The Point Pleasant register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, W. Va.) 1909-1939, 1910-06-08

So 4ASNAAu GAQ plU ulto take courage.
y low doorway from Center street
gave access to the gray fortress. At
the heavy steel gate stood por;ly
policeman armed with a big key. Each
time before letting people in or out
he Inserted this key in a ponderous
lock. The gate would not open mere.
" BY turning the handle. This was
TO prevent the escape of prisoners.
who might possibly succeed In reach.
Ing so far as the door. but could not
open the steel gate without the big
key. When once any one entered the
prison he was not permitted to 90 out
again except on a signal from a,
keeper.
When Annie entered she found the
reception room Glled with visitors,
men and women of all ages and ma.
tionalities. who. like herself. had come
to see some relative or friend in
trouble. It was a motley and interest.
ing crowd. There were fruit peddlers.
sweat shop workers. SPORTY looking
men. negroes and hashy looking wo-
men. All seemed callous and indif.
ferent. as II quite at home amid the
sinisteS surroundings OF prison. One
or two others appeared to belong to a
more respectable class. their sober
manner and careworn faces rejecting
silently the humiliation and shame
they felt at their kinsman's disgrace
The small barred windows did not
permit OF much ventilation and, as
the day was warm. the odor was sick
ening. Annie looked around fearfully
and humbly took her place at the end
Of the long line which slowly worked
It's way to the narrow inner grating.
where credentials were closely scrutI.
nized. The horror OF the place seized
upon her. She wondered who all these
poor people were and what the prls.
oners whom they came to see had
done to offend the majesty OF the law.
The prison was filed with policemen
and keepers and running in and out
with messages ard packages were
number OF men in neat linen suits.
She asked woman who they were.
"Them's TRUSTEES - prisoners that
has special privileges in return for
work they does about the prison"
The credentials were passed upon
slowly and Annie, being the twentieth
in line. found it tedious wait. In
front OF her was a bestial looking ne
gro. behind her woman whose cheap
1ewelry rouged face and extravagant
dress proclaimed her profession to be
the most ancient in the world. But
at last the gate was reached. As the
doorkeeper examined her ticket he
looked up at her with curiosity. A
murderer is rare enough even in the
Tombs, to excite interest, and as she
passed on the attendants whispered
among themselves. She knew they
were talking about her. but she
steeled herself not to care 1t was
only foretaste OF other humiliations
which she must expect.
A keeper now took charge of her
and led her to a room where she was
searched by a matron for concealed
weapons. humiliating ordeal. to
which even the richest and most in.
iuential visitors must submit with as
good grace as possible. The matron
was a hard looking woman OF about
30 years. in whom every spark OF hu.
man pity and sympathy had been
killed during her many years OF con.
slant association with criminals. The
word prison" had lost its meaning TO
her. She saw nothing undesirable in
jail life. but looked upon the Tombs
rather as kind OF boarding house in
which people made short or long so.
journs, according to their luck She
treated Annie unceremoniously. yet
not unlindly.
so you're the wife Of Jefrries.
whom they've got for murder. eh?"
she said, as she rapidly ran her hands
through tie visitors clothing.
Yes faltered Annie, but It's all
mistake. l assure you. My husbands
perfectly innocent He wouldn't hurt
a fly"
The woman grinned.
They all say that, nm" Lugubri.
ously she added: Il hope you'll be
more lucky than some others were"
Annie felt herself grow cold. Was
this sinister prophecy? She shud.
dered and. hastily taking dollar from
her purse. slipped It into the matron's
hand.
May go now?" she said.
Yes. my dear; I guess you've got
nothing dangerous on you. We have
TO be very careful. remember once
when we had that Hoboken murderer
here. He's the feller that cut his
wife's head of and stuffed the body
in barrel. His mother came here to
-slllll-IIDONS - -.---SEE