The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1911-06-02

searched BY Q matfon for concealed
weapons. q h%umiliating ordeal, to
which yer the richest and most in1
nIential visitors must submit with az
good grace AZ possible. The matron
was . hard looking woman OF about
30 years, in whom every spark Of hui
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 q kind OF boarding house in
which people made short or long So
journs. according to their luck. She
treated Annie unceremoniously, yet
not unkindly.
$50 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" faltered Annie, but it's all
q mistake. l assure you. My husbands
perfectly innocent He wouldn't hurt
q n.y."
The woman grinned.
They all say that, NM" Lugubri.
ously she added: II hope you'll be
more lucky than some others were"
Annie felt herself grow cold. Was
this a sinister prophecy She shud.
dered and, hastily taking q dollar from
her purse. slipped 1t into the matron,s
hand.
May I go now?" she said.
Eyes. my dear: I guess you've got
nothing dangerous on you. We have
to be very careful. I remember once
when we had that Hoboken murderer
here. He's the Teller that cut his
wife's head off and stuffed the body
In a barrel His mother came here to
see him n day and what did I find
inside her stocking but an innocent
looking little round pill, and II you
please, 1t was nothing less than prus
sic acid. He would have swallowed it
and the electric chair would AVE
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 her
purse, she slipped the bill into the
mans hand. feeling that, here as
everywhere else. one must pay for
privileges and courtesies. Her guide
led the way and ushered her into an
elevator, which. at q signal started
slowly upwards.
The cells in the Tombs are arranged
in rows in the form Of an ellipse in
the center OF each Of the six floors
There Is to accommodate 900
4 prisoners of both sexes. The men are
confined in the new prison; the WON.
en-. fewerin number, in what remains OF
the old building. Only the center of Teach
floor being taken up with the COWS
Of narrow cells, there remains q broad
corridor, running all the way round
and fanked on the right by high walls
with small barred windows. An OBJ
server from the street glancing up at
the windows might conclude that they
were those of the cells in which pris
oners were confined. As a matter OF
fact. the cells have no windows. only q
grating which looks directly out into
the circular corridor.
At the fourth floor the elevator
stopped and the heavy iron door
swung back.
This way" said the keeper. step
ping out and quickly walking along
the corridor. Hes in cell No. 456."
A lump rose In Annie's throat. The
place was well ventilated. yet she
thought she WOULD faint from q cho.
king feeling Of restraint. All along
the corridor to the left were iron
doors painted yellow. In the upper
part of the door were half a dozen
broad Sits through which one could
see what was going on inside.
Those are the cells" volunteered
her guide. j
Annie %shuddered as. mentally, she
pictured Howard locked up in such a
dreadful place. She peered through
n OF the Sits and saw a narrow cell
about ten feet long by six wide. The
only furnishings were a folding cot
with blanket a wash bowl and lava.
tory. Each cell had its occupant, men
and youths Of all ages. Some were
reading, some playing cards. Some
wero lying asleep on their cots, per.
haps dreaming OF home. but most OF
them leaning dejectedly against the
iron bars wondering when they would
regain their liberty.
(TO BE CONTINUED)
Plant Breaking Up an Island.