The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1910-05-05

While awaiting the announcement
of supper, ourhost suggested we walk
over and watch the convicts at their
supper. They reminded one of bees
in a hive and they were all busy sup
plying the inner man with the nee
essaries of life. Their food was of
the plainest, but well k d and
wholesome and they had all they
wished of such as there was before
them The dining room was very
long, just wide enough to accommo-
date the narrow table and benches
on either side and permit walters to
pass. The prisoners used tin dishes.
They were given coffee for breakfast
and at dinner and supper they were
allowed water or milk. The build
ings were all one-story box houses,
rudely made, but everything was COW
cred with whitewash. Next to the
dining room was the bunk house; in
the center of the room were the beds.
There was an upper and lower bunk,
and the two were large enough to
accommodate all the prisoners. 1t
I'm d to be conglomeration of
quilts, blankets and pillows.
The prison seemed to be well ven
tilated. 1t was heated by two large
stoves. There were numerous small
tables around the side of the room.
Bracket mps furnished light
night. We watched them through
the iron bars for some minutes, then
passed into the picket, which isa small
room situated at one end of the prison.
There was very large iron barred
window between the prison and the
picket. When the convicts are all
in the prison a guard sits constantly
by the window with large revolver
on the table beside him. When we
went into the picketa guard was giving
out the weekly allowance of tobacco, a
quarter pound of plug to each man.
1t was then taking fortyfive pounds
a week to supply the m n. | no.
ticed how eager some of them were
to receive their allowance. Many
would cut their a vance up
into small chews a n d as they were
allowed to play cards every Saturday
night they would gamble all night
with these chews of tobacco. Often
the next morning one or two would
have possession of it all.
We looked into the hospital, a room
at one end of the picket with twelve
beds in it. One man was sick at the
time, malaria being the chief ailment
, A doctor lived in the camp and right
at hand was well-equipped apoth-
! ecary shop. Every morning the pris
oners were interviewed and if any
were found honestly ailing they were
) sent to the hospital and given medi
cine. At the end of the hospital was
: barber shop fitted up by one oftht
+ convicts. Back of the hospital wa
j, the convict's kitchen. One building
e was the bakery where all the breat
alone was baked. and it was no small
e item. One hundred and twenty-five
e pounds of meat a day was cooked il
s a special building. Supper was the7
a announced and it was a delightful
e meal, great roasted turkey, also
/ huge baked ham, adorned one end Q
e the table, while the table was cover
+ ed with many other toothsome things
IL Thirteen of us sat down to supper
e and the company was so jolly an
l. full of repartee, that we forgot to rt
+ member that someone was liable t
IS die when thirteen sit down.
n After supper we were mforme
e that the convicts had prepared a
L. entertainmentforu so we were take
re over to the main pri son and let
te behind the barred and bolted door
or They had prepared seats and had
N nicely arranged. The m us c al
It, came out in front and took seats, tw
violins, guitar and bass viol The
IN were really some m II sire sta
~ amongst them. They played sever
or selections and sang several qua
be tettes. There was some excelle
er jigging and patting. twas an ente
N. tainment well worth attending, al
n the thought came tome: How stran
It's we should be enjoying ourselves al
he having delightful time while lock-
a up in state prison" While the e
re tertainment wasgoing on many of t
N convicts stood about enjoying
III. while others sat at the little tab
ed about the side of the room playi
gh l.cards. The entire scene was intere