The Hawaiian gazette., 1904-02-05
THE PAPER
OF PRISON
Jail Organ Out With
the Second
Number.

Warden Henry was yesterday revis-
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 (sarcastically)--"Did you ever
earn a dollar in your life?"
Vagrant (serously)--"Yes, Your
Honor, l 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 fluctuations. They are con-
is not rlcketty Jail but on the con-
trary one that has its place in the his
tory of the country. In it's cells have
slept many prominent figures of the
old regime Princes, minister's law
yers, editors and business men were in
cluded in that small band of revolu-
tionists whom the Provisional Govern
ment and the Republic of Hawaii sent
hither for safekeeping. There are no
political prisoners within it's walls now.
But against this Oahu Penitentiary can
put forth the claim of being the most
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 typical Alabama negro
and constant reminder of the ante
bellum days. 'Whipper VIII was so
ncknamed on account of his bird-like
propensities in gathering the leaves
that fall 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 toothache. Some
soothing drug was given him and he
went his way. Scarcely fifteen minutes
had elapsed when he made n second
call. For the next few hours life was
made a burden for the hospital steward
who finally delivered this ultimation:
That tooth must go '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 II circus
lion had not broken loose and mistaken
the vicinity of the Jail for his native
jungle. Upon inquiry however 1t prov
ed to be 'Whipper VIII lainenting 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
n jaclass and it's n wonder my jaw
didn't go with the TOOTH
zone day 'Whipper VIII was placed
in solitary confinement, for lighting
with fellow prisoner. Now of all his
dislikes solitary confinement Is the
greatest. He was no sooner alone In
the dark cell than he began plan
ming how to get out. He hit upon a
very ingenious plan. AS he heard the
officer of the yard coming along bring
ing him his dinner, 'Whipper VIII took
off his trousers, tied one of their empty
legs around his neck and the other
made fast to the door thus doing the
hanging act. The groans, however,
which greeted the officers appearance |
failed of their purpose. The officer
simply remarked that he had no use
for any blamed fool that could not !
hang himself properly. The only visi-
BILE result of his strategem was that he
lost all of his clothes. He had to finish ,
his forty-eLght hours solitary confine- |
ment, like Adam before the fall. No /
need to say that this was his last at
tempt to gain sympathy by hanging.
"a fitting companion to 'Whipper ,
WIZ is Limpy,' an old Chinaman who !
hobbies around the prison yard with I
the aid of cane. Limpy' is con-
Armed opium fiend and his maneuvers |
to obtain his favorite drug from the ,
vigilant hospital authorities are |
source of continual amusement. Even
prison life 1t will be seen has Its hu-
morous side"
And this Is the way that the convict
editor of the echo" studies human
nature. one of his paragraphs is as
follows:
1.-THE person who Is in love with
himself Is not likely TO be troubled with
rivals" |