Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-09-30
PRISON LIFE DESCRIBED.
How Il Seemed to "John Carter" the
Poet


Poet.
John Carter" who as convict
in the Minnesota state prison at
tracted by mis- poetry the notice OF
the outside world-a notice which
recently secured his release at the
age Of 24-has written for the Cen
tury, at the request of the editor
something about prison life as he
found it.
"Only the first ten years matter,
he was told on his arrival by man
who had eked out thirty in that one
prison and who might be expected
to know.
Whether or not the first ten years
are all that matter" writes the ex-
prisoner. there is no doubt that the
first six months are by no means six
little drops of time. One Is OPP
pressed by a multitude of rules
many of them seemingly unneces-
sary. One Is overweighted by silence
overwhelmed by solitude.
"The newcomer Is watched close
ly, that his general attitude toward
discipline may be definitely ascertain
ed. If he Is of an Independent, self
respecting character his new status
in life Is brought home to him sharp
ly. In at least ninety cases out OF q
hundred he realizes the necessity OF
absolute submission, aid at least if
saltwater he makes no attempt tC
escape or rebel.
Escape from the Minnesota state
prison is. i'm fact, impracticable. Dur
ing the day the inmates work In
shops under a guards eye, and un-
less the nature of their work re-
uuires it may not leave even theil
seats without asking permission. Al
the same time the institution Is sur
rounded by impossible walls or
which armed guards are stationed
and the entrances are slmilarl!
guarded.
THE newcomer, having given VI
hope of escape, turns occasionally &c
thoughts of rebellion. He may, re-
fuse to work or he may feign illness
In the first case he is Immediately sub
jected to solitary confinement; In the
local yernacular thrown in the hole.
In the hole he is placed on a scanty
diet of bread and water and hand
cuffed to the door of dark cell dur
ing working hours.
THAT Is all He Is not, so far as
am aware, beaten or otherwise Ill
treated. He has also an opportunity
TO state his case to the warden IT
person, an opportunity which may re-
suit in his release from solitary con-
finement and even in his reinstate-
ment in the second or first grade.
1ai, 1nf hn N
are divided into three grades. On ar:
rival all are placed in the second
grade, from which promotion to the
first may be obtained by pefect con-
duct in six months. Every infrac'
ton of the rules, however slight, Is re-
ported. but the deputy warden has
the option of excusing or marking the
inmate.
IF he is excused he has merely the
inconvenience, not entirely to be dis
regarded, Of walking about with the
other defaulters; if he Is marked
three times in one calendar month ne
goes down grade. Every MARI
above four in the first six months de-
lays his promotion to the first grace
week. After being reduced, now,
ever, he may be promoted by per1ec'
conduct in one month. Serious In
VI lIC
with solitary confinement, also carr!
with them reduction to the thirc
grade.
"Shirking work by feigning Hines:
Is every unusual 1t Is so unusual II
fact that it may be doubted whether
the man who Is really Ill always get:
credit for his sufferings. The course
of the malingerer is as follows: he
refuses, we will suppose, to get ou
Of bed in the morning, positioI
from which he is invariably compelled
by force If necessary to recede.
He is next assigned to sick cell,
where the assistant doctor interview:
him. The doctor either sends him tc
the hospital, permits him to spend the
day in the open air, sends him pacF
to the sick cell or orders him BACK
to work. Those in the sick cells are
with or without privileges. III the
latter they may not read and are or
a diet of very thin milk and very thir
crackers This treatment is given te
cases considered undeserving and 9
few days of it is enough to cure the
most persistent malingerers.
In an ordinary days routine the
gong rings at 5.45 a. m. and at tne
sound of it 700 men get out OF bed
rise, dress and tidy their cells. Al
6.15 they march to breakfast. Aftel
breakfast they return to their cells
for a moment, then march to the
shops. where they work from
o'clock until noon. At l o'clock Wort
begins again and continues until I
O'Clock when once more comes tne
silent march, and by 6.l5 o'clocF
every man is locked in his cell. Dur
ing eight months the night school 0c.
cupies $50 men until 8 o'clock The
remainder may smoke, read or Write
ill lights go out at 9 O'Clock
"On Sundays and holidays gonf
rings an hour later in the 4nornlnS
and after breakfast the men return
to their cells for a longer period
Apropos Of the word cell, the aristo'
cratic prisoner uses the eupnenhisli
apartment, or room, lest after his re-
lease he may not be unable to breaR
the habit of referring to his sleeping
room as a cell.
ION Sundays Of course comes chap'
ell service, which continues from ar
hour to ninety minutes. After ser
vice. attendance at which is entlrel!
optional, every man is turned out 1ol
exercise. With the exception or the
walk Of a few yards between the Gel
house and the shops this Is the only
opportunity that the majority or the
prisoners get to breathe fresh air. II
IL rains or SHOWS even this Is denleo
them.
AFTER drill comes dinner, and aftel
dinner the key turns again. FROM
noon on Sunday to 5.45 on Monda!
every man is locked in his cell ano
left to his own devices. On hondayS
instead Of chapel service and drll,
there are entertainments, followed
by a few hours Of quasi liberty, DUR
ing which talking is allowed.
with regard to the meals IL IS ar
ficult to remain wholly judicial
Memories of many hungry days per-
sist-days in which my plate was
pushed aside untouched. However,
am willing to admit that the quallty
of the food was not so much to blame
as the method of cooking and serV-
ing. AS the years passed / grew ac,
customed to the diet, or to most o1
Ii. ,
ITO particularize, there were three
moderately appetizing breakfasts
pork sausage, beans and bacon ano
four most unappetiZing hash ltwice)
liver. and bologna sausage. similar
ly there were three good dinners
roast pork and roast beef (twlce),
with a good vegetable, and four bad
ones. beef stew, mutton stew anu
boiled pork and sauerkraut (twice).
..u,l, - .rpparc consisted of bread