Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1909-07-08
LUDLOW STREET JAIL
The Sheriff'S Famous Prison In
New York City.
ITS GUESTS WELL TREATED.
The Inmates Wear No Uniform and
Have Many Privileses-The Disci-
pine Is Quite Gentle and the Sur
roundings Peaceful and HomeIike.

Ludlow street Thanked by public
school and police court on two sides,
the brick building, ornamented with
antique iron grill over long windows,
resembles a village church or old fash
toned hall of learning The outer
ClamOr does not penetrate its cool clois-
tiers. The struggle for existence Is
halted at the threshold But 1t is not
so easy to enter the sheriff's rest eS-
Establishment. The guard who opens
the front door in response to the cleo
trio bell eyes the visitor suspiciously,
as if the latter might be trying to
break into the county haven without
proper credentials. The only persons
entitled to the privileges of the Lud-
low tavern are those in contempt OF
surrogates' and certain other courts,
federal bankruptS, delinquent militia
men, execution and judgment debtors
and breach of promise and alimony
men.
However, the visitor who can prove
that he has no sinister purpose is
ushered into q cozy parlor fitted with
rugs, pictures and piano. Here he
meets the warden, who talks freely
and simply about his guests. He ad-
mits he has never read Lombroso or
any other criminologist. What's the
use? They don't send felons to this
place, The learned observations Of
penologists do not apply to the in
mates of Ludlow tavern. Methods of
discipline and reform are superfluous
There are Just few rules, such as OBJ
| tain in any well regulated hostelry. A
guest on arrival has his pedigree taken
at the office, is shown up to his sleep
ing chamber, gets introduced to the
gentlemen in the sitting room and is
left to his own devices-no uniform
no hair cut, none of the unpleasant fea-
lures of a common prison. There Is,
indeed, a genteel search for sharp in
struments, keys and knives, as forbid
den articles, but there is no confisca-
ton of any other private possessions.
A man may bring in all the books,
writing material, tobacco, clothes, tot
let articles and bric-a-brac that he
| pleases.
The rising bell rings at 6:3O a m,
and the guests have n chance to wash,
| breakfast, at s o'clock. The regular
breakfast consists of coffee and rolls,
but guests may supplement 1t with
| eggs cooked at the hot water tap or
may order at their own expense, an
elaborate meal from the menu card of
| nearby restaurant. The morning
newspapers are at hand so that guests,
while slipping their coffee, may scan
| headlines and note the progress OF
events.
| After breakfast every one goes into
the yard for an hours exercise. The
high brick walls do not bar the sun
shine from the yard, which is about
sixty feet square and stone tagged
around q central grass plot After the
exercise hour the guests repair to a
large sitting room and read, study or
| play penuchle, checkers, domtnos and
| chess. There is small library of
books and magazines. Those who
have private stocks of literature eX-
change their books in a fraternal
spirit.
The dinner bell rings at noon. A
wholesome stew, q boiled dinner or n
plate of fish and potatoes is provided.
If this seems too frugal even for clois-
ter life, there is the restaurant menu
to fall back on. AS a rule, though, the
inmates are satisfied with the regular
fare Another hour in the yard, an
afternoon spent in the sitting room,
after the style of the morning session,
and then q supper of bread and tea at
5 o'clock Two hours later the guests
retire to their chambers for the night.
They are locked in, it is true, but the
obliging guard will open on any rea-
sonable request. There is no rule
against talking, and guests may read
or write by the light of their own can
dies until they feel disposed to go to bed.
A gentle routine it is. No one Is
overcrowded, for, while there are ac-
commodations for a hundred persons,
the number of guests is seldom any
thing like that. The disagreeable
monotony of seeing the same faces
and hearing the same anecdotes, COM
planned of by arctic travellers, Is OBJ
waited by the coming and going of In
mates. The comfort of guests is pref
ty we'll assured by a staff of nine
guards and three or four cooks and
attendants.
Letters to guests are not opened be-
fore delivery, as in common penal in
situations. Three days a week are sea
aside for visitors, but no member Of
the Alimony club is compelled to see
his wife. Once In q long while, how
ever, a member of the fair sex enters
the portals as a guest There was one
woman brought to the office In con-
tempt proceedings subsequent on a
supplementary inquiry, but the referee
held a hearing on the spot, and the
woman was discharged with consent
of counsel In former days a male
guest charged with breach Of promise
won freedom by marrying the woman
Of his choice in the hotel office.-New
York Tribune.
What we obtain too cheap we esteem
too liphtly-Paine.