Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1911-11-09

searcned by a matron ror oouccaIe
weapons, a humiliating ordeal, Il
which even the richest and most In
fuential visitors must submit with az
good grace as possible. The matroI
was a hard looking woman Of about
so 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 Tomba
rather as a kind Of boarding house In
which people made short or long So
%journs, according to their luck. She
treated Annie unceremoniously, yet
not unkindly.
80 you're the wife of Jeffries,
whom they've got for murder, eh?"
she said, as she rapidly ran her hands
through the visitors clothing.
Yes" fRltered Annie, but it's all
a mistake, I assure you. My husbands
perfectly innocent. He wouldn't hurt
a fly"
The woman grinned.
They all say that, nm" Lugubr
ously she added: IT hope you'll bs
more lucky than some others were"
Annie felt herself grow cold. Was
this a sinister prophecy? She shud'
dered and, hastily taking a dollar from
her purse, slipped it into the lnatronS
hand.
MAY ! go now" she said.
Eyes, my dear; l guess you've gW
nothing dangerous on you. VIZ have
to be very careful. | remember once
when we had that Hoboken murderer
here. He's the Teller that cut lis
in a barrel. His mother came here ID
see him one day and what did l find
inside her stocking but an innocent
looking little round pill, and If you
please, it was nothing less than lrus'
sic acid. He would have swallowed il
and the electric chair would have
been cheated. So you see how careful
we has to be-"
Annie could not listen to any more
The horror of having Howard classed
with fiends of that description sickened
her. To the keeper she said quickly:
please take me to my husband"
Taking another dollar from heE
purse, she slipped the bill into the
mans hand, feeling that, here as
everywhere else, n must pay fox
privileges and courtesies. Her guilds
led the way and ushered her into an
elevator, which, at a signal, started
slowly upwards.
The cells in the Tombs are arranged
in rows in the form of an ellipse IL
There is room to accommodate 900
prisoners Of both exes. The men arr
confined in the new prison; the VOID
en-, fewerin number, in what remains Of
floor being taken up with the rows
of narrow cells, there remains a broad
corridor, running all the way rourd
and flanked on the right by high walls
with small barred windows. An oh
server from the street glancing up al
the windows might conclude that they
were those of the cells in which pris
oners were confined. AS a matter O.
fact, the cells have no windows, only
grating which looks directly out int
the circular corridor.
At the fourth floor the elevator
stopped and the heavy iron don
swung back.
This way" said the keeper, step
ping out and quickly walking alort
the corridor, He's in cell No. ass"
A lump rose in Armies throat. Th'
place was well ventilated, yet sh,
thought she would faint from a che
king feeling of restraint. All aloni
the corridor to the left we're irol
doors painted yellow. In the uppe
part OF the door were half a dozel
broad Sits through which one coul,
see what was going on inside.
Those are the cells" volunteers
her guide.
Annie s~huddered as, mentally, sh
pictured Howard locked up in such
dreadful place. She peered throug
one Of the Sits and saw a narrow Gel
about ten feet long by SIX wide. Tn
only furnishings were a folding CO
with blanket, a wash bowl and Law
\ tory. Each cell had its occupant, me
and youths of all ages. Some weE
reading, some playing cards. Som
were lying asleep on that- cots, pc,
haps dreaming of hnMe, but most {
them leaning ~dejectedly against tn
. iron bars wondering when they woul
# regain their liberty.
- (TO BE CONTINUED)