The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1916-04-06

oot VGtsFs "V'Nvo WV Wy v" s'''s
n the sacks.
/. II 10 q case OF grab" In the
Walla walla dining hall. II one II
quick To grab the dishes as the5
come passing from hand 20 hand
down the middle OF the table. he
can get Foodiy assortment u
food. II he In slow. he gets ierS
Prisoners Allowed
to Talk At Table
Tho prisoners are allowed 10
talk quietly while eating.
sat next 70 my new cellmate
but he made no offer 10 speak. moi
even TO pass mo anything.
] learned afterwards that he
was one of the type OF 'grouchy'
conyicts who has served so many
sentences that he has lost all love
for mankind or even friendship for
his fellow prisoners.
We marched back 10 the cell
and . few minutes later the CONS
rang for the juie mill workers.
Single file. We passed outdoor
and down = long walk TO the mill
Guards with rifles over their
shoulders stood on the high brick
wall above.
Nobody TALKED. II ia against the
rules.
To have been caught talking In
line would have meant a red tag
or demertt. against q convict'l
name.
Before my cell division had
reached the mill. zoo or more ner
zero already II work and the
great roomfui OF machinery wal
beginning 10 chatter and drons.
The room 10 $50 feet long and
$50 feet vide. the floor completely
taken up with machinery ana ths
ceiling . network OF revolving
shafts.
Guards Win rifiss pstrolleA {
tunnsi-liks Gage OF ban that raj
the entire length Of the bdildinl
overhead.
Was taken to the rear Of ths
building and given q Job ~ secont
assistant on a sewing machine.
Tells Of Work in
the Jute Mill
The iute plant turns out wheai
sacks--'gunny sacks"--at the rats
OF $500 q day.
Juts IL a grass grown IN India
In the big mill. this grass II pound
ed into fiber. spun into thread
woven into burlap. ana sewn int
sack form.
II was my duty TO tie q knot n
the loose and Of the string left b.
the sewing machine At the corner
OF the sunny sack. and cut the sur
plus away with tiny pair OF scis
sors.
Take your time. lad" advised
the convict who taught me m,
task. Nobody works hard here
There's twice - many men n
there are jobs."
found II TO BE- the truth. There
are two men for every Job.
Each group has . certain DAILY
task. but the tasks are simple. Fol
instance. the sewing machine be
side which worked had TO sew
900 sacks into form daily.
The group had finished 500 be
fore noon.
II only took an hour TO finist
the days work. and then we loafet
about the shop until the 4 O'CLOCK
quitting whistle blew.
The weekly bath took place a,
soon ~ We had returned TO oui
cells.
because I had bathed the previ
ous day. was not sent Tor Z sec
ond scruhbing.
More than TOO men ran IN single
file. stark naked. thru the prison
TO the shower room. took q brie'
scrub under scaiding hot water
and ran back 10 their cells. The
entire prison bathed in less thar
an hour.
Before the supper gong rang. tn,
brother OF my "grouchy" cellmats
returned from the hospital. and
was unceremoniously ordered into
another cell.
In this second cell bunked with
prisoner known In the peniten
tiary as Eddie Jackson. n safe
cracker from Spokane. with no III
tie reputation for his ability a
opening boxes"
Cellmate Jealous
of Clean Cell Floor
Il don't see why they want tc
put a fish In with me-" he Grum
bled. Anyhow. I want to tell you
that f'vc got the cleanest cell ir
the whole place. and II has to be
kept that way"
cheerfully informed him that
was equally anxious to have a
clean cell.
Jackson had spent his odd mo
ments cleaning the floor with EN-
cry cloth. and the steel surface
shone like glass.
lie insisted on laying newspa.
pers for me to walk on, until
learned to take proper care OF the
shiny floor.
slept in an upper bunk tina,
night. Lowers are always taken
by the men who have been longest
in prison.
The next day was Sunday. We
slept an hour later than on week
day mornings and had boiled eggs
for breakfast.
In the morning went to chapel
This Is an optional privilege, but
nva ctirativ ayarv man In prfgnp