The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1912-12-14
Warden Kennedy Was Human.

Warden Kennedy Was Human.
"Music we had in plenty, thanks to
the good heart of Warden Kennedy.
The warden was loved by every man
who ever went into the death house.
He was human. Before his coming
our privileges were few enough. He
made for US the best that could be
made Of such a situation. He had the
organ and the prison quartet and the
violinist brought In to play and sing
for us. He gave US Bibles and maya
zines and saw to it that we got the
daily papers,, all the morning papers
except the Sunday papers. He fur
nished smoking tobacco and cigarette
papers. lie brought us fruit and nuts.
He was a prince.
$50 was James Connaughton, the
principal keeper-P. X we called him
in terms of endearment. He did all
that he could for us. The warden's
orders were that we were to have the
best that could be given in the circum-
stances. We got it from p. *
Father Cashin, the prison chaplain,
| was one bright ray Of sunshine that
came into the death house. He is a
Catholic priest and in every way
worthy of his cloth. lie is a man and
q gentleman. lie spoke with all the
boys, gave them consolation, talked
with them by the hour, gave them BIZ
| bles and papers and tobacco. He was
| Gods own messenger.
"His predecessor, who called himself
the Rev. Jones, was as different as day
from night. The boys got no consola-
ton nor sympathy from Mr.. Jones. He
said to one Of them, We'll, If you'd
behaved yourself on the outside you
never would have been in here He
didn't have to tell that to the man.
The man knew ii.
Another man among men is Warden
Ed HanIey at the Tombs. He is a fine
fellow and every inch a man.
Lowry the Friend of the Condemned
"There are good men who go to the
death house and talk with the boys and
do something to ameliorate their con
dition. One of these is John Lowry of
1856 Fifth avenue. He takes the great
est interest In the unfortunate. lie
visits many of the prisons and reforma-
tories and Is constantly doing good.
He gives away books and papers. He
helps a man after leaving prison. He
spends his own money and asks no re-
turn for ii except the reform Of the
man for whom he is working. 1t is a
pity that there are not many more like
him, but there are a few.
''There are men in prison who are
better than many who walk the streets
free men. i don't say this Is universal,
but there are many who have gone
there because they had no money to
hire good lawyers to fight their cases
In the courts. This is the kind Of men
Lowry and his kind aim to help. /
think / shall engage In that kind of
work when / can get my head above
water-when i have the means to do 1t.
"a man never looks on the sunshine
once the door closes behind him In the
death house. He Is never taken out of
his cell except for ten minutes each
Saturday, when he has his bath. The
bathtub is a rotten old tub with TWEEN
ty years of dust on it. When you get
shaved you put your head outside. The
rest Of your body remains In the cell.
They use a safety, and 1t is a pretty
rough affair. The food is served on
two battered tin plates. You get a
spoon for your coffee. Your meat you
eat with your fingers. The fo0A is
good, but the cooking is rotten. A man
In prison needs all the help be can get,
and / am going to do my little best for
the rest of my life to help them ALL
Now VarL Evaning World