Montana news. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1904-191?, 1907-04-04
Behind the Bars.

The guard turned the key, the iron
doors clanked on their hinges and l
stood in the midst of a ground floor
room in the Ada county Jail, shaking
hands with Haywood. Golden sun
shine flooded the apartment, the win
dows out upon the beautiful grassy
sward of the courthouse lawn, the
room was large and comfortable, even
to a rocking chair, which was hospi-
tably rendered me, books and writing
materials were on the table, and I
well, was relieved.
"stone walls do not prison make,
Nor iron bars a cage.
Those were my first words Hay
wood smiled when ] said them.
eyes" he replied, "I could have
repeated them for yon.
The Ada county court house stands
in the midst of a beautiful square. in
certainly one of the most exquisite
mountain towns tourist ever sees.
II reminds one of the Colorado
Sspring.It has beautiful, level streets,
a well-built business portion, and a
general air of prosperity" and com
fort. The snow-capped mountains lie
around il, but do not eneroaeh upon
the town. The Boise river slips through
a broad valley like stream of
molten silver. The little city has
population of about $4,000, and no one
can tell YOU what supports them. 1t
is not mining town, il is not an agri-
cultural town. 1t is not even on the
main line of the railroad. But here
is bustling city, beautiful homes, and
the state capital.
Next 10 the urt-housc is the red
brick capital building-small but neat,
and tastefully. painted The grounds
are well-kept and decorated, and
adorned with large healthy trees that
are one Of the chief beauties of the
town.
A feature that adds 10 the interest
of the place, and indeed is one of the
principal subjects Of comment by
visitors, is the unusual, unique,
esthetie and attractive style of archi'
lecture. This is eonspicuously evident
in all kinds of buildings, dwellings,
business blocks, churches, theaters.
There is a perfect riot of individual
ism in oddly placed windows, quaint
door. ways, Grecian pillars, Roman
arches and small Gothic spires, small
and dainty stone residences, cobble-
stone structures, a la Fra Elbertus.
Whether some one genius Of an ar
chitect has preferred to stay in this
comparative obscurity and let his fan
ey roam at its own sweet will or whe-
ther the efflorescence Of this primal
art is pure accident of western adj
venturous spirits freed from the stu
pid conventions Of more settled com
munities, had no means of ascer'
tanning.
Dungeons Bells
Neither could Haywood answer my
inquiries. He said his opportunities
for observing Boise had been some
what limited.
The Ada county Jail occupies the
main floor Of the courthouse. 1t is
all above ground. The large room
where | talked with Haywood is used
as a sitting room by day for our men.
Prt'ibone was sick the morning ]
called and Meyer was taking his ex-
ercise. Haywood was sitting at the
table writing. A work ON the Grim
inal law lay beside him. ] have noted
before that he is using his enforced
idleness in the study of law, looking
toward a legal career.
Each of the men has cell where
they sleep at night.
Haywood talked with me about an
hour. / asked him il he got nervous
and worried, and experienced the men
tai anxiety and real suffering, which
one might naturally expect to be the
fate of men whose necks are being
playel for in so intense and tragic
u game.
lie smiled alphabetically ais he
answered, "Do / show any outward
evidences of itf"
! assured him that he certainly did
not.
lie then went on TO say that the
work of the Western Federation was
moving forward just as well as IL he
were not there in prison; and that the
fact Of his being there made IL 60
better. The exigencies Of the class