The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1912-02-16
EDITOR IN THE PENITENTIARY
Visits Also the Orphans Home and a
Green House

Green House
''How's Boise?" That is what the,
say to fellow when he C, mes back
And it is not sufficient to repeat tn,
Boise slogan You'll like Boise" 4
good visitor is the one that tells thu
interesting part of the visit in detail
when he gets home, SO here you have
lit.
/. Got into Boise late Sunday night
got up early Monday morning. Med
itated on the different things fel
low ought to do to carry out requests
of friends who want different things
done. One family at home at Black
foot wanted to get an orphan from
the children's home to raise and want
ed ye editor to select. Another want.
ed to know whether Harry Orchard Is
still serving time at the penitentiary
or was liberated according to state
ments made by certain publication
that cares little for the truth. An
other wanted to know something
about another prisoner, and We editor
wanted to get new plant or two
from the florist to hang in the win
doWs.
After getting bite of breakfast
a short ride on the street car brought
the writer to the children home, and
survey of the place showed every
body busy with the morning work.
Some were sweeping the walks and
porches, others doing work inside, the
girls and boys who were large enough
to work doing their parts, and the lit
tie tots amusing themselves. EN-
ployes of the institution were also
busy, and the secretary suggested that
We call again after school had called
and look over the assemblage.
Another short trip and we were in
the penitentiary where some people
claim we have always belonged, and
while chatting with Warden Shook,
We observed slender, middle-aged
man crossing the front yard to the
laundry. It was James Miller, and
we asked to see him. He soon walked
into the office and greeted the visitor
cordially, expressed surprise, and
pleasure at being sent for, and sat
down and talked of folks at home.
The warden had already said that
Miller was one of the best-Denaveu
men in his custody, and that he had
j given much freedom in his work,
in the effort to keep him busy at such
tasks as would prevent his brooding
over the past and losing or weaken
ing his mind.
He talked over business matters,
wanted information about the State
bank, was glad to know that fifty
per cent had been repaid to the de-
positors, had not heard of the failure
of the Pioneer Drug store last sum-
mer nor of w. R. Jones & Co. S fail
ure, asked about a lot of business
affairs and as to how old neighbors
were getting along, and not until he
was taking leave did he show any
emotion. When he shook hands he
turned to go but held on to the hand
he clasped, stood with bowed head
for moment and then seemed to just
force himself to the door. A mo-
ment later he walked across the cam
pus to the laundry and disappeared
within, and the little bulletin in the
office showed Number of prisoners
today, 289."
In company with a guard we went
inside the prison walls, and walked
around to the shoemaker shop. In
side, two men were making shoes.
Another man walked in, carrying
some packages of shoe nails and brads
and placed them on the shelves. The
guard nodded slightly toward him,
and a study of his features showed
him to be the same man who in 1907
started the world with his confession
of how he had assassinated ex-Gov-
ernor Frank Steunenberg, and such
a long list of others that 1t was al
most unbelievable. 1t has been many
times reported that he had been par
doned or paroled or otherwise given
his freedom, but state officials have
always secuted the idea of his ever
being released except by death.
Boise has an extensive green house
kept by the Boise Floral company,
and visit through its long corridors
lined with plants and flowers sets
the visitor to wondering how so
many varieties of beauty can come out |
Of the same soil Knowing it is i'm
possible to take it all home with him
he arranges for few things he wants