davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times., 1905-04-16
Watson's Life Is Hard.

Compared to the lot of Machen and
the Groffs, Watson's life is q horror.
Starting early in the morning, he works,
with a little time out for dinner, nine
fun hours, mailing up boxes in which
are packed the whips made in the whip
shops These boxes he and another man
have to lift and carry around.
He takes his meals In the common
dining-room with all the other employees
of the whip shops. When he wants
another slice of bread at dinner he holds
up his eager hand, just as the others
do and the guards, ever watchful for
the sign of hunger, throw him his slice
with precise aim. Catching 1t with the
dexterity born of hungry practice, ne
breaks it and bends again over the
wholesome but plain prison food.
When his hunger is satisfied he rises
at the stroke of the marching bell and
marches back to his place in the shops.
He is subject to the penitentiary rules
that convicts cannot talk TO each other
while at work and at meals. IT is only
in the evenings, under permission, that
he can converse, or when friend calls
to see him Hour after hour he drives
nails and tugs at heavy boxes. His is
hard labor.
1t was said, however. that he would
eventually be given clerical work, as 1t
Is thought that his present task is too
great a strain on his constitution and
physique. He makes no complaint, but
goes about his work in good humor and
willingly.
The Washington times., 1905-04-16
Hospital haya e7sZAe6oAesArs GoaAued

spite of the marks of a riotous life.
bears signs of innate refinement and
cleyerness. She is ill-huulored and fire.
quently her tantrums give the officials
trouble.
An exception to the troublesome ones
IS Bill Jenkins a white man, who Is up
for year for knocking a man down,
tho mans death resulting from his head
striking the pavement of the street. All
the guards like Bill, and he has the job
OF putting in window panes and attend
lag to such little things as need mending
about the premises. He will be missed
when his year is up this summer.
Most of the District convicts work in
the shops and, in most cases, the whites
and colored people work SIDE by side.
There are five shops in which the con-
,-icts work They are the tailor, skirt,
whip broom and kitchen utensil shops.
Contractors throughout the country fur
nish the material to be worked on in
these shops and the convicts do the
work on q contract made between the
outside contractor and the warden of
tie prison. Each convict has to do a
certain amount of work. and any he
Goes beyond the set amount for a day.
he IS paid for at a regular rate. The
money the cOnvicts make in this way is
The Washington times., 1905-04-16
"Four Good Fellows

AS a matter of fact. the authorities at
the prison regard Machen. the two
Groffs, and Watson as -four good fell
lows" They never give any trouble
and they are generally In pleasant mood
so far as outward indications are con-
cerned. This is the pass TO favor within
the gloomy walls. The guards like the
men who take their medicine like real
men,
Watson doesn't talk much about the
life in the prison.
ITS pretty gloomy place in the ear
ly morning." he laughed, when everv-
body wakes up and begins to count IN
how much time he has LEFT to serve. I
haven't begun on mine yet. l haven't
been here long enough
The popularity of these four Washing
tonians Is all the more remarkable when
it is considered how badly the general
run of Washington convicts are regard
ed by the prison guards and by the war
den. 1t was said the other day by one
of the authorities that, as a general
The Washington times., 1905-04-16

District OF Columbia Is
Well Represented in
West Virginia.
State Penitentiary Has
Bis Guests From the
Capital City.
among Those Present .
Are Machan, Watson
and the Groffs.

the clutch of a discipline as fixed
as Fate and ground by the routine
of the mills of justice, 315 trans
gressors of the law from this city
are paying the price of their misdeeds
today in the State penitentiary of West
Virginia. at Moundsville, on the banks
of the OHIO river. They may not step
beyond the walls of their prison house
while their sentences last; they fore
gather only with their kind, those who
have been found menace to life and
property. and their daily life reminds
one not at ali of the light and enjoyable
side of human existence.
There are three exceptions to this
rule. however. brought about by cir
cumstance and by the native ability of
one of the men concerned. The three
are August w. Machen. Samuel A.
Croft and Diller B. Croft, sentenced to
two years hard labor in the peniten-
tiary for conspiracy against the Govern
ment of the United States. They are
now serving the third month of their
sentences.
While James NJ. A. Watson. jr., the
District building embezzler, heaves
heavy boxes around, Machen sits in the
clerks Office of the penitentiary and
keeps the books of the institution. or
studies French While the great masses
iessly over the machines in the shops,
the Croft brothers loll about the con-
yaIesceut ward of the penitentiary,
reading the magazines of the day and
passing the time as best they may.
The Washington times., 1905-04-16

rule. the Washington criminals are
worese than those from the State of
West Virginia Especial trouble is en-
countered with the colored prisoners
from the National Capital, and some
times drastic measures have to he en-
ployed to control them.
Many of the whites are in just as bad
repute with the guards This condition
of affairs was explained by a guard as
arising from two facts The L.-st is th {
the colored prisoners are sent Up for
short terms for rather Insignificant
crimes. and they do not feel the neces-
sity of making records for good behav-
ior. as they know they will be freed in
several years under anv conditions
The second reason is enat most cf the
whites who go from Washington to the
penitentiary are men who are confirmed
criminals having drif-ed to the Capl-
tai from ali parts Of the country In
search of easy victims.
The Washington times., 1905-04-16
-Aa Aun0ul kate7nelonLcAsz
AaAAnoulNaLe7nzeAa1lcAst
A Times Reporter Calls on Washingtons
Erring Children and IS Requested by
Some to Remember Them
to the Boys"
to the Boys

every Sunday morning, sometimes by
the prison chaplain and sometimes by
visiting ministers. The singing is an
especial feature at these services.
A musical hour is allowed every even
ing, including Sunday. and during. this
time the men. sitting in their cells, bring
out nandolins, bapjos and vioiips. many
playing in unison. The conVicts are
also allowed to correspond with their
families and can receive little gifts from
their friends and relatives
Besides the shops mentioned, convict
labor runs a photograph shop in the
prison. a printing press also. and the
eonviets care for the grounds a Dis
trict man is now the head of the photo
graph shop, and took the pictures Illus
trating this article. His name is Rich
ard Hamilton, and he was sent up for
being a little too clever with figures on a
check.
It is evident, therefore. that this pris-
en-, which contains the Districts Of
tenders, and the postoff1ce grafters.," is
run on humane principles. The men are
They labor hard. but they are not in
jured in health of body or mind They
are made hungry by work, but they are
fed well and generously In all cases
their pride is stimulated in every way
possible. They are known by name and
are not subjected to the ignomlny or
sinking their individuality TO a mere
But. after all, Machen and the Grofs
and Watson will tell you that prison LIE
is not all a long, sweet dream The
way of the transgressor is not easy.
The Washington times., 1905-04-16

he, Il give you riches. I erect for you
the most gorgeous, the most sumptuous
gambling house in the world l embel-
lish it nobly. 1 surround it with royal
gardens 1 give It you and I myself will
sublet it of you. and out of the rental
i pay you Monaco shall flourish as the
green bay tree, the house of Grimaldi
shall bloom as the red, red rose. Allow
me to present You my personal friend
and business representative. M. Blanc
CWhy not NJ. Noir?) of Paris, who will
arrange the Details
The Prince OF Monaco did not say
Get behind me, satan" On the con-
trary. he shook Nj Blanc warmly by
the hand. entered into Il negotiation by
which NJ. Blanc became lessee of Monte
Carlo. paying some millions a year Of
hush money, and next day the wheel OF
fortune, driven out OF Germany, out OF
Baden Baden and Hambourg, was set
up on an elevation of the devils own
choosing. and, it must be acknowledged.
Il mighty fine site either for pictures or
sport, his sable highness having always
displayed genius for land bargains
and leaning toward the rne arts.
There is a postal card picture which
Monte Carlo. with a drove of sheep
fat and woolly-going IN, and the same
drove, nude and skinny, coming out,
and nc friendly voi &c 10 cry May
heaven temper the wind to the shorn
lamb
Heaven, 1 dare say, takes little ac-
count of fiocks so ravenous and unpro-
drctice. After all. they are only wolves
in sleeps clothing See them about
the tables. two or three files deep, tread
ing one upon another, crowding the
patient croupiers. pressing their good
or bad luck, sometimes growing and
showing their teeth sometimes at an
CRY variance over the ownership OF a
winning stake. and it nrrst be allowed
that they are deserving of no other COM
miseration than that they should be
here at all.
The greatest number, indeed, are
drawn to Monte Carlo by sheer curiosity.
The Washington times., 1905-04-16
Machen Is BookkeepeI.

Machen secured his agreeable work
because of the fact that he is an ex-
pert bookkeeper and a finished busi-
ness man. Warden Haddox. of the
penitentiary, considers him the most
valuab BILE bookkeeper ever sent to the
institution On days when the book
keeping is light he is allowed 10 fill in
the hours with study.
The Croffs are in the hospital be-
cause Sam Croft, from the time of his
arrival at the prison, has been more or
less Ill. and Diller Croft has been de-
tailed to look after his wants. Both
mon are too old to do hard labor, and
the warden. recognizing this, has made
the best disposition Of them possible.
There are certain popular impressions
of the condition of the three postoffice
conspirators which a visit to the peni-
tentiary does away with. Their heads
are not shaYen. They do not wear
stripes. They are known by their names
rather than by numbers. They do not
take their meals in the common dining
room. Machen has a cell to himself.
All three express themselves as per-
fectly satisfied with the treatment ac-
corded them.
A Times reporter. who visited the pris-
on day or two ago, found Machen
seated on a high stool behind the regu-
Iation clerks desk. He was alone in
the room save for the presence of 4
prison employe. who sat on the other
eide of the apartment.
"Hello,' he said. calling the reporter
by name, and looking up from book
which he was perusing. To his left lay
q French dictionary and strewn on the
desk were several French books. His
hgure. stouter than when he left Wash
tpgton. loomed large between the win
dow and his visitor. His raven hair,
worn long according to his custom, was
brushed back from his forehead in wavy
profusion, and his big black eyes looked
alertly over his spectacles at his caller
The Washington times., 1905-04-16

Many come for pastime. a few for fan
cied gain, or for a form of sneak-thiev-
ing which is known nowhere else, and
even here is limited to an occasional old
woman, frowsy and painted, who,
watching her chance, may once of an
evening lay hands upon some forgotten,
or neglected placement, or cozen some
ignorant player, or frighten some shy
girl. or bully some voting man, too
green or gallant to resist This, how
ever, is becoming less frequent than
formerly Each table has its lookout,
whose watch is next to unerring. Each
croupier is something os detective.
The order is absolute. Cards of admis-
sion must be renewed daily, 50 that, II
for any cause objection arises, the APP
plicant may be denied his renewal, and
he has no recourse. Women of doubtful
character gain admission because un-
less they are positively known they
cannot be distinguished from the de-
bauched titled woman, who, however
short in her morals, IS long in her purse,
and NAV not be excluded on no better
warrant than her actual physiognomy;
women of the same type and aspect,
the blear-eyed and red-nOsed angels OF
the Rue Paradise, have no longer any
money TO spend on Monte Carlo.
The gaming begins at ID in the morn
ing and closes at L at night. and as an
old Paris friend of mine observed,
There ees no Sunday in dees place.
The American progressive gambler
has always regarded roulette as a dead
fall, which it is, and hence he plays
only with the house" In America,
however, the game is rarely honest.
There are many devices for controlling
the wheel At Monte Carlo there can
be none With a hundred players at
each of the double tables, money scat
tered everywhere, there could be neither
motive, nor possibility. an the part of
the management to resort TO electric, or
other contrivance. They do not need
to. The percentage is sufficient The
machine has no nerves asitd is never the
worse for drink. The players always
come back. They are never satisfied
until they have lost what they can af-
The Washington times., 1905-04-16
@Pm Feeling Fine. "

.Up to see how we are getting along?'
he continued, shaking hands cordially
He turned his face half toward the light
from an April murky sky. showing his
mustache much grayer than 1t was three
months ago 1t is now almost white,
In marked contrast TO his stiIl black
hair At his side lay the regulation
prison cap of gray. and on ms round hg-
ure suit of dark check ntted with many
wrinkles and folds. Apparently he had
been over-measured.
I'm feeling fine" he said, smillngly,
In response to question. II haven I
lost any flesh, you see. Just now I'm
looking over Buttons essay on the night
fngaIe. He was one of the greatest
French naturaHsts, / do good deal
of work with my French. My WORK
consists of keeping the books OF the
institution. but on Fridays and Satur-
The Washington times., 1905-04-16

n n ms paper, the LOUISVILLE Courier
Journal. Henry Watterson thus re-
cords his views of Monte Carlo at
recent visit to that resort.
I take it that there is hardly a Sun
day school scholar. at least in Ken
lucky, who has not heard of Monte
Carlo, and, however haZy his impress
sions, who has not caught the idea that
it is neither place of divine wor-
ship nor a church choir There are
those, indeed, who err on the other ex-
treme; who fancy that the regulation
thing for the gentleman who comes to
Monte Carlo in quest of adventures is,
first, to lose his money at the Casino;
then to go out into the gardens for a
bit of moonlight and fresh air, mop
ping his fevered brow the while with
d not very clean cambria handkerchief:
next to meet a Russian princess like
himself, the worse for play. and in
need Of similar companionship and
sympathy; and, finally, set upon by a
Sicilian nobleman, to run the noble
man through the body and make off
with the princess. This is the roman
tic fancy sketch. The common thing
Is to lose your money, and go back
whence you came. second class
All gambling is vulgar. Cali it what
you will, assign for it whatever mo-
tive you please, it is an irrational, an
ignoble struggle for money. At Monte
Carlo the devil took Art by one hand
and Money by the other and, leading
them TO the brow of the hill said:
Build me a Temple and they build
ed. They sent to Paris for Charles
GARNER, the famous architect. They
said to Charles GARNER: Rear us a
palace which in spleudor and beauty
shall rival your own Grand Opera
House" Lo, the Casino.
The Washington times., 1905-04-16

days they are pretty well in shape and
| have time for reading.
L want to say just here that the
business of this institution is conduct
ed on the most economical and thorough
plan Of any business 1 know of. It's
wonderful.
How about Beavers trIaI?" he
asked. breaking off the talk about him
self; ''and where is Greene? l under
stand Lorenz Is in Washington Wonder
when he's coming up here. Say, 1 see
that Andrew LipscoTnb has been in
oicted, and that was a surprise to me-
had always regarded him as above re-
rroach in every way"
The Washington times., 1905-04-16

Systems and Systems.
There have been, time out Of mind.
systems and systems for beating the
bank at Monte Carlo. One of these,
known as the Labouehere system, seems
next TO perfect; but it involves unlinn-
tied patience and iron sensibilities.
mean small gains at the end Of long
waits, and sometimes, considerable OUT
lays. Beating rock on a turnpike is no
harder.
To catch a dragon in a cherry net.
To trip u tigresS with a gosSamer.
Were wiSdo-1 TO it.
When a coin is tossed in the air IL
must come down heads or tails. In
roulette it is as if q ball were tossed
ir the air to faIl into the hole you have
predicted for it, you get Cnly thirty-fve
for enc as the reward of your prophetic
genius. 1t is sheer luck. and in luck
the inanimate has q sure advantage
over the animate.
Gambling, like everything else, is rela-
tive. The sin lies in the everyday, with
its collateral vices, chief among them
improvidence. The reisninS sovereign.
who has only his money 10 lose, and
plenty Of that, is not to be claSsed with
the banker, or the bankers confidential
clerk. or secretary, who has everything
at stake. character included; though
each plays for the same end, that is
the diversion and excitement
OF course. there is no such thing as
breaking the bank at Monte Carlo"
1t might be possible for q run upon
one of the tables to be so fast and fu-
riouS as to require a momeQtary Sus-
pension whilst the bureau sent in q
fresh supply of money; but it may be
doubtful whether this ever actually
happened. Nor are the stories of great
winnings well founded Generally the
amounts are multiplied by tens, If not
by hundreds Lying comes as natural
into the gamblers mind SIS gambling.
he filings a seine full OF fairy tales.
There are plenty OF gudgeons TO gulp
them, hook and line, for each one has
its hook and line. Bird-on-toaSt or
eagle-bird- -by-chance, there is but
one fnale-.'busted!
The Washington times., 1905-04-16
"Satan Was Happy."

Satan was happy. But his work was
not YET done. nor his grim. worldly-wise
caprice quite satisfied. So he puts on
his best black doublet and his newest
red breeches, sticks a fine, fresh pea
cocks feather in his cap and pays visit
to Prince Albert Grimaldl. of Monaco, on
the opposite ACTIVITY. Behold" says
The Washington times., 1905-04-16
Bill Jenkins Is Popular.

white woman from Washington is
an object of especial supervision by the
officials. She is Agnes French, who was
sent up for stealing. About forty-f1ve
years of age, she has a face which, in
The Washington times., 1905-04-16
No Complaint TO Make.

mo; / haven't any complaint to make
of the treatment we get here. Remem-
Der me to all the boys | know. Good
The Washington times., 1905-04-16

generally sent home TO their wives OF
some members Of their families
The Washington times., 1905-04-16
What "Nlarse Henry" Thinks of Monte Carlo
Systems and Systems.

ford TO lose, and often great deal
more
The Elbert County tribune., 1905-11-30
SAN JUAN VS.. oURAY.
County Line Contest Before State En-
gineer Jaycox.

Denver-An Ouray special to the
Republican says: County Attorney J.
I. Barnett, Thomas Mowatt, chairman
county commissioners. and F. L. Bid
dlecom, county surveyor, met by ap-
pointment on Saturday at Silyerton
the San Juan county officials, the meet
ing having been called at the sugges-
tion of State Engineer T. W. Jaycox.
who was present and to whom the
boundary line controversy between the
Two counties had been appealed for
settlement
The controy erted territory is a quar-
ter of a mile wide by four miles long.
contains much valuable mineral bear
ing ground and lies between Brown
mountain and Mineral Point. The dis
pute is over the Identification of Min
eral creek and its junction with the
i1ain branch of the Uncompahgre.
Ouray insists that The stream rising
near the Polar Star mine, close to the
headwaters of the Animas and Henson
creek ccnfiuent of the Gunnison is the
main branch of the Uncompahgre, ANA
that Mineral creek heads at the town
of Mineral Point and flows into the
Uncompahgre near the Fred Smith
cabin. San Juan county contends that
the main branch of the Uncompahgre
rises at Lake Como In Pougbkeepsie
gulch. and is what Ouray maintains
is Poughkeepsie creek. San Ju.n
claims that Mineral creek is the main
branch of the Uncompahgfe joining
the Poughkeepsie branch at the mouth
OF Poughkeepsie gulch.
Mr.. Jaycox gave both sides until
February list to prepare Evidence in
the way of afiidavits. copies of records.
maps, etc, after which he will make a
decision, and with the county survey
ors will run the line and make perma-
nent monuments. Either side being
dissatisfied within six months may ap-
peal to the courts for a review OF his
action.
The Elbert County tribune., 1905-11-30
OFFER OF PRIZE
ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS FoR
BEST ARTICLE ON COLORADO.
FRED G. scHAFFER's OFFER
To Be Awarded at Meeting OF National
association of Press Clubs in Dem
yer Next August-DeIegates viii
BE Shown States Great Resources.

Denver, Colo.-The Denver Press
Club will offer every inducement to
writers who will attend the annual
meeting of the National Association
OF Press Clubs next year and write
about Colorado. A bar of gold worth
$1,000 has been offered by the club
as prize for the best article writtsn
on Colorado by anyone attending the
meeting. The gold was given the
club by Fred G. Shaffer, wealthy
Colorado mining man, whose interest
in the competition is increased by the
fact that he was once a newspaper
man himself. Mr.. Shaffer has won the
distinction of being chief of boosters
his expensive prize for the writer who
speaks best of the state testifying to
his loyalty to Colorado. The compei-
tion for this prize will doubtless bring
hundreds of famous writer's here
whose names will give them the en-
tree TO the best publication and who.
in striving for Mr.. Shaffer's prize, will
give the state splendid fame in every
section of the world. A committee OF
prominent citizens of the state will act
as judges in awarding the prize.
President Edward Keating and Sec
retary Warren r. Given of the Den
yer Press Club have been doing yeo-
men service in perfecting the arrange
ments for entertaining the delegates.
The convention will be held in the
month of August. At that season OF
the year the weather in Colorado is
delightfully."- cool. The delegates win
be entertained at state expense and
wi @ n Of CT "a
They will be taken to the famous
Greeley District" north of Denver.
At some of the smaller towns, srch
as Peckham and La Sale, stops will
be made to view exhibitions of the
newly cultivated fields. The plan will
be to show the visitors the products of
land under cultivation for the first
time. At Greeley. Fort Collins. Love
land and other stations the writers
will be given receptions calculated to
impress upon them the fact that in
the valleys and parks of Colorado is
the richest soil in the United States
The special train which runs to Glen
wood Springs will be taken out an
other day and n trip 10 the mountains
will be made "up to the banks or
eternal snow" Exhibitions OF COW.
boys riding bucliing bronchos and In
dians in war paint Will be given during
the meeting of the journalists. More
than 1000 delegates are expected to
attend.
Secretary Given has in charge the
publicity work OF the convention. He
VIII spread to every section of the
country the news of Mr.. Shaffers mag
nifcent offer, the preparations that
have been made TO entertain the
guests and the attractive program that
will be prepared. Mark Twain has
consented to appear on the program
and other notables of this country and
Europe will be here. The convention
will result in thousands of columns OF
advertising for Colorado which could
never be secured in any other way.