The Washington times., 1905-02-08

The two years of expiation at Mounds
vile penitentiary among cut throats
burglars and highway robbers, has be-
gun.
The first chapter of the postofhce
scandals closed with the clanking Of an
iron door far down corridor. too long
for its end to be distinguished in the
felon gloom.
The trip from Washington to the
prison door at MoundsvilIe, lasted
twelve hours and twenty minutes The
last five minutes were taken uE1 with the
march from the station UP the Ice
covered street 20 the penitentiaTy.
During all this time Machen slept
, probably forty-five minutes. The GrofIs
did not sleep at all.
Machen Is Lively.
Until within an hours travel OF
| Moundsville Machen was the life OF the
somewhat melancholy party in the
criminals special car. He chatted pleas
antiy with his guards. told stories and
contributed his share of the laughter
/ He discussed literary topics and recall
| ed some Of his experiences when he was
! in charge of the rural free delivery
| If in his assumed gayety he was mere
| !y playing TO the gallery, he played it
well; so well as to convince his hearers
| he Is taking his medicine with CHEEKY
fertitude
| DiIler Croft was not talkatlve. but
tried TO brighten up every now and then
| to give heart TO his brother Sam, to
whom he was handcuffed
Ill and Depressed.
Sam Croft was the most pathetic figure
of the group. Afflicted with rheuma-
| tism, weak. and utterly discouraged be-
| cause of the non-fulhllment of his hope
| for pardon, he sat silent and inert, his
gray head bowed TO the side against a
large pillow.
Behind the two Groffs sat Machen
handcuffed 10 guard
In the front part OF the car on the
opposite side Of the aisle was quite a
different party. composed Of seven negro
men, one negro woman, and three white
men. ali sent up for such offenses as
manslangtter and housebreaking.
Sometimes the negroes sang a rag
| time song. Just before Moundsville was
reached they broke forth with an old
plantation hymn, their music accom-
panied by the clanking of their hand.
cuffs against the chain that bound then
| together.
Near the journeys End.
It was at this time that the Croft.
and Machan settled down in gloomy
silence. The near end of their journe!
seemed to bring home to them thei
serious fate.
| Several times Machen stared hard a
the handouts on his wrist as if to TAX
in fully = reaiiz4 tion of his shackIes
Diller GTon complained several time
of the cuffs hurting his large wrists.
II was during the first ten hours o
he journey that Machens nerve showet
up so well. He told political jok
or two, declared he was great student
and said he liked to read Dean Swift
writings and the works of Rabelais. H
also engaged in an animated discussio
| OF the Russian-Japanese war.
! He had brought to the penitentiary
, he said. number of books which h
will study if he has opportunity.
Makes Good His Beast.
i Arrived at the prison Macnen survey
ed its outlines in detail.
1T is not so big as l thought it woul
be-" he said.
He shuddered slightly. When asked
he was cold he said not,
On the train he had remarked:
There has been a lot Of talk. 70
know, about my breaking down at I'll
, | last moment on the click of the Ike,
, | It's all rot 1t won't happen
And he made good his boast.
Inside the prison he and the Grof
| We're freed from their handouts, :
= | were the other felCnS. All WEI
searched and led away for the usu;
: bath and measurements for prise
e clothes AS there were no clothes
the prison to II them at this time, II