Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1921-11-17

LAUGHSASSHE.
BEGINS DOING.
MURDER TIME.
Prison Life Has No Terror
for Mrs. Southland, Con-
victed of Killing Husband
Finds Silk Stockings and
Fashionable Pumps Taboo
Behind Walls of Silence

"Well, L thought L might as well
begin serving my sentence now as
sticking around in the Twin Falls
jail"
Thus spake Mrs. LYDIA Southland,
convicted of numbering her fourth
husband, Edward F. Meyer, in Twin
Falls, when she arrived at the Idaho
state penitentiary, Boise, the other
day, to commence serving a sentence
of from 10 years to life. for the muir
der of Meyer. Mrs. Southland is known
to. many in Idaho county. She visit
ed Grangeville two years ago.
The convicted woman was taken to
the penitentiary from Twin Fails
in an automobile. She was examined
for sears and Identification marks by
wOmes attendants Immediately after
her arrival. She is recorded as con-
Wet No. 1852 in the prison files.
"You know Pollock sentenced for
embezzlement) stayed in the Twin
Falls Jail six months. waiting a ruling
on his appeal,'' continued Mrs. South
ard, pickering her eyebrows, "and
he's over here now"
She hesitated a brief moment, shift
ed her eyes to the barred windows,
and then:
Eyes, it S wise to start serving my
sentence at once"
The convicted woman said her at
torneys had filed an appeal after
Judge Babcock had pronounced SEN
tence at Twin Falls.
"But it will take from six months
to a year to prepare the transcript
on the case,' she frowned. "Gracious
| don't know how long it will take to
get it through the supreme court
Gone were the brown serge suit,
the silk stockings and the French
heeled pumps she had worn during
the tedious days of the trial. In
sharp contrast was her loose-ftting
prison-striped gingham dress which
she wore in the cell house which may
be her home for years to come,
As she sat and talked of the woes
now surging through her mind, the
two other women convicts at the peni-
Tertiary were busying themselves in
the tidy prison kitchen near the front
of the cell house. Both are serving |
murder sentences, one Mexican from
Pocatello, the other a woman from
Valley county.
In this recently erected ward the
three are serving the sentences
meted by the law. Through the center
OF the budding runs a large iv-
ing room, attractively decorated and
furnished with comfortable chairs,
rugs and a photograph. Rows of cells
are on each side of the common room
with compartment for washing and
bathing at one end. The walls and
even the barred doors of the cells are
painted white.
"Oh | was surprised to find things
so nice here,' she gasped. elbow
much more pleasant it is than my
lonely room in the Twin Falls county
]ail. Here I can walk about and not
ieel cramped by four walls all the
time.,'
Then with a slight courtesy and
smile:
feel certain Warden Cuddy, his
VINE and | are going to get along fine
Her demeanor was much the same
as during her six weeks trial when
she fought losing battle for free
lom. The ready smile, the sudden
Iwinkle in the shifty eyes, the occa-
'ional, and sometimes affected laugh
we're still noticeable in the prison
neophyte. The nervous tension ap-I
parent in her features during the grill
ng OF the counsel at the trial was not
% De found in the countenance of Mrs.
,southard, as she sat there, buried
rom the world. She looked as if she
EN- relieved that the legal strife was
Oh, I feel fine now.'' the convicted
woman spoke up. I" | have slight
from the Journey over here,
'u :, mat will pass away soon. -
!. one then spoke of her fifth and sur
.nmg husband, Paul V. Southland, !
,no Is confident of her innocence and {
ia sl1, she is "but pawn of men, {
have you heard from his since
y !e1t. for San Pedro to resume his ;
'u1ies IN the navy as chief store
'eeper, she was asked 3Js
etter.', - ~
smile spread over her features
b.. 'ne prison door was swinging
You don't have to worry about
nat, she laughed.
,ne barriers to the outer world had ,
.Dseu and she was alone with the !
.ner two members of the "murder