davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times., 1922-07-23

TN the progress of society,
i the prison has in the
very nature of things under
gone some Improvement, but
there are vast stretches yet
to be covered before the
prison becomes, if it ever
does, an institution for the
reclamation and rehabilita-
ton of erring and unfortu-
nate men and women.
The general public knows
practically nothing about the
prison and appears to be
little concerned about how it
is managed and how prison
ers are treated. Not until
the average man finds him
self behind steel bars does
he realize how Indifferent he
has been to a problem in
which he should have felt
himself vitality concerned.
The Washington times., 1922-07-23

THE rules of the average prison
are evidently framed by men
who have but superficial
knowledge of the prison and but
vague ideas of the way 1t should
be managed for the good of its
inmates and society. The one
dominating purpose Of these rules
is repressive and the stupidity in
framing them is crowned with
the statemnt that they are ex-
pected to be "cheerfully obeyed."
No prison rule was ever cheerful
ly obeyed. and no work done un-
der such rules as prevail was
ever cheerfully accomplished.
On the contrary. the work that
a man does under the club of an
other As grudgingly and sullenly
done. There is no Joy in a prison
task. Work behind prison walls
is slavish in its very nature and
is done only under protest. No
intelligent attempt has yet been
made 70 organize q prison on a
scientiffc and humane basis to
achieve tho best possible condi.
tons. -'''-':''' ..- b. ~
Tho very walls Of the prison
buildings betray the convict la
Dor that reared them Ths bricks
in their lack Of proper laying and
the irregular spaces that lie be-
tween them all denote q kind Of
protest against the conditions un-
der which work Is done while
guards with clubs in their hands
stand by and watch.
Every prison is infested with
that lowest Of mortal creatures
the stool pigeon. In prison par
lance he IL known as '-the rat"
The stool pigeon seems to be .
necessary part Of q prison under
club rule. Human beings ruled
by brute force resent and resist,
and properly 30. At every oppnr-
tunfty. and they must be spisd
upon and watched and betrayed
by their own fellow prisoners IN
order to Be kept IN subsection.
The Washington times., 1922-07-23

were subject at any time to its use
In regulating their conduct.
ONE day we were marching
back into prison after being
out in the yard. A few feet In ad-
vance Of me an undersized and
emaciated convict was shuffling
along in the line. 1t was rather
warm and his Jumper was open at
his neck. This was contrary to
the rule, and q guard standing by
gave him q cruel punch with his
club that doubled up the prisoner
with pain, the guard yelling above
the shrek OF his victim, Button
up therer'
& It was with difficulty that I re-
strained my own feelings. I did
not report the guard for the reason
that had made up. my mind from
the beginning Of my sentence 70
make no, individual complaints
while I was within the wsiis. hsy-
ing concluded II xenid be better
policy to accept the situation as II
was, and bide my time until I
should be free to register my
opposition to the whole prison
system.
Another personal experience
with a brutal prison guard IL re-
called. It was on Sunday morning
in the prison chapel, where had
gone to join the other inmates in
attending devotional exercises.
At an appointed hour the prisoners
march into the chapel. which 10 on
an upper floor OF one Of the main
buildings.
The inner blinds were partly
closed and the room was rather
dark. As we filed in. stood for
a moment at the end Of q row.
not knowing until the men In
The Washington times., 1922-07-23
DID THE "POISON OF THE BORGIAS"
KILL AMERICAN WOMAN i'm PARIS?

It Is q horrible, slow, violently
painful death. When the victim
is finally dead the body looks very
much like that Of one who has
starved to death. DR.. Paul's
statement that the condition Of
her body showed 1t had no food
for two days confirms the deadly
ravages of Phalloid poisoning.
The so-called "Borgia poison" is
a joke in a way. Borgia did not
administer the poison to her VIC
TINS. She merely invited them to
dinner. In the courses were
luscious mushrooms.
All she had to do was to slip a
single cap Of Amanita phalloides
into the cooks mess Of field
mushrooms to get her victim or
victims. Be sure that all at the
table who partook Of her mush-
room course died violent, linger-
ing death.
Thus the great Augustus
Caesar, Emperor OF Imperial
Rome, perished. Thus potentate
after potentate, in the earlier his
tory OF civilization. either was
poisoned deliberately or because Of
the ignorance Of the chefs.
TWO ALMOST ALIKE.
julius Caesar had a standing Of
fer of its weight in gold for the
delicious mushroom named after
him, Amanita caesarea, brother Of
Phalloides. The two mushrooms,
standing side by side, the one de-
liciously edible and the other dead
liest poison. resembled each other
In nearly all particulars, except
that caesarea is colored red on the
center of the top Of the cap and
its gills are yellowish instead Of
white. Hence the ease with which
tho poisonous type may be mis-
taken for one Of the two most sdi-
bic types Of commerce.
The Washington times., 1922-07-23
Controlled BY Politics.

AS q rule, prisons are under the
"A control Of politicians to whom
the welfare Of its inmates. and the
welfare of society as 1t is affected
by them, Is but~a secondary con-
alteration, II, indeed. that question
really engages their attention at
all.
Tho wardenship Of q Federal or
n State prison, is, In my opinion, Of
moro importance to society than
the presidency Of college.
The latter is chosen with at least
some reference to his character
and his qualifications for the po-
sition, whereas the warden is usual
ly awarded his office in return for
his political services irrespective
of his fitness to hold a position
that has to do with the welfare Of
human beings.
The president Of a college has
supervision of an institution in
which young and normal people
are dealt with. and who readily
understand and embrace the op-
portunity afforded them to secure
educational advantages to fit them
Tor the struggle OF life.
The warden Of a prison, on the
other hand. is in charge and has
almost absolute power over the life
and destiny Of thousands Of human
The Washington times., 1922-07-23

beings, some OF whom are abnor-
NAL. most Of whom have, for the
time at least. been broken and
beaten In the battle Of life-and all
Of whom arc In need Of such hui
name and intelligent understanding
and treatment as is necessary to
retrieve their lost character and
standing. reinvest them with self
respect and restore them to society
fitted for useful service to them.
selves and their fellowmen.
But how many are there who
take this view Of the importance
Of the character and fitness of
prison officials, and Of the func-
ton and purpose for which the
prison is maintained7
When IL is taken into account
that in the United States several
hundred thousand men, women and
children pass through our prisons
and are influenced for better or
for evil by their experiences in
such institutions. It should appear
apparent to even the most casual
Observer that the prison problem is
one Of the most vital concern to
the people. and that the prison as
an institution should be maintain
ed with Jealous care as to the char.
acter Of the officials who are to
preside over 1t. and as to the moral
and physical treatment Of it's in
mates.
The Washington times., 1922-07-23

gills on the underside Of the
edible mushroom cap are either
pink colored or brown. according
to age.
The field. Of cellar mushroom
Of cultivation, opens its cap like
a parasol. all rosy beneath, but
exposure to air soon turns tho
color to brown.
The deadly, poisonous Amanita,
on the contrary. opens out white
underneath and stays white.
Also, the base Of It's stem sets in
a sheath, or cup, when young.
The cup. however, and even the
white collar near the top of the
stem may soon fall away, increas-
ing the resemblance to the edible
mushroom. The expert always
knows the difference and rejects
any type with white gills which
otherwise resembles the edible
mushrooms.
SYMPTOMS SIMILAR.
The report Of the Universal
Service reads:
The poison she took was not
mercury, but some mysterious
substance unknown to medicine
DIR. Paul points out that the
poison invented by Borgia acted
in exactly the same way. The
first effects were felt forty-eight
hours after taking. with death oc-
curing from four to seven days
afterward. The condition Of the
body indicated that she had been
without food for several days"
The statement of DR.. Paul pre-
cisely fits the case Of Phalleid
poisinins. In faot, doubt II the
woman committed suicide at an
but came TO her death by eating
poisonous fungi which she as
sumed was edible. II she did oom-
NIT suicide, thsn she must have
deliberately cooked and ate the
deadly mushrooms which she must
The Washington times., 1922-07-23

advance Of mo were seated II I
was to occupy that row or the one
behind II.
In that moment Of innocent
pause I excited the wrath Of a
guard who was standing by swing
ing his club. do not know
whether he knew me. nor does It
matter. T only know that he
howied loud enough to be heard q
block away, sit down. there!"
I felt that It was the club rather
than the brute In the man that
had proclaimed its authority. I
did not resent the outrage, for I
never permitted acts Of that kind
to insult me. or to disturb my
equanimity, which managed to
maintain throughout my peariy
three years In Atlanta prison.
Hundreds OF stories OF the
experiences Of others along similar
lines reached me whenever the
inmates had q chance to ten me
OF their troubles. and what they
thought Of the guards. the clubs,
the rules, and the prison In gen
eral.
The Washington times., 1922-07-23
BY DR.. w. II. BALLOU.

"HE great mystery Of Paris
at the moment relates to
Il the specific poison which
brought on the demise Of Eliza
beth Kahn. American woman, but
OF little-known habitat and biog-
raphy.
Original dispatches versionized
her death as due to bichloride Of
mercury. Later examination Of
the contents of her intestines
showed no traces Of mercury what
ever. She is now believed to have
been poisoned. by the same
mysterious agency utilized by
Lucrezia Borgia to put away
people inimical to her interests.
Borgia poison, botanical chem
lists have determined positively,
was a spectric mushroom or toad
stool poison. We have a long list
Of emperors, popes and distin-
guished rulers, say nothing Of
commoners world over. destroyed
by this same subtle agency.
DEADLY MUSHROOMS.
It Is surprising that French
chemists do not recognize the we'll
known Phallin poison as the cause
Of Mrs. Kahn's death, from their
own statements Of the symptoms
cabled here.
Phallin poison is given off by
the deadliest known mushroom.
Amanita Phalloides, which fruits
all over the world and IL easily
mistaken for the common field or
cellar mushroom which all the
world greedily dsvours.
Both species have similar caps,
stems, ring or collar around the
top Of the stem and bulbs at the
base Of tho stem. But thers arc
two striking differences with
which many people In the Old ana
New world are familiar. Ths
The Washington times., 1922-07-23

have known would cause her many
days Of frightful experiences and
agonies,
The cobra and the diamond
back rattler kill within the hour
of their strike, but the mushroom
Phalloides proceeds with its
stunt In the most diabolical con.
ceivable manner.
ATTACK IN THREE DAYS.
Phalloides cooked is Just as de-
licious to the taste as the cult
waited mushroom. Agaricus cam
pested.
Mrs. Kahn, after eating 1t would
have no symptoms Of trouble
until the second or even the
third day-not until the virile
poison had invested her entire
circulatory system.
Suddenly she would have been
seized with violent spasms,
which would continue for perhaps
an entire day or even two days.
until the entire contents Of her
stomach had been elected.
Meantime the poison would have
been attacking each and every
corpuscle of her blood. dissolving
them. the blood serum escaping
into the alimentary canal. Finally,
the whole of her system would
have been drained of all Its liquid
and solid contents.
VERY PAINFUL DEATH.
During this whole period Of the
activity Of the poison, usually end.
ing about the fifth day after eating
the toadstools, the woman, after
the first symptoms Of screaming
abdominal pains, would have had
cramps. mostly In the legs, convul-
sions and tetanio spasms. which In
some cases end in lociSjaw. During
the whole period the victim IL per.
feotiy conscious. and very oftsn
win not ytsid 70 opiatas.
The Washington times., 1922-07-23
HOW POVERTY FILLS
OUR PRISONS, ,DEBS'
STORY NEXT SUNDAY

IJOW Poverty PopuLates the Prison is desrib-
III ed in Mr.. Debs' article in The Washing
ton Times next Sunday.
Mr.. Debs lDiH sholD hoU poverty is penalized
by the most cruel treatment and holO youthful
first offenders after being sent to prison, soon
become hardened CONFLICTS through their in
eUitabLe contamination.
An important phase to be, touched upon is
the perUersion of sex instincts, and the result
ant immortality in eDery prison.
The Washington times., 1922-07-23
Prison Food ReUolting.

THIE prison food was the one
great unending source Of COM
plant. The same Is true to a
greater or lesser extent OF every
jail and prison in the land. There
was no lack Of food at Atlanta SO
far as quantity was concerned.
But it was the cheapest and
staIest conglomeration Of stuff that
the market afforded.
The Washington times., 1922-07-23

on the walls. and those clubs in
the hands Of guards within the
walls. Neither the guns nor the
clubs should be there. To the ex-
tent that they serve at all It is in
a brutalizing way which tends to
promote rather than restrain at
tempts to escape. and causes lesser
infractions of the prison discipline.
The Washington times., 1922-07-23
INSIDE PRISON WALLS By Eugene y
on Kitchens Are Hotbeds of Petty Private Graft
DRIsoN guards at Atlanta and

pRlsoN guards at Atlanta ana
= many other penitentiaries
have been divested OF their deadly
weapons and are n olonger per-
mitted to bear them.
They now carry clubs. In the
march Of prison progress we have
passed from the gun to the club!
Il have reference here to the
guards within and not those who
surmount the walls. for the latter.
in their watch towers, are still
armed with rifles and under or
ders to shoot to kill the inmate
who may try to escape)
must digress here to say a
word about the prisoner who at
tempts to escape. The very moment
the count" which is taken sew.
eral times a day. tells OF his es.
cape, a siren, known as the "es-
cape whistle" is blown. and con-
tinues to screech at intervals for
a considerable time.
This Is the signal for the farmers
in the surrounding vicinity to
rush eagerly for their shotguns
and rifles and join in the mad
man-hunt. In which a prize In
awarded to the lucky one who
stalkS fha ouarrv
SEHFTY dollars, dead or alive"
l. Is the reward paid for the
capture Of the escaping convict,
and i have been told that those
who participate in II find II more
exciting than q fox chasei
l shall not stop to give my per-
sonal views as to the elevatins
influence of such sportsmanship.
1t Is nothing less than folly, and
ofttimes suicidal. for a prisoner
to attempt to escape, whatever
the temptation may be, for It 1.
next to impossible for him to make
his way through the lines.
II he should yield to the nat.
ural impulse to break the bonds
that hold him in captivity, and is
recaptured, he must pay the seye-.
est penalty for his fli-advised at.
tempt. - s" r
The guns on the walls that sur.
round the prison accurately,
though unwittingly, index the true
character Of the penitentiary In our
day. 1t is a killing institution In
a moral as well as In a physical
sense. It is designed to break men
and not to make them. II they
are partly undone before they go
to prison that institution will COM
plete the wreckins process. The
many expressions Of bitterness,
hatred and revenge I heard from
the lips of departing prisoners who
had served their sentences, left no
doubt in my mind as to the ef-
feet of prison life upon its VIC
tins.
Ever since leaving the prison I
have been haunted by those guns
The Washington times., 1922-07-23
MEN BROKEN
BY BAD FOOD
AND CRUELTY

Ql-COOked, Cheap, Stale Food ArOuSeS More
It'll Feeling and Resentment Than All Other
Causes Combined-ThoSe Who Exposed
Vicious Abuses of Kitchen GrafterS Immle-
diately Punished.
The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1922-11-11
SHERIFF'S SALE.

BY virtue of a writ of fieri facias, to me
directed, issued out of the New Jersey
Court of Chancery, will be sold at public
vendue, on
WEDNESDAY, THE FIFTEENTH DAY
OF NOVEMBER, NINETEEN HUN
DRIED AND TWENTY-FIVE. -.
at two o'clock in the afternoon OF SAID
day, in the Cour Room, No. POI, Second
Floor, Guarantee Trust Building, in the
City of Atlantic City, County of Atlantic
and State of New Jersey. .
All the following tract or parcel OF lana
and premises hereinafter particularly de-
scribed, situate in the City of Margate
City, County of Atlantic and State of
New Jersey, bounded and described as
follows:
Beginning at a point in the Westerly
line of Douglass Avenue at the distance
of two hundred feet Southwardly. from
the intersection of the Westerly line OF
Douglass Avenue with the Southerly line
of Atlantic Avenue n extends thence
~SouthWardly along the Westerly line OF
Douglass Avenue the distance of fifty
feet to a point in front or width, and eX-
tends thence Westwardly between paral-
lei lines of that width or frontage at
right angles to Douglass Avenue the dis
lance of sixty-two feet six inches in
length or depth. Being Lot No. 5 on Plan
of Lots of the Victoria Realty Company,
which said plan is intended to be filed in
the office of the Clerk of~the County of
tlant
interest, costs and fees.
Seized as the property of Rosa A. john
son ct ais. and taken in execution at the
suit of John o. Wilson and to be sold by
MALCOLM B. WooDRUFF,ee
Dated October 81, 1922.
PRS fee, s2O.5S
The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1922-11-11
SHERIFF'S SALE.

BY virtue of a writ of fieri facias, to me
directed, ISSUED out of the New Jersey
Court of Chancery, will be sold at public
vendue, on
WEDNESDAY, THE FIFTEENTH DAY
OF NOVEMBER, NINETEEN HUN
DRIED AND TWENTY-FIVE,
at two o'clock in the afternoon of said
day, in the Court Room, No. pol, Second
Floor. Guarantee Trust Building, in the
City of Atlantic City, County of Atlantic
and State of New Jersey.
All the following tract or parcel of land
and premises hereinafter particularly de-
scribed, situate in the City of Margate
City, County of Atlantic and State of
New Jersey, bounded and described as
follows:
Beginning at a point in the Westerly
line of Douglass Avenue at the distance
of one hundred feet Southwardly from the
intersection of the Westerly line of Doug
lass Avenue with the Southerly line of
Atlantic Avenue, and extends thence
Southwardly along the Westerly line of
Douglass Avenue the distance of fifty
feet to a point in front or width, and eX-
tends thence WestWardly between paral-
lei lines of that width or frontage at
right angles to Douglass Avenue the dis
lance of sixty-tWo feet six inches. in
length or depth. Being Lot No. 3 on Plan
of Lots of the Victoria Realty Company,
which said plan is intended to be filed in
the office of the Clerk of the County of
Atlantic.
Decree approximately s3.61S.5l. besides
interest, costs and fees.
Seized as the property of Hamilton
Corporation ct al. and taken in execution
at the suit of John O.. Wilson and to be
sold by
MALCOLM B. WOODRUFF,
Sheriff.
Dated October 81. 1922.
PRS fee, $2O.5S
The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1922-11-11
BOBBlE GALE ENTERTAINS.

At his home on East Washington
avenue, Bobbie Gale recently enter
tanned a number of his friends at a
halloween party. The house had been
decorated appropriately for such an
occasion. There were plenty of games
and a general good time for all the
participants. A prize was given to
each guest. Assisted by Mrs. Robert
Carey, Mrs. Gale served dainty re-
freshments.
Among those present were: Doro-
thea Bates, Dorothy Helfrich, Dorothy
Coils, Doris Keller, Edith Keller,
Edith Guenther, Billy Guenther, Tilly
Ware, Harold Hammell, Billy Ware,
Edward Essington, Junior Dare and
Gladys Blake.
The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1922-11-11

Southwardly along the Easterly line of
Newark Avenue 80 feet 5A inches; thence
() E~astwardly and parallel with Mon
go Northwardly parallel with Newark
Avenue SO feet 5A inches; hence "a
Westwardly parallel with Monmouth
Avenue 81 feet 6 inches to the place of
beginning.
DEGREES approximately 81 ,156. SO, besides
interest, costs and fees.
Seized as the property of Thomas Syl-
vester Keffer and Hannah Doris Keffer
and taken in execution at the suit of
Isidor Schneider and to be sold by
MALCOLM b. WOODRUFF,
Sheriff.
Dated October 81, 1922.
Thompson & Hanstein, Solicitors.
Prs fee, S1S.06
The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1922-11-11

Anna Lorine Boice, Miss Naomi Shar-
rock, Miss Gladys Mathis, Miss Mar
garet Huckel, Miss Edna Markee, Miss
Ruth Adams, Miss Ruth Glendenning,
Miss Dorothy Weller, Miss Mildred
Lake, Walden Mathis. Clifton Soul,
Vincent Williams, Brooks McClosky,
Howard Morganweck, Harry Camp,
Alonzo Van Saun, Manyil Robinson,
Emory Martin, j. limerick, j.. Lynch
and others.
The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1922-11-11
FRIENDS.

Monday night, Oct. 80, Miss Mildred
Lake entertained a number of her
friends at her residence on South
Main street. The home was decorated
for the occasion with autumn leaves
and crepe. The guests enjoyed dane
ing and games, and the dainty refresh
which the hostess served.
Among those present were Miss
Helen Weer, Miss Ruth Weer, Miss
The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1922-11-11
-sHERIFF,S SALE.

BY virtue of a writ of ieri facias, to me
directed, issued out of the New Jersey
Court of Chancery, will be sold a~tspublic
vendue, on
WEDNESDAY, THE FIFTEENTH DAY
OF NOVEMBER, NINETEEN HUN
DRIED AND TWENTY-FIVE. 4.
at two o'clock in the afternoon of said
day, in the Court Room, No. POI, Second
Floor, Guarantee Trust Building, in the
City of Atlantic City, County of Atlantic
and State of New Jersey. +,
All that certain tract or parcel of land
and premises situate in the City of Vent
nor City, County of Atlantic and State of
New Jersey:
Beginning at a point in the Easteriy
line of Newark Avenue 326 feet 6% inches
South from the Southerly line of Mon
mouth Avenue and extending thence ID
The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1922-11-11

The natural curiosity of a mule
was an important factor in solution
of the murders of Rev. Hall and his
pretty choir singer, Eleanor Mills, at
New Brunswick, N. J.
Mrs. Jane Gibson, farm
in the early evening was riding
Jenny in search Of corn thieves
when the mule attracted her atten.
ton to the murder party just as the
shooting started Mrs. Gibson came
forward as a witness when an limo
cen boy was accused
The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1922-11-11
PUBLIC NOTICE.

Notice is hereby given that persons hav.
ing bills against the City OF Pleasantvills
must have them In the hands OF the City
Clerk on Friday preceding the regular meet
Ing nights Of Common Council, which are
the first and third Mondays Of each month,
otherwise they will not be paid.
By order Of the Common Council OF
Pleasantviile.
NEHEMIAH ANDREWS,
City CLERK.