davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times., 1906-08-05
Byisties With Guards

II is not q long ride to Alcatraz. Be
tora ,ou know il the Government
steamer draws up at the little wharf
a dock bristiinE with guards ana sol
dfars in blue. and, above them all. the
officer Of the day OF Alcatraz, re-
splendant i'm khaki uniform. IL reminds
Won Of pictures Of White Russia, or
along the traus-Iiaikal routes, "o
army u4uicS TO an 5Id-faShtOned
wagonette. waiting to convey the new
coucr uu the mountain side some IL
di7nS at work beneath the Watchlu'
ewes Of a patrol; another large. he"
bsrracJ,s Tor the truous in charge. be
Ing built almost at the shore. and'
above aII. ;he. hill ot green Win tho
stockade. and the gallery. along Whlch
sriW 0rher seu.rIes take their ceaseIeSS
course. Stul higher no there Is another
building. stern and penitentlai IN us
air. 10 add the crowning touch 10 the
picture.
There is no parting of the ways al
Alcatraz. You do as YOU are blddeh
al the dock. Into the wagonette ana
un & steep winding Mill, such as CID
raltar brides herself in possessing:
through a tunnel beneath the new
barracks. and then on, up the heights.
10 headquarters. You are tempted 10
take notes of this road TO prison, but
hardly dare. There are guards every
where, what il they take you for
spy
You are already imbibiug the local
color Of the island. one guard re-
calls the time, not long since, when
there were but 30 prisoners on the
island Another refers TO the year
1862. when il is reported that the num-
Der rose 10 900, owing 10 the war with
Spain. and the consequent mastering
CUT II the volunteers. Eighteen months
then was the average term of commit
ment. though three men received life
penalty for dCsertiun 20 the enemy, at
that time. Since the opening OF the
prison, about the year lNj2. very near
IL every crime known 10 the category
Of army nlsdameauOrs has been re-
corded here, everything IN fact from
drunkenness on guurd tOr which one
may receive six months or year, up
ward Petty larceny. strange 20 say. is
one of the most frequent causes for
commitment 20 AlcatraZ.
Then too. AlCatrdZ is not without
variety. Men are sent here from as far
south as New Mexico and north 10
Omaha: while ST. Louis and Hawaii or
even the Philippines. are the other
boundaries
The Washington times., 1906-08-05
HozO one attempt TO escape has recently proceed successful
g6 the eeOeness of for prisoners eUo forged their
ardoas, and BY pae bang completely decefued the aahoraeJ
and here aiozved TO depart in peace.

forth. before his cell TO prove his pres
ence. It seems foolish. but there have
been escapes even from Alcatraz. and
the driver tells Of how the fogs al
most enveIop the island IN the night,
and how. on one such time. row
beat came close IN and prepared TO
carry OF a prisoner as per aTr1rge-
ment in a cipher letter the man must
have received Skinful. indeed must
that cipher have been. and concocted
before the imprisonment. for all mail
at Alcatraz is inspected before it
reaches those within the stockade.
The uniform OF Aicatraz. as these
men line up. Is one sufficient IN itself
10 mark them as folk apart. Prac-
ticaily a soldiers suit. dyed brown.
there is a heavy "P' for prisoner,
stamped on the back-that he who runs
may be read by all whom he may
chance to pass. Prisoners here are OF
three classes. On arrival a man Is put
in the second class. and II his conduct
is exemplary he is advanced TO the
first. and may be recommended 10 the
Secretary OF War for a reprieve or
shortening Of sentence. In the third
class, on the other hand. the disorder
~ and vicious men are set and TO
them harder tasks are assigned. and
while employed at these they do not
earn good conduct time as Il is
called, BY means OF which all save life
prisoners can earn i've days or every
thirty TO which they have been con-
demned.
For bre ,kfast on Aloatraz there is
Hush and coffee and bread Cbutterless,
obviously), and potatoes. too. are add
ed. At $50 the men hne Up and by
work has begun. Everywhere there
are guards preventing escape where 81
might be contemplated. and also serv-
ing as perpetual safeguard against
such possibility as mutiny.
As 70 the ages OF the prisoners the
men one sees employed on the build
ings and about the roads Will vary
anywhere from twenty-one to forty-fivo
or fifty.
Until noon. when there Is luncheon,
rs per regular army rations, and then
again until 4.30 in the afternoon the
prisoners are kept at their several
tasks. At SIS supper is served. and
from it they retire (under dire pen
altlesl 70 inside the stockade. Many
OF them make their way into the cells.
There are 152 OF these chambers in the
so-called "old prison" alone. and four
companies of infantry see to II that
no stranger bOthers their sleep.
The Washington times., 1906-08-05
Ffqht Planned SkiIItuTg

1T IS now a little over a year ago
that there was perpetrated on Aicatraz
the most skillfuIly planned escape
known to army circles, probably. The
plan was founded on the ruling that
through the headquarters OF the de-
partment, and again through garrison
headquarters. a prisoner may put In an
application for leniency and be allowed
to quit tho island and leave the sen
tence not completely served. This. Of
course. is only done IN cases OF espe-
ciaHy good conduct and the like.
There is comparatively little for the
men to do on Alcatraz, except when
building is going on. and 50 after
month and a half on the island pris-
oner becomes a trusty and is assigned
such tasks as may arise. Certain
among these men, for instance. are
Etven charge of certain papers and cor
Iespondence. and among them our hero
was once counted Quite a number of
these men. il must he recalled, are
very bright. and not a few graduates
Of institutions Of advanced learning.
These. then. become practir.liy clerks
in the prison office
The Washington times., 1906-08-05
OnIQ One Thouqht-Escqpe

II IS this dun routine or prison life
that drives men to set their brains on
edge TO one point only. and that
escape.
II necessity be the mother OF irven-
ton, necessity certainly is abundant
enough on Alcatraz to exercise the Keen
est human brain, II It would get away
from the little peak.
To see the prisoner in his cell is to get
TO the kernel Of the island and TO realize
the boundless hope that can alone in
splre any man to try 10 regain liberty
from thence.
In company with a commissioned Of
ficer you climb the hill TO a great stock
ade surrounding the prison yard. and
in itself incIOsed by sort Of gallery
from sentry house 10 sentry house.
along which the sentinels patrol. Be
youd this high white fence several
buildings seem to rise, whetting the
curiosity of the visitor.
You climb onto the stOckade-twelve
and half feet high. you are told-and
look down into the prison yard. They
are only eighty feet over the sea down
there, but they might as we'll be eight
thousand Just below MS is a ditch
twenty-eight feet across. guarded by
Tour patrols in the daytime and three
at night. That constitutes the dead
line.
over the moat is the main prison
building. great two-story frame. set
with small windows. one window 70
every two men in the cells.
There, however. comes the next safe
guard The sentry on the balcony lust
behind has charge of the gate opening
into this division, and is held account
able for who passes through. ONLY a
commissioned officer can give the
open sesame" 10 enter the yard ba-
low. From the sentry box az one side
the Lever operating the gate. a speaking
The Washington times., 1906-08-05

u u : HILE the news OF the
complete Justification
OF Dreyfus, the fam
Gus priso ner OF
Frances Isle du Dia-
BILE. has spread huT-
riedIV over the whole world ana con-
gratulations have been showered upon
the French army officer, there comes
story from the Pacific coast OF a dar-
ing escape from our own DeVil ;
Island. that military prison or the
United States on the rock OF Alcatraz
from which egress without a formal
hermit has hitherto been considered
impossible and from which prisoners
have tried in vain TO escape.
Alcatraz lies out in the bay OF San
Francisco. a mere iutting peak OF solid
rock inaccessible. without permit from
the commandant; 10 be entered. az at
Gibraltar only by tunnels and serpen-
tines. and circIed round with palirgs
from which rise the stockaded sentry
boxes Of no end of guards In fact
Alcatraz is an Isle du Diable in minia-
trre. and sentences 10 IL are held as the
most severe courJ-maTIial can lnhict-
II reuained. however, for long
sentence prisoner at Alcatraz to enact
the cIevcrast forgery the United States
Government has Yet known. and 10 car
~ out the most Ccnsummate e%AnpIe
OF nerve Of which there is record any
where iu our official files
To realize just what was involved n
such plot IL is necessary to understand
the situation and nature OF the Island
in short. 10 make little journey 20
the prison peak in the bay o. san
Francisco.
The Washington times., 1906-08-05
o54e OEEzCER 3*AHT

There were four in the plot, the
head of the coterie, the chief printer Of
the island, likewise a prisoner. To-
getheT these men found the time to
draw up and print an official paper,
such as is used by the officers In the
city when fling the prisoners applica-
tlCns for leniency. and to this they du-
plicated the signature Of the command
Ing officer of Alcatraz. The document
bore all manner of splendid reasons tot
executive clemency - one and all Of
them written al though the recOmmen-
datiOns of the commandant OF the
prison island.
This paper. then. the coterie man
aged 10 slip into the island mailbag,
by reason o. their duties in the office
and over the bay to San Franci7co 1t
wont 1l0detpCted
The Washington times., 1906-08-05
The ReW BUILDING

We passed on into the new barracks
in course OF erection by the prisoners
on one slope OF the mountain, and the
great blocks OF gravel and concrete.
set IN sort OF Italian tenement style.
in a position that again recalled the
British stronghold on the Mediterran-
can gave evidence that work IS hard
work on the island. -Four companies
OF from rs TO 13O men ara 10 be ao-
cornmodated by this new building. ana
four floors and a basement are con-
templated. For labor suoh as this
prisoners are brought IN squads OF ten
20 fourteen men from the different
posts around the bay. heavily hand
cufTed. and set 10 work for Uncle Sam
on the island
The Washington times., 1906-08-05
oSze &2eG0P oHzE kIAIi2

ing cup Captain Humphreys. the genial
officer OF the day, tells OF the escape
from Alcatraz.
Il have delayed II until here" he ex-
plains. as ones eyes drink In the air
OF the prison, that YOU might appre-
ciate all the more the magnitude of the
undertaking, the escape from Ascatraz
The Washington times., 1906-08-05

tube extends 10 tha sergeant OF the
guard, so that the slightest suspicion
of the sentinel may be verified.
II one follows the balcony along he
will look down on a second paved court
and storeroOm and can pass on to the
dungeon entry
The Washington times., 1906-08-05
Released Without Question

First to department headquarters:
then from bureau to bureau. and
finally up to the department comman-
der the little papers made their way.
There, seeing the strong recommended
ttors of the island governor. the COM
mandaut approved them and ordered
the release OF the men.
The Washington times., 1906-08-05
he Dauis Work

Prison life. too. is a constant topic
of conversation when there is a new
conner in the wagonette. At $40 in the
morning an electric gong calls to the
DAYS work Then there is the daily
verihcatlon. each prisoner standing
The Washington times., 1906-08-05
ozs mr. EZZY zE XEX1

Back then to the place OF their fab
rication. approved, came the recon-
mcldations for pardon, and TO the
headquarters at Aleatraz. From island
headquarters, reapproved. to the prison
office they went, bearing the orders TO
set the men Tree
A soldiers first d.t,' is 10 obey his
orders without question, and the men
The Washington times., 1906-08-05

a sentence 10 this isle for twenty
years might as well be solitary inn
prtsonment for such time. Converse
tion must run slack among the pris-
Oners. with whom life is but a cease
less monotone. so that escape alone
can give food for thought. And so. ar
any time, we may expect 10 hear OF
other marvellous attempts 10 fee from
our little western prison isle.
Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1906-06-29
ARMsTRoyG.ERwIy.

The following announcement
cards have been received by
friends in ,his city:
"Mr. and Mrs. Henry Erwin
announce the marriage of their
daughter. Tex. to Mr.. Volney +.
Armstrong on the evening of Tues
day, June twenty sixth, nineteen
hundred and siy, Kaufman, Tex
as"
Mr.. Armstrong is son OF Mrs.
T. f. Armstrong of Dallas. de
was raised in Bryan and has many
friends in this city who rejoice
with him in his happiness. Mr.,
Armstrong is leading young bust,
ness man of Dallas, and has for a
number years held the response
bic position of cashier of the
National Bank of Commerce OF
Dallas. The Eagle extends con-
Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1906-06-29
DR.. W. H. LAWRENCE
DENTIST
OVER uAswEtI,s BoOK STORE
REVIVAL AT CHRISTIAN CHURCH.
Evangelist Rogers breaches Able Ser
mons on Prayer and Faith
lnterst GrOwing-tine
Musir


The revival service at ne
Christian church Wednesday night
was attended by a good congregation
and the singing was fine. The
sermon by the Evangelist was ON
Faith" and there was deep inter
est manifested by all present lu-
deed, the interest is increasing all
the time. The key note OF the
sermon was that every one, per-
haps, of the congregation had all
The leith necessary to save them
only il was a dead faith because
they would not put it in action.
That from the teaching Of christian
parents IN Sunday school. in going
TO church, they all believe that
Jesus is the Christ, the Son Of God
Al, that was necessary for that
faith 10 save them wss 10 fol-
low il, viyify i, 10y putting il 10
action by obeyiug the gospel of
the Lord Jesus Christ. That all
have that much faith, and that IL
they had all faith this Is all they
could use in coming 10 Christ.
The service yesterday morning
was of especial interest and deeply
devotional; again the sermon MS
on prayer from the words of the
Lord-"When two of you agree,
AZ touching anything, ask for it in
my name and it shall be done
First: Pray for a specific object
and pray with faith and agree up
on it.
Second: Let the specific object
Of your prayers be for fifty CONVEX.
sions in the meeting.
Third: Pray that every saint
attend every service. aud that
christians cease bringing reproach
upon the religion Of the Lord
Jesus Christ, and giving sinners
AN excuse by showing they think
more Of their business than they
do Of Christ and salvation Of sou,-
by staying with their business and
away from HE service.
Fourth: Pray that every chris
tian home in this town become an
alter Of family prayer
Fifth: Pray for the co.opera-
ton and assistance of every chris.
tian in Bryan in this meeting.
All are cordially invited to at.
tend every service, and may God
show the business man that they
set the world above Christ when
they neglect this God sent oppor-
tunity. J. L. Crane, Pastor.
Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1906-06-29

A party OF II q r. c. officials
making trip over the line yester-
day on a special train, stopped a few
minutes Ia Bryan In the party
were superintendent g. f. Haw-
kes. ollie Rowe aud VI. Sheehau aud
Assistant Superintendent d. Black.
Mr. Sheehan succeeds Mr.. Rowe as
superintendent. and the trip WAS
made ih his behalf The train was
In charge Of Conductor Turner with
Engine Wilson nj the throttle.
Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1906-06-29
Nose Broken BY RasehaIl.

waxahachle. Tex, June 2S.-While
watching a game Of baseball al Boyce
Carney Henderson was struck In the
face by a ball. His nose was broken.
The accident was the result OF Wild
throw by 4 player.
Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1906-06-29
Could Not Aaree.

Washington. June 2S-Conferees on
agricultural bill at 2:10 o'clock Thurs.
day reported a disagreement In re-
gard 20 meat inspection amendment
Senator Proctor reported 10 the senate
an agreement was reached as TO the
other provisions Of the bill
Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1906-06-29
IMMORTAL J. ~"

For Years He Had Travelled without
Railroad Fare or Hotel Bills.
Toledo. o., June 2S.-J. y. Free.
known all over the country as the
Immortal J N" died Wednesday at
the Toledo hospital for the insane.
For many years he travelled all over
the United States, paying neither hotel
bills nor railroad fare. He was harm
lossly insane. and had been an inmate
OF the insane hospital for several
months.
Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1906-06-29

Mr.. W. W. Mike requests the
Eagle to express his sincere thanks
10 friends aud neighbors for their
kindly miuistration 10 his wife dur
ing her illness aud for the attention
and sympathy manifested incident
10 her death. Each and all will be
held In grateful remembrance,
Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1906-06-29
Begins Thursday, June Fl
Closes Saturday, June 80

Sequel 20 our late Removal Sale"
The Removal Sale was TO forcibly
remind you of our move to new
quarters. The Attraction Sale is
to forcibly remind you that we
have moved TO new quarters
second door north Of Haswell's
B o o k store, where We want
you to find the way-quick.6 q
Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1906-06-29

Jerome Harrison after a visit 10
his parents, Col aud Mrs. J G.. Har-
ri.ou. ~ College, leaves today for
san Antonio where Dee viii accept
a position FOR several months. Ht
will return 20 Boston Mass, in the
fan
Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1906-06-29

Ron. Richard MAYS Of Corsicaua
was here Yesterday accompanied by
c. G. Walton They loft Tor Thorn
dale and will return 90 Bryan today
and Mr.. MAYS will speak at Harvey
tonight and hll other appointments
elsewhere in the Eagle
this morning
Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1906-06-29

For Sale-Oue grade Jersey COW,
( gallon mixer, one O. year old
grade hsiier; two high grade heifers
NOR iu milk; one registered Jersey
b.if-r NOT iu milk. For prices ad-
So. SIS John VI Caldwell, Bryan.
Texas. l79.
The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1906-12-09

where the evidence was secured in
this manner came in the government s
possession.
Scores of women wishing to cure
husbands, brothers and relatives of
the drink habit unknown to the pa
tents sent money, as did relatives
of opium and morphine fiends. In
such cases Mrs. Wilmans announced
that she could act through another
person so as to effect cure.
Some of the "Hcaler's" Letters.
The government has also in its pos
session a large number of letters
written from the healer" to patients,
which are quite remarkable in many
cases for their composition and style.
The government contended that Mrs.
Wilmans seldom, if ever, answered
any of the letters or even read them,
that she opened the letters, extract
ed the money, marked the amount
on the envelopes and then turned
them over to her clerks for replies
The clerks had several set forms
which they used all the time, varying
them as the occasion required, con-
irving, it would seem, to be as blind
as possible in replying to the patients
inquiries and statements. Here are
a few which show the general char
acter:
Dear Friend feel my power in
the mental realm, and speak the
words of the heroine of Rider Hag-
CARDS She / am She who must be
obeyed, to the diseased condition of
my patients, whom l love with ali
the tenderness Of a mother for her
children and they take effect. Com
plete connection with my thought by
relying upon me perfectly. Your
friend,
HELEN Williams. per J."
Dear Frfend:-Many thanks for
the SO inclosed in yours of the 2lst.
Look to me with a quiet trust and
there viii come to you a vitalizing
stream of life. and you will feel. oh.
so good! ] bring to your mind the
sweet consciousness of your oneness
with eternal life, you will experience
The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1906-12-09
London, England.

LONDON, England.
Dear Cousin Charley:
Since last wrote you we have visited
both Scotland and Ireland, and are go
ing to leave tomorrow for the Continent.
OF course we had to go over to Ireland
by boat, which was only short voy-
age, and when we landed the sea breezes
had given us all the biggest kind of ap-
petites, so we went into little restau-
rant to order a lunch. waiter came
UP and we ordered some soup. IT was
potato soup. When we finished that Pop
asked the weiter what else he had. He
said boiled potatoes, baked potatoes,
fried potatoes, mashed potatoes, potato
chips and potato stew. We told him
We weren't hungry and asked him what
he had for dessert; he said potato pie.
another restaurant and got a square
meal.
We made a trip out to Barney Cas-
tie. the ancestral seat Of the first great
hotair merchants. You know there is
q stone in the Castle called the Blarney
Stone that people go there TO kiss. The
women say that to kiss it will even make
you more beautiful than eating chicken
gizzards, but the trouble is the stone is
way up in the top of the Castle on the
outside. and you have to be let down
over the edge by your heels to kiss it.
The ladies found this 50 fnconvenient
that a seat was rugged up and they were
let down over the edge on rope Gee!
It's pretty scary to be let down by your
heels just to kiss an old rock, but we all
did il for that's what we came there
for We saw lots of familiar faces in
Ireland. / don't mean we knew cry of
them. but the faces were familiar, :. YER
theleSS. Every one had some relate in
America, and they would ask US II we
knew them.
We only visited two cities in Scotland
Edinburgh and Glasgow. Soon after we
reached Edinburgh Dorothy and L and
Spots went out for a walk and to see
the town. We hadn't more than started
when we saw a feller coming down the
street and he had on little short skirt
that just came to his knees and a lit
tie cap with a feather in it and stock
ings that came half way up his legs.
leaving his knees bare. dorothy said
gracious! what big boy to stiH be
wearing dresses" but the funniest thing.
he had whiSkers- We didn't know what
to make of It until we went home and
told papa, and ne said that 1t wasn't
boy, but a man, and he was a Scotch
Highlander and that was his national
costume.
Scotland has awfuIly pretty scenery,
and we saw some mighty pretty old cas-
ties, one where poor Mary, Queen of
Scots, lived, and we passed many his
toTic battle-feldS where the Black Doug
las and his clansmsu fought and died.
Well, we are gofng TO France next
week, and won't we have a time trying
to talk 10 them. You know they don't
talk American. Mama and Mrs Dean
have been studying up and can ask for
a cup of coffee IN the finest kind of Pa
risian. Will write from Paris.
Yours, HARRY.