The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-29
EASY LIFE AT SAN QUENTIN
Los Angeles Correspondence New Yorl Evening Telegram.

Los Angeles Correspondence New York
 Evening Telegram.
 TNCARCERATED in a prison de luxe,
 where the cells are carpeted, where \ they have access to a library, are all lowed to roam on breeze swept island, granted the right to play baseball, swim, engage in athletics and promenade and Namara, whose dynamiting operations cost 21 lives, are escaping the prison hard ships like those of Sing Sing.
 The San Quentin prison, in which they are serving their terms of life impris- onment and 15 years, respectively. is the prison de luxe of the United States, if not of the world. By some it is called the criminals Paradise" and likened more to a summer resort or country residence than a prison.
 In this prison de luxe the inmates are confined in the cells but Il hours day. The rest of the time they are either mak- ing jute bags in the factory that Is part of the prison or playing baseball, swimming, reading under shade trees, while at the same time enjoying a smoke, or else roaming about the island and en- toying the view of passing steamships. h the evenings they are allowed to have a candle with which to read in their cells, and if they desire can cook rarebit for themselves.
 Hard work is unknown. The prisoners, numbering 1900, including the McNamaras, are obliged to make so many jute bags between the hours of in the morning and 5 o'clock in the evening. If they make the required number in less time, they are allowed to spend the time they save in enjoying themselves on the prison grounds.
 Dozens of those imprisoned there, in- stead of awaiting with glee the hour of their freedom, witness it's approach with
 misgivings, for they realize they will have to go forth to battle in a competition that
 will afford them few of the pleasures and luxuries common In the prison. The criminals paradise" is officially
 designated the California State prison. It
 is maintained by California. The federal government sends prisoners there, but pays the state of California for their | maintenance. The prison is situated at | San Quentin, which projects out into San | Francisco bay. It is reached by boat | in an hours ride from San Francisco | The prison building is not unlike other structures of its kind, but its sanitary and cell arrangements are considered per- | feet ,and the accommodations for the prisoners beyond criticism. The cells are arranged in tiers. In them the pris- oners keep pictures magazines, books,
 papers and periodicals Some of the cerls are decorated with all the artistic beauties of a well appointed den. | Comedians and tragedians among the prisoners weekly give a theatrical per- formance; the prison hand, consisting of ! 60 pieces and composed of the inmates, gives concerts, the baseball teams play for the championship of the prison league,
 the handball experts battle for the cham pionship in that line. the athletes of the cnder path, the hurdles, the hammer and i the like regularly engage in competition.
 They have an extensive farm. They raise chickens and ducks.
 | John Howle, the warden, regards the prisoners as the unfortunates of society
 and treats them consequently in the most humane fashion. The men never try to escape, they never are late in responding l to fhe bell call in the evening, and they
 obey the rules with a remarkable degree
 of willingness.
 i William F. Sheridan, for 20 years the
 head of the Identification bureau in police
 headquarters in New York, who recently
 visited San Quentin, met "Billy' Barret there. Barret has an international rep utation as a bank sneak" He is serving five years for stealing bag of gold