The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1911-08-03


and Drink Because .FelIow Prison.
ers Had tuberculosis Look-Prom
Ises Magazine Article In Which
Horrors Of Delaware Workhouse
System viii BE Laid Bare.
Wilmington, Del, Aug. g.. Upton
Sinclair is no longer in prison, he
and his followers from the single-tax
colony at Arden, who were sentenced
to Is hours Imprisonment in the
Newcastle county workhouse for vio-
lating the Sunday blue law. having
been released.
Sinclair and all of his companions
spent seven hours working on the
prison stonepile. They labored as
hard as the 40 other white and negro
convicts. The Socialist author had
lots TO say in condemnation Of the
workhouse. lie did not qualify his
criticism. He and his followers re-
turned to the colony at Arden, where
they were greeted as heroes.
All through the night the author
Of "The Jungle" lay on the stone
floor of a steel cell without blanket.
His friend Berkley Tobey occupied
the single cot. Sinclair could not
sleep. The surroundings of the jail
and means Of the other 337 prisoners
inspired him to compose an appropri-
ate poem. This he did mentally. The
lines are appropriate to the night in
jail and are entitled THE Menagerlo."
The presence of what Sinclair termed
foul vermin" on the cot that his
cellmate and single-tax companion,
Berkley Tobey, occupied, suggested
the circus-like namo.
Did Not Eat Morscl.
Sinclair did not eat morsel of
food nor take a single drink of water
during his incarceration. He sad
the prison food was so bad he was
afraid he would vomit IL he ate It.
His reason for refraining from drink
ing was that there were too many
tuberculosis-afflicte prisoners who
uScu inc uIlnhlHS cups.
The first thing he did after reach.
ing Wilmington was to, drink a large
bottle of spring water. Don Stephens,
son of Frank Stephens, millionaire
founder of the Arden colony, and
Fred Steinline, who were in the pris-
on party, likewise tasted. All OF the
martyrs invaded an ice cream estab-
lishment here after their release and
ate nearly all of the edibles in sight.
Sinclair said:
ut was nothing more than a lark
for us all. The experience was one
of the most interesting | have ever
had. ! will write magazine article
about IT,"
The author laughed when he mar.
rated his work in the prison quarry.
81 wheeled 100 wheelbarrows Of stone
10 the crushor. My companions did
likewise. We put In seven hours.
Aside from thinking OF the poom that
I wrote out when tho guards were
not on the job, my thoughts were on
a prospective feast of spring water
and ice cream"
Sinclair lost three pounds while in
Jail. due to the fasting. A number of
times while talking with newspaper
men he declared, "and all this for
playing tennis on Sunday. II makes
me feel like blowing up somoore
with a bomb" lie did not explain
Just who that someone" might be-
Commented on Conditions.
The principal comment of the au-
thor was on conditions at the work
house. He continued: "Oh. those
bestial faces (meanlng the convicts).
| never saw such a parade in my life
| We were forced to march to the eat.
| ing room with our arms folded and
| to eat in silence. ! did not eat The
workhousc has sweatshop that
beats any in New York a mile. The
convicts never get out Of doors, nev.
er see the sky. Their faces are COW
cred with bois and there are all kinds
of evidences of tuberculosis. To look
at them makes man realize what
| the world really is. ! think | would
be doing service II | could get
| hOllt INV ti WIZ 10 a ii1lib'i vi Nht
Wilmington Country club, where golf
is played every Sunday, to be incar-
serated there. He would see what
these poor creatures have to contend
with. | am the picture Of health, but
do not think could live in that
| Jail for two months. II | wen. there
for 30 days | would not eat the fare
unless 1t was forced down me-"
| Sinclair further declared "The
man who designed that workhouse
should be compelled to live In 1t un.
I'll be dies from tuberculosis. fate
he would surely meet. II is impossl-
BILE to ventilate the cells. and the
convicts suffer as a result"
Before going to Jail Sinclair de-
clared that he would play tennis next
Sunday Just the same. He now thinks
differently. however. "Since then"
he satd, 81 have been on the prison
stonepIle. Besides, have no time
to go to jail"
A public meeting of the single
tax colonistg will be held tonight at
Arden, when the whole affair will be
aired, with Sinclair as tthe spokcs.
man.