Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1914-07-01
The
QUAR-
0o0O0O
BIZ JOHN A. MOROSO
By JOHN A. MOROSO

blackening with the years. 1t was the
first of the prison structures. and
about it ran a high and wide wall. At
regular intervals upon this wall were
little octagonal sentry houses and in
each of these stood a man with a rife.
The building, rising high above the
wall, had narrow Sits in it's sheer
stone sides, and these Sits were criss-
crossed with steel bars.
Within this structure a cell awaited
Montgomery. 1t would be his resting
place at night after the days work in
the shops of the walled city of silence,
sorrow, sweat and c~elibacy. OF the out
side world he would see only a patch
of sky squared by the steel bars. He
would he as the police thought a yegg-
man should be-buried alive.
James Montgomery was stripped of
his clothes and finally stripped Of his
name. Both were thrown away. He
became No. 60,1OS.
He stood naked under the examina-
ton of the prison physician and was
then placed under a shower bath and
washed clean. Garments made by con
victs were given him. i'll fitting under
wear, heavy shoes and a dull gray suit
of baggy trousers and almost shape
less jacket. He was reported to the
foreman of the machine shop as avail
able material for his force.
Montgomery was struck by the quiet
Of the prison. There was no sound of
voices. Convicts came and went or
busted themselves in groups over pris-
On tasks. but they did not e
He was Informed that the rule of 81
lence was strictly enforced and that
he might talk only at the close of work
and when he was in his cell. He was
of a taciturn nature, but when he
thought that the rule # silence would
obtain through his whole lifetime the
thing became appalling. He had the
privilege of a cell by himself or with
a cellmate. For the sake of the hu-
nan voice he would hear in the morn
ing before work, and at night after
work he asked to be allowed to share
a cell.
The fifteen year man made the same
request, and the old burglar and the
country boy became cell companions.
They separated for the time being.
No. 60. 10S was sent to the machine
shops and turned over to the convict
foreman, who questioned him and test
ed him as to the value and use of
M N ', tna1, a,,J vrIn found him xxrnrfhU
and well qualified for a place IN his
staff. The burglar needed nc examina-
ton of that sort. He had been through
it all before. He was given the work
ing tools of his craft and began cut
ting garments with other prisoners,
who gave him looks of recognition and
signaled greetings with their fingers in
the deaf and dumb code or clicked out
Geographic messages in the Morse with
their scissors.
The midday meal in the mess hall
was choked down by Montgomery with
a mighty effort. His interest In ma
chinery kept him from breaking down
during the afternoon. After the even
ing meal he was marched to his prison
tier with a battalion of convicts, and a
guard showed him his cell. He found
the fifteen year man already there.
Every cell on the tier was a busy
photograph by this time, for the rule
of silence was now suspended, and the
men could talk all they pleased in the
cells or from cell to cell. When the
chatter became a babel of sound, Il
guard warned those talking loudest
and the roar would die down.
"Well, what you in for and for how
longT
The country boy turned to the ques-
tioning burglar. 81 was convicted of
murder. / am in for life"
The burglar grunted and scanned the
face of his cell mate closely.
"NIy names Bill-Bill Hawkins" he
said. I'm in for burglary. You're
green. I'll put you next to things"
Bill was eager to talk and paused
for a moment as If considering the line
of conversation or %monologue he would
indulge in.
You got the white disk on your
coat" he began finally. IF you keep
it they'll let you have newspapers and
eats and tobacco. It's the first term
disk. Mines red. This is my third
trip. Second term men wear a blue
disk. AS soon as any one of us vio-
lates a regulation, off goes the disk,
kid, and you'll never win it back. Get
thatg'
Montgomery nodded.
Bill explained that after a year Of
perfect conduct he would be given a
white chevron to add to the disk, and
it would entitle him to write a letter
once every two weeks and that once
every month he might purchase little
articles for his comfort.
But you can't slip 'em along to any
Of your friends" he said. IF you do
and they catch you 1t is good night for
the white disk and the chevron and all
the good marks that would count for a
Communication man"
After four years of perfect conduct
marked by the disk and four white
chevrons, Bill explained, he would be
allowed to receive visits from friends
once a month, could write a letter once
a week, could receive a box Of cooked
food every three months from home
If he had n homeland could take q
n.I f-a1,. IL f0n -4 Iax.