The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1908-11-19
WARDEN NORTON'S DOMAIN.
F.. H. Witham of Charlestown Prison Staff
Gives His Impressions of 1t.

Gives His Impressions of 1t.
When Edward H. Witham, yard officer
at the Charlestown State Prison, came
down here a few days ago to spend his
vacation he was persuaded to pay fra
ternal visit to Warden Norton at Ihom-
aston State Prison. What he saw at that
institution made him an enthusiast OF the
first water, and he loses no opportunity
to sound the praises of the Maine prisons
management. He saw with the trained
.vo Of a man who has devoted the better
rsrt of a lifetime to similar work and
roanv details which would have escaped
tho notice of the average sightseer were
ali carefully noted by him.
"a found everything in perfect order,
said Mr.. Witham to a Courler-Gazette
renorter. 1.-The cell floors We're kept as
immaculate as the floors OF prlvaIe
residence. The beds We're all cafe1ully
made and everywhere there were cyl,
5ences of as careful attention as model
housewife gives. The discipline was per-
feet When | walked through the shops
varv few of the convlcts looked up.
Everybody seemed too busy to pay at
tenti0n to what was gong on around.
The appearance OF the men en- was IN Keep
mo with the premises. 1here were no
Matched uniforms to be seen anu no oilier
evidences of untldlness We're noticeapie'
IT. excellence of the food was an
e.,a,. r,atter which commanded my at
tantion The bread was as good as ever
~, Of anv institution Of this kind and
So baen in the business since l was 10
,-asrs ol1 They were serving some flsh
5ost for the dinner that was immense.
IT, system which Warden Norton lnau-
rr,1ratfd of feeding the convlcts at tables
;,S+oad of in their cells works flrst class.
Locked in while the men were Waltlng
fo,. their rations. and one could almost
bear nin drop. After | saw all these
ord many other things equally deserving
o e. ,,raise said to myself Warden Norton
is the right man in the right place, me
State couldn't find a better ofhclal II IL
used fne-toothed comp. Ill.,,
s.Thev took me out to see the blood
hounds and had a great treat. For the
nnrnose of demonstrating what the
hounds could do the warden selected a
.trllsty'. and gave him half hour start
If the dogs. The convict did everything
in his mower to bewilder the bloodhounds,
redoubling his course and IN other ways
striving to throw them OFT the scent.
Meantime the hounds had taken thelr
scent from a cap which had been worn ,31
nv the convict and were on the Trail IKE
wind The 'trusty' had hnally sought
hiding place behind fence, put ire oogs
soon overlook him and We're IN possession
11rbe, we arrived. | have always had a
fancy since boyhood to see oloouhouhos
at work, and this demonstrat1on lhierest1
ed me more than any Ihiiis "a 'i'e MINI
had ever seen. .4;.,, N,
In the course of his inspection Mr..
M;tbam came across his old friend Bar
nov Adams in charge of the blacksmith
sbon and the two had jolly good time
TAXING over the old days. Although Mr..
William gets a steady diet OF prison lie
he feels that his visit to Warden Norton>s
domain was the best part OF his vacation.
Mrs Witham. who accompanied MN TO
Pockland. AYERS that he has talked OF
LITTLE else and makes the suggestion that
he set his praises to music:
M Witham made his debut as prison
official at South Boston in 1871, when ne
began two years service as guard at the
House of Correction. Next he went to
Deer island where he was connected with
the House of Industry for Is years He
then Joined the staff of the Charlestown
State Prison, where he has renamed ever
since-a period of IA years. He began
there as a day officer and is now YARD
officer. His faithfulnesss and bravery
have been given good accounting IN
several sensational incidents which nave
occurred there during his IA years ser
vice. He says that he has VISITED many
prisons in the South during his vacation
trips but has never seen more neatless
or better discipline than ne 1ouno at
Thomaston. -Rockland tourlef-1aze'te'