The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-08-23
Carrion as Prime Beef.

| had nothing TO do with the letting
OF the contracts, but the acceptance of
the supplies was within the province of
the warden's office. | knew the hor-
the main dining room. The memory of
my first meal there with the maggots
floating In the stew gravy and the
flies drowned in the molasses filled me
with nausea every time | passed the
kitchen.
] made up my mind for one thing d.
. II towering prices were paid for
meat, ! would at least insist that the
supply brought to the prison be whole
some,
b you can do that" Porter said. "Thc
warden will bear YOU out on II, We
can have that much satisfaction any
way
When the first consignment came
under the new contract, | went down TO
look at 1t, Prepared m | was for cheap
substitutes. ! was not ready for tho
shocking spectacle before me AZ. the
rotten stuff was s~houldered out Of the
wagon.
Put It back" ! yelled, Breathless
and fighting mad | reached the ward
ems office.
They're unloading a lot OF sinking,
tainted meat down at the butcher shop,
We've paid for prime roast beet, We've
given the highest price W. quoted on
the face Of the earth for meat and
What shall ! do about IT."
Taught to Send Fair Grade,
The warden turned n white. startled
face toward me.
what's this, what's this?" his voice
sounded scared and faint to me, He
started pacing the floor. IT'S a shame,
NuaPHan thu WNAa ~ hninO attn RRFAA
The beans are 40 old and withered and
only famished men would besmirch
themselves with that meat, We could
at least require common wholesome
ness"
That's right, yes, that's right, You
say the meat is absolutely tainted2
Send II back. Write to them and tell
them we demand good fare"
| made the letter strong enough to
ring true. | informed the wholesalers
that the Ohio penitentiary paid first
class prices. It demanded first class
produce. The meat we got after that
was coarse but II was fresh and clean.
| used this one authorization from
the warden again and again to send
back stuff. The contractors came TO
realize that the prison was no longer
a garbage can for their spoiled supplies.
They found 1t cheaper to send In a me-
dlum grade In the beginning.
you've come TO see there are worse
things In the world, Bill, than an ex-
convict" suggested to Porter when ]
told him about the tainted meat when
you get out win you blnzen out their
prejudice or win you keep to your old
resolution ~
Porter had about four months more to
serve, We kept a calendar and every
night we would strike off another day.
II Is a melancholy thing to feel the
separation coming daily nearer--a sep
~aration that will be as final and UNI
compromising as death. We talked In
differently, almost flippantly at this
time because we were SO deeply touched.
81 have not changed, | will keep my
secret, What would you do, colonel, IL
you should get out?'
81 will walk up to the first man |
see on the street and ! will say to him.
I'm an ex-con--iust got out of the pen.
II you don't like It, go to hell" Il did
that very thing some years later.
Porter burst out laughing. 1t was the
first time I had ever heard him laugh
outright. It seemed TO come bubbling
and singing up from his throat like n
rich, sOnoroua tune.
II would give a great deal for your
arrogant independence, | wonder II |
will regret my PLAN"
don't believe he ever did, even on
the black day In New York when he
all but admitted he could endure the
suspense no longer.
ITO BE C%ontinued)