New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-01-18

my identity was in no way to be con-
ccalcd. But when the Principal Keeper
took me through the big south gate 10
the state shop" where ! changed my
clothes for prison carb. the prisoners
there made me IN a few minutes
/ hey knew Immediately that | was not
the genuine article. ] could write lot
about those five minutes. when ] TOOK
of my clothes. turned my pockets in
side out. was measured and weighed
and then went TO the bath. Curious
eyes followed me downstairs TO the big
Stone-fGCCCd room where naked men
stood Under the showers. a convict
VINO helDed me undres1 picked my
clothes up when | had changed. He
shook the thin fabric of my short
legged union suit. This is only the
shirt" he said "Wherc's the rest?"
went with the Principal Keeper 10
get one of the horrible buckets they
use. and carried il 10 my cell Then
went to the chaplain's office 70 have
my pedigree registered tried to
answer the formal questions a clean
shaver. clcar-eyed young man put.
stumbled along until he asked me:
How long have YOU GOT
"A year" answered.
He laughed did, too. nervously.
I'm a newspaper man | said.
Jack Murphy Appears.
81 knew that" ne remarked. 81
so when you halted. | knew X
later on as was questioning YOU.
I've seen quite few newspaper men
myself. I'm ." He mentioned 2
name that led the top deck Of many a
newspaper head a year or so ago.
Then | went to the correspondence
school. frankly announced who ! was
an had the system explained to me.
Next | returned. TO call on Father
Cashin. the prison chaplain. While |
was sitting there big fellow in a gray
sweater came in. He was JACK Muir
phy. the man who helped "rom Brown
put the Mutual Welfare League in Au-
burn. Murphy doesn't mind my using
his name. / think he and ] understand
each other.
He took me out into the prison yard,
me TO many OF the mem
Others came up in friendly fashion.
That was a queer thing. ] don't sup
pose | had been in prison fifteen MIN
utes. but | dare say that more than
three quarters of the 800 knew was
there and a newspaper man. You can I
beat the grapevine telegraph IN me
prisons. II has Marconi beaten mile.
Afterward Murphy and ] went up TO
the Golden Rule Brotherhood court.
Won know how il works-like watch.
Then we went to the yard again to see
the men marching from the hops to
dinner in the mess hall. ! fell in with
the awkward squad that's what they
call the rockies who have just come.
They hand them a sample of I'll old
nrjson discipline, just to let them get
q taste of il. Marching with a little
Italian, / went into the hall and sat
between a crippled boy and German
lust up from Raymond ST. jail, Brook-
Ign.
Clubs Have Gone.
Where formerly fifty guards, With
loaded sticks, stood about the nan
eight delegates from the Golden hule
kept order. but mere
wasn't any disorder. There never was
during the eight meals | had mere.
The German ate two bowls OF soup
He turned to me and said under ms
breath: "I've been in der Raymond 81.
chail. | thoughd dat was hell but
der dollhouse | thoughd Id get crazy
dot first night IN dere. -,,,
I began to weaker on tnat ceiihouse;
I hadn't thought much about u untiI
then. But even while | was eating
began 10 get more and more nervous
Nv throat swelled; J couldh cohIeh-
trate on the food. ] had llgnt ieeiihs
at the pit of my stomach. ~ WASH
en- much the thought Of being locked
IN. II was being locked up IN stone
walled, steel doored place, where l couIa
not stretch my arms the feelihg thaV
,be walls would gradually close IN on
MO and that I'd smother from fear.
called for Mr.. johnson, the deputy
warden. told him about 1t.
Il don't believe can go through
with it," confessed
He coaxed me bit. and as ] talked
Nth him the thought flashed into my
head that perhaps anticipation mad
son,e.bing TO do with my weakening
7 agreed TO try it. but only on the
soier,n promise that ne would come
in an hour and see how | was get
ting on. ,,... 18th
,he awkward squad one OF Father
staff came running up, oher-
ing me a copy OF EpictetuS and some
cigars | had book, so ! declined
Fpictetus. But | took the cigars.
Al the cell door | paused moment,
eth terribly upset. But ] went IN,
ord like the 800. settled myself as
tho door changed shut. Then the big
hrake that double locks all the doors
crasbed into place. That must be the
hing that gets" a man when he goes
into cell for the first time knowing
,bcre are ten, fifteen. twenty years
head of him. ! wondered If being
TO prison. going through the
povtine OF being clothed. bathed,
photographed, Bertilloned -
,,,osn'tlD and then being put into the
'oiibonse. with the door slammed shut,
n ouldn't be Just as much corrective
',,rrIse as a five-year term IN many
aaecs Along that line ! had one OF
he most intelligent men IN the prison
say TO me;
First Year the Worst.
"After mans been year IN prison
- done the hardest part OF his bit.
state can never punish MIN again
80 nd. even If he remain FOR years.
The cellhouse horror is not alto
her new. Still. on the outside peo-
-, don't think much about prisoner.
RHc,s in prison. That's all there IS 10
nc No., 3 good way TO have the cell
~ ,orn down Immediately would be
ou ;p,nyi.on the Legislature or 1000
10 mp dd citizens in il. and make half
res r., double up" with another man.
o. tne" HON there one night. That
would be enough, - tho coll door
rt Jus! a plating OF solid steel that ex-
mere -, the door TO mans waist
iends "a" there's another strip that
line, ann anu the top OF the door below
runs Iro'" ve-foot-seven-inch man
inc nI e. standing straight up, There
nc. .hi mt little squares J count count,
are ~ in the grating between these
Col strips. The air Is sV4p0aISs !"