The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-11-15
WOMEN REFORMERS
FIND CONVICT LIFE
BLACK AS PAINTED
Wash Three Times in Same
Basin, Bread and Water for
Supper, and Oh, HorrorsI
They Take Her Hairpins.
DR.. Lyman Abbott's Outlook is
Expurgated Before Eeing
Given Innocent Convicts---
Old Shirt for Wash Cloth
and No Teeth Cleaning,

AUBURN. N. Y. Nov. 14.--Miss Made
line Zahriskie Doty. woman lawyer and
member of the State commission on
prison reform, and Miss Elizabeth G.
Watson, formerly investigator of the
state factory investigation commission.
and both women long connected with
child labor and female delinquent or
CARNATIONS, today ended a study or
the women's prison. They had spent
nearly week in the institution as
.convicts' and none but Warden Rat
tigan and Matron Leonard knew who
they were. To all others they were
a pair of forgers from New York city.
Their experience was a most inter-
esting one. they said. and they are now
at work preparing a report for the
commission. They hope that 1t Will
result in many reforms. Both ladies
declared that State Superintendent Of
Prisons John B. Riley was to be high
~ commended. Miss Doty said;
Expurgste DIR. Abbott.
There are many things to say. but
one of the most astonishing to me
was the fact that they expurgate such
periodicals as the Youths Companion,
the Christian Science Monitor, and,
think of ii. they censor DIR Lyman Abb
bolts Outlook.
We entered the prison on Monday
night before election. ] was imme-
dfateiy conducted TO bathroom and
was Obliged to strip. everything. even
TO my hair pins. being taken from
ire Them was talta- -Eatllta- -
tub of water. I made an attempt TO
wash myself, but | was told To keep
my hands off A colored inmate, then
scrubbed me. My head as well as my
body, all in the same tub, were
scrubbed The wash cloth was a piece
OF an old shirt. Then a bottle of ker-
osene oil was produced and poured
upon my hair and rubbed In. I was
then given prison night gown and
conducted to a cell. bare-footed, and
locked in. MY hair was not dry and
was full of kerosene oil. It got on
my pillow and on my hands and face.
1t was impossible to dry the hair be-
cause one small towel was the week 5
allowance
LAS election day is n holiday all are
locked in the cells. At 80 dinner was
thrust into my cell, and when the
bread basket was presented ] was told
to take enough for supper az well as
consisted solely OF this bread and a
cup or water. ANY bread no. eaten
was gathered un and rs served over
again The windows in the cells are
painted so you cannot see through
them.
Ready 10 work.
The second morning ! would have
done any work ar have endured any
thing TO get out of the cell for enc
single minute. so il was a great re-
lief TO go out and empty my slop jar
! did this to the best of my ability,
hut was yelled at during the pro-
cess
I'VE were allowed but one basin OF
water a day. so that II you took your
bath In the morning 70 were obliged
to wash in the same water. both st
noon and then al night, on returning
from the shop. In the shop you drink
at the sink and you have only one
cup of water day in your cell. This
must suffice for drink night and morn
ing and little is left for use in brush
ing your teeth
II was transferred Wednesday to
ward seven, where the routine was as
follows;
~ on rose at $50. dressed. swept
your cell, emptied the slop jar, and
then had breakfast. We were not al
lowed to speak, turn our heads or
smile. After breakfast we marched to
the shops and put on cSpes and fasci-
majors, and marched for exercise
around the yard for half an hour. On
returning to the shop we were put to
work hemming blankets and making
mattresses