Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-07-23
STATE PRISON
NEWS
Elmer Triekey, Editor State
Center, Visits Waupun
This is what he has to say:

This is what he has TO say:
The editor had occasion to spend
Sunday with relatives at Waupun,
and incidentally look in some sights
around the prison city that may be
OF interest to some of our readers.
There are at the present time some
740 male prisoners and II female pri-
soners. The usual number Of fe
male prisoners is around 20; but
they are holding the females in the
county jails awaiting the completion
Of the new state woman's reforma-
tory. They are building an asylum
for the criminal insane just outside !
the city Of Waupun. The power plant |
is complete, also the hospital and |
one cell building They have As in
sane prisoners in the institution now.
Old Bill Lord as he is familiarIy |
known in Wood county, has been
regulated to the old mems ward, and |
has been given the tutOrship of a |
totally blind prisoner. He used to
have charge of prison gates, where |
the teams pass in and out. Bill Lord
figured in the famous Lord--Emery
case which cost Wood county so
many thousand dollars in prosecuting
them for the murder of one Huston.
Another character we CHANGED to
see was VIM Essman, former state
superintendent of public property
and former campaign manager for
| McCovern. Essman is driving the
warden's private carriage. He hap
pened to drive past where the edi-
tor was visiting, and as we were in
the yard he recognized US and bow
ed with one of his pleasing smiles.
Perhaps he might have violated the
prison rules in recognizing us thusly.
At any rate he is not allowed to en-
gage in conversation with anybody
outside.
By special permission we were al
lowed to attend chapel services at
the prison Sunday morning. In Or
der to attend chapel service one
must have a permit from the warden
or some of the guards. The chapel
services are irregular in character,
and it is optional with the prisoners
whether they attend or not. On this
/ occasion the local Congregational pas
tor had charge of the service. Our
Instructions were to be at the pri-
the clock pointed to $50 we were
shown cur seats in the balcony of
the chapel. AS soon as we arrived
the doors opened and the prison or
chestra Of eight pieces came in and
!, took their places in the orchestra pit.
Following them came the prison choi
consisting OF 20 male voices. In a
little while the prisoners came mar
ching in in single file. 1t took some
little while for 500 TO march in sim
gle file and be seated. AS they mar
ched in they were offered a hymn
book at the door. AS soon as the
male prisoners were in, the doors of
the gallery opened and ten female
prisoners marched in and took seats
at the opposite end of the spectators
gallery. When the service was over
hey marched out in the order they
came in.
There are three grades of prison
ers. These who are real bad are
given a scarlet suit which they are
required to wear for six months.
There were no scarlet prisoners at
this time. The next grade wear
stripes. If they have been guilty
OF misconduct and have to be pun
ished, they are put in stripes and
have to wear them three months The
good prisoners wear khaki suits in
summer and grey in winter. There
were five prisoners in stripes at
the chapel service. Some of the real
trusty prisoners wear ''V'' shaped
stripe on thier sleeves, which indi-
Gates that they are message bearers
or runners and are permitted to go
anywhere in the yard. On Sunday af
ternOOn the prisoners are given an
open air walk around the yard.
There are three cell houses and the
contents of one cell house is let out
at a time and marched five times
around the race course inside the
wall and then they break ranks and
are allowed an hour and a half to
talk and do anything they like in the
open air.
Some Of the prisoners are given
considerable liberty There are quite
a number that go out to the farm
unguarded We noticed a squad of "a
marching to and from the farm, be
sides there is a regular squad that
attend TO the stock and buildings on
the farm This week they will take
a squad out to work on a state road
just outside the city. They will be
in charge of one guard not so much
to guard the prisoners against run
ming away as to protect the prison
er from the annoyance Of outsiders.
Sunday afternoon we drove out
to the prison farm which consists of
$40 acres They. have recently erect |
ed a new dairy barn equipped with
the latest barn equipment and twin
silOs. They are raising Holsteins
and have several registered animals |
When they set the barn completed, !
they can house 81 dairy COWS be-
sides the young stock. They carry |
on general farming there also and |
raise considerable vegetables and |
/ such for the prison.