extreme among the
nations. Let us mitigate it. Europe
is ever on the heels of war. Let us try
a sort of International alliance. Let
US have a tribunal for its organ. De-
spite the chimerical appearance of the
task, let us attempt it day by day, year
by year, century by century, to bring
1T down little more from the vague
region of dreams. Let US work, let us
act, as brothers, as Christians"
To the practical American, who is
much given to summing up of results
attained, it seems strange that our
French visitor made no reference to
the peace conferences of the powers
in 1915, in 1856, or in 1873. The peace
of Europe has been maintained for a
quarter of century by the European
concert established by the Berlin con-
ference of the last named date. And if
within this great wheel there are two
wheels-the Franco-Russian alliance
and the dreibund-they are of less i'm
portance than formerly, and they show
signs of dissolution. The Hague tribu-
nal, too, is a great step gained toward
European federation
Tne American, moreover who lives
IN world of constant change, to
whom century seems an eternity,
who is accustomed to seeing states
form new constitutions whenever they
choose, and who is ever expecting TO
hear of something startling - the
American is disappointed to find that
the distinguished critic views ''the
United States of Europe" as matter
for the evolution of centuries to come,
and not as near reality. Yet 1t must
be remembered that Europe moves
more slowly, and that conservative
movement if it be in the right direc-
ton, is more apt to gain support than
the preaching of radicaEsm. To every
American it is gratifying to note that
this eminent critic appreciates the val
lie of the federal system, as opposed to
consolidation. CASTELAR, used to say
that the federal principle was the thing
without which and for the want Of
which the ancient republics persisted.
1t is doubtless the best hope of the
peoples of Europe for all coming time.
The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-07-31

men in the crank department, Those
men are insane. ONLY one of thor, 10
specially interesting. He was brone,tt
down from Duluth, where he stabbed
and killed another man. He has beep
sent from here to the state insane aev-
lum twice for attempting to kin fol
low prisoners.
once, While he was working in the
oi'ehsihltn SHOP before we knew he
"os SO dangerous, he contrived 10
MAKE small dagger which he could
Ioio III MS hand with the blade UP his
sleeve And then, when he was at
uihher and another prisoner was pass
ing MIN some food, this crank whip
pea out the dagger and made a lab at
me waiter S neck. The waiter lodged
put ne received long cash across the
race The insane fellow said that he
knew there was poison in the food the
waiter was giving him.
l TOOK this MAXWELL call him Jim
down to Rochester. AS we were on
the traln he told me confdentially that
ne was going to escape from the hos
pltal. Then he would work his wav
down to New Orleans and perhaps go
on to Mexico
Jim" Kept His Word
L warned DR.. Kilbourne at Roches-
ter, and the doctor said he'd keen y
good watch over JIM But ten DAVIS
later 1 got word that Jim had really
escaped. l sent word down to New
orleans. Jim showed up there. lust
as he had promised He was arrested
and brought back here Now we keen
him locked up. If he once got knife
In his hands he'd murder his best
friends. He sometimes tells the
guards his little schemes for killing
them whenever he can catch them
unawares. He said to one guard yes
terday,
You'll be easy. I'll simply choke
you-you've got such a little neck"
The advantage of the strictly regu-
lated, not to say the simple life, are
best understood, perhaps. by Frank
the oldest prisoner. He did murder
once and he has dwelt at Saltwater
twenty-seven years. He is by no
means intellectual, but he is faithful.
He is never guarded; he does janitor
work around the buildings and goes in
and out of the prison doors. But you
couldn't drive him away with a gum
said a deputy.
When Frank was a young man he
loaned money to friend so the friend
could come to America. Frank also
loaned the friend more money so he
could get his sweetheart over here.
The friend married and prospered the
money was repaid.
Several years ago the husband and
wife called at the prison to see if, in
gratitude to old Frank, they could
devise any plan for securing his re-
lease. He was called in to offer sug-
gestions He was glad to see his
friends. but he became indignant when
they announced their plan.
What" he exclaimed ME leave
here! Well, I guess not. This is my
home. I'm not going to be put out if 1
can help it,"
The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-07-31

state Prison
ridor; at night he makes lights or
shadows in the corridor with his cleo
trio lamp; in the shops he motions
with his head or fingers. These signals
are agreed upon probably when the
men are allowed to talk together in the
yard on Sunday. Any information is
flashed like a telegraph message from
one prisoner to another.
Now suppose fight or an accident
should take place in the street before
the prison entrance. Or suppose a
newsboy should come along with an
extra announcing big fire in st. Paul
Well, the information might not reach
me in my office a few feet away. But
in less than fifteen minutes l assure
you, every prisoner in the institution
would know all about what happened
OF course, they wouldn't communicate
so we could see them. That's forbid
den. But they'd communicate just the
same.
Only One Escape in Twelve Years
If they break the smaller rules they
respect the more important regulations.
In twelve years only one prisoner has
escaped; and it's two years since we
have had even an attempt to escape.
I'VE don't surround the prisoners
with armed men either. Guards along
the walls have their rifles. But inside
the buildings the guards carry no
weapons except canes.
In fact we don't, in the long rum
rely on force to maintain order We
rely on the prisoners themselves
Most of them are sensible men, who
appreciate reasonable treatment and
the necessity for discipline. They have
no i'll feeling towards the guards. So
in case one prisoner should attack
guard, nine other prisoners probably
would rally to protect the guard. The
bad men, that is, the men as foolish
as they're criminal. are in a decided
minority.
LAS you saw when you went
through we have only two or three
The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-07-31
PEN PICTURE OF LIFE vv1THa0N THE WALLS
OF THE STATE PRISON AT Still ygATER

rs no Joke to go to states prison.
Even six months at prison as
modern in its methods as is the
Minnesota penitentiary cannot be con-
jured into an enforced holiday, SUI
perfiuous vacation or a season of rest
cure.lsT sfl-i
But although prolonged imprison-
ment under the most enlightened re-
strictions must remain, in the great
majority of cases, grave punishment,
clouding every life that, it does not
ruin, the casual visitor at Saltwater
will take civic pride in the persuasion
that prison existence on the shores of
Lake st. Croix has lost all traces of
the picturesque old-time terrors.
In his prison cell he sat-" the con-
vict of long ago, blinking at the dark
ness; fortunate if he knew whether
the sun had set or risen; listening to
the scurrying rat, the clanking chain;
stretching out his hands to feel the
-mildewed CRIME of reeking stone;
walking, from hour to hour the weary
circle around which his bare, man
acled feet had worn pathway in the
floor; revealing a gaunt and livid face,
amid tangle Of gray, unkempt beard
and hair, to the light of an open wicket
or the dull glow of the jailer's lantern;
timidly accepting from that cursing,
savage and drunken jailer the crust
of moldy bread, the cup of putrid wa
ter: lucky if flogging, the rack, or more
violent torture, did not take place of
darkness and chains and semi-starva-
ton; uncommonly favored if a single
ray of light enabled him to play fan
tastic, endless games with crumbs or
bits of straw through days and weeks
and months of waking nightmare.
So runs tradition and lugubrious ro-
nance of ancient dungeon cell. Grisly
details they, exaggerated sometimes, no
doubt, by bilious poets and saturnine
historians; yet true, grimly, CHASTITY
true, in many land and many a CEN
fury.
Atrocities of Old Done Away With
These days, as the fortunate nations
believe, all such atrocities are passed.
They linger in unread volumes; they
are currently recalled in hackneyed
hyperbole only, and in melodrama. The
very phrases quote themselves auto
matically from the well chalked lips of
barn storming Monte Cristos.
Not one chain "clanks" nowadays at
Saltwater even in the ears of legis-
lative committee; the "crusts of bread"
piled up Edaily in the prison bakeshop
would appall a too thrifty housewife
and put to shame the average restau-
rant chef; the putrid water from the
hillside springs would command pre-
MUM from city consumers in Mime
apolis.
But the general mind, as most per-
sons will confess, still retains it's vague
impression that every prison has it's
horrors. 1t is an impression insensi-
bly, absorbed from literature and the
theater and strengthened daily by spo-
radio news of the prison abuses inev-
liable wherever man becomes the alb
solute custodian of man.
Hence the casual knocker at the big
Iron gates in Washington county is
The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-07-31
enforced idleness upon the prisoners
physical and mental health.
Idleness Breeds Insanity

enforced idleness upon the prisoners
physical and mental health.
IdIeness Breeds Insanity
At Joliet recently more than 800 of
the convicts answered sick CALI and
the first man repeated the story of
nearly all his fellows.
Il amt sick, DOCTOR" said he, 4tbut
for Gods sake give me something to
do-anything, I don't care what I'll
scrub in the hospital or dig a sewer
anything so long as it's work. I'll go
crazy if this keeps on much longer"
And the doctor declared afterwards:
This enforced idleness in Joliet will
not only burden the state with a great
increase in the number of it's criminal
insane patients, but it will unques-
tionably breed among our convicts the
germs of lasting and eath-dealing dis
eases. l refer particularly to tubercu-
loSis'
The same evil existed some fifteen
years ago at Saltwater. Il remember
how our prisoners suffered then," said
Chief Deputy Warden Glennon. For
several months we could give most of
the men no work. We took them out
and exercised them by walking them
around the yard. But that wasn't reg
ular, systematic work. Well, the usual
result followed. After a few weeks the
there was an extraordinary increase In
the number of insane
At present, largely because of steady,
rational employment, the Saltwater
penitentiary is the most wholesome in
the country. Only four prisoners were
In the hospital last week. Only one
prisoner died in all last year among
more than 600 men and women ranging
in age from eighteen to sixty-five
years. Many more deaths would un-
doubtedly have occurred among the
same persons had they remained out
side the walls.
Plenty of Spring Water
The abundance of spring water at
the prison is demonstrated by the foun-
tain that plays continuously amid the
flowers and shrubbery of the park
like prison yard. The food supply Wis
ible in the spotless kitchens appears
well cooked and varied. And, to the sur.
prise of most visitors, not one of the
numerous cells and corridors inspected
Is tainted, in the least, with that heavy
odor of foul air that associates itself
with the average prison as does the
smell of iodoform with hospitals.
In the small cells, including those in
building erected fifty years ago, the.
whitewashed stone walls, the shining
iron floors display military cleanli-
ness.
Prisoners are permitted to decorate
their cell walls with pictures and
knicknacks. Few of these adorn the
mems cells. But in the women's cells,
especially those occupied by 'lifers,"
guilty of murder, the walls are bril-
liant with colored portraits and scenes
clipped from magazines, calendars and
advertisements. The little bureaus
are gay with ribbons These white
walled bedrooms, on the whole appear
far more dainty and attractive than
The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-07-31
AlasI a Lack

The literary man writes verse,
Tales, essays by the peck
Oh, he can write most everything,
Except, alas! check.
Philadelphia Press,