The daily morning journal and courier., 1906-03-16

barred cages much like animal cages these is round like a merry go-round house. In this is the capstan which op- crates the pump The men push on long bars, treading the wearisome tresdmill journey, which leads nowhere and breeds the spirit of hopelessness. the capstan 1t is let into the other cage, as animals are turned from one inclo- sure into another, and the second gang takes It's place at the 'sorry-g -go-round.'
 The prisoners at Montgomery have an opportunity to know their record as they make it Each one carries around with him a character, or history sheet" consisting of a nutnber of leaves stitched together Tn this his complete jail record is set down. At the begin ming are all particulars regarding his convictions and full description. His weight is entered once week, and his punishmnets and rewards, hs changes labor and the time spent In the hos pital or in solitary cell are all jotted down. The marks are put down as earned Twenty-four marks mean the emission of one days time from the sentence. When paraded, each man squats with his cap on his left knee, his history sheet" in one hand and his queer mediaeval shoes plate and bowl lad out in row in front of him. He is anxious to secure any marks which may be due him because of the polish put upon his bowl, so hegcarefully sets it out of line in order to draw attention to the great amount of elbow brease he has put upon it. Every man in the squad conspicuously displays his 'his- tory sheet over his brown knees, ready to receive the credit marks
 There are several ways in which marks can be secured. The most trust ed men are appointed as warders. over- seers and watchmen, and secure cred- it's of a certain number of marks for each day they serve. It is possible for a warder serving five years in that po- sition to secure in this way a years re- duction in his sentence.
 Catching rats Is one of the most cu- rious ways in which marks are earned. Rats carry the plagut, so it Is impor- tant that the jail shall be kept free from them, Every drain and hole is covered with wire netting, and re- ward of ten marks is given to every prisoner who captures a rodent and produces it alive before the superinten- dent or jailor. It is not unusual to see one of the prisoners approaching a tailor leading one or two live rats at the end of strings and carrying his history sheet" These he presents with a great display of humbleness, holding the snufflng little creatures in leash while the marks are put down in his book The rats are then ordered dispatched by the jailer.
 There is a sort of rat exchange among the prisoners. One who has luck in catching rat or two can ex- change them for food, tobacco, dice, f etc. There are so many rats brought to the keepers that there is Q, suspicion that some of the wardens import them occasionally, or that there are prisoners WHO HldlIlldlll IeIt pACSNA NSS 0Sllu tdloC them.
 For ways that are dark the prison- CTS at Montgomery rank with the "heathen Chinee." They are dull and depraved in appearance, but prison life develops a cunning that is unexpected in persons who appear slow witted. They will take infinite pains to obtain the smallest comforts on the sly and will try to smuggle in, by means of rel atives and friends, coins, tobacco, opi- um and other drugs and dice A pris- |, oner may wear shoes when they are furnished by himself or his relatives. These have to be carefully examined when brought in, for the soles are like iy to contain a number of four-anna bits and tobacco. A religious book Is also permitted, but not infrequently the book is despised only because of the opportunity it offers for smuggling. One wonders what use a prisoner could have for money, yet those at the Mont gomery jail are so anxious to have it that they are not only willing to try to smuggle it in, but men convicted of ''coining' will find way of continuing their operations within the walls. One actually, with the connivanee of a warder and some of his prison friends, manufactured a number Of silver coins before he was discovered. The prison