The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-06-24
CHAPTER 23

Within one hour from the time of l sentence l was entering the state prison gates. While I had had a prison number during ng 16 months stay on Murderers Row, 1t had not been on my clothing-merely on the records opposite my name. That time, however, I was entering as regulation deserving convict, which called not only for a large stenciled number upon the back of my coat and shirt but for that coat to be on the regulation round and round-stripes order.
 Before the striped suit of clothes was brought to me, I was ordered to remove my other clothes and step upon the scales. My weight without clothing was but 14S pounds. l had lost an even 14 pounds in the 22 days of my soJourn in the county jail dur ing the trial just finished. Because my food had been reasonably good, l attributed the loss to that severe strain of three weeks.
 My first meal in the convict din- ing room happened to be one of the best served during the week. It was gravy and black coffee- The eve ming meal of that day though was what l thought terrible; it was made up of cod fish boiled in straight water, bread and a cup of stuff called tea-which liquid had in it neither milk nor sugar.
 In doing my part in the old ser pent"-the long lock step line of striped convicts-A marched next be- hind very short man. In front of him marched an unusually tall fel- low. So the ridiculousness of that immediate portion of the line might be imagined: the short follow having to reach up in order to lay his hands upon the shoulders of the man in front, and l having to reach down. ward a n "Shorty's" shoulders. I wanted to laugh-I believed that inclination toward getting fun out of most sit uations has been worth much to me-but of course I dared not. The authorities and others might have believed that no one but a mentally deranged person could find anything Imaginable on his first day as a life time convict.
 I'm Called By Number.
 About 10 o'clock the next fore corridor of the cell house where I was confined talking in a low tone with another late arrival, when I heard someone calling out loudly, "Sixte n-siXty- six"
 A number written as Is the one at the beginning of this story, 1666, would not be referred to as one thou san, six hundred and siXty-six, but merely as sixteen-sixty>-six. GAS a matter of fact, that 1666 was not my prison number; but 1t will do for telling about my prison experience and therefore I'll say thai the number l heard some person calling that morning was that "siXteen-s sixty siX.D
 Being new as number rather than as name, I did not at first know that the fellow doing the calling meant ne.
 Isn't that your number he's call ing?" asked the fellow to whom I was talking.
 Yes. by the way" answered I, as the knowledge of being sixteen-sixty- six came back to me. .sWonder what I'm to do."
 up this way" those stentorian tones reached me again. And the next instant l saw the caller at a gate style door leading from that out to
 Sixteen-sixty-si six" he addressed the front corridor. He was a big red-faced guard.
 me. when l approached him, report to the shop"
 Which way do I go'?- I inquired, as he turned away.
 Out that way''-he jerked a thumb up over his shoulder-'@nd across the court"
 Halfway across that inner court I met a little. dried-Np fellow in the prison garb.
 Salute With A Club.
 Say. pal" l addressed him. CT know you're no information bureau. but I've been told to report to the shop, and I'd like to know the fei- low to report to-and do We have to salute these fellows?"
 Salute nothing! he answered my last question first. eyeing me slant lnsiy. Nav. ye don't salute unless ye get a chance to salute one of 'em wit club. Just go on t'ru that door there, and ye'll see an old bald head sltt1n' across by window. He's the enc ye want to report to. see?''
 Al risht-thanks." I returned, low who had advised the club salute was as tough as he looked and talked. A little later I found that he was really tough-he had killed an other convict with a knife some three years before.
 the bald-headed parsonage was seat Cd: lie looked scowlingly at me.
 T was told to report here.
 What for?" he asked
 :, Well. l know" he informed me. you came to work for me-"
 For you? l questioned, wanting nm nm to say enough for me to classify him some way. it?" 'ou ihao aoout
 I had him sized up and believed 1t a place for diplomacy.
 No, slr-Im not mad about ft." answered. looking him stright in the eye without a smile. T believe I'd rather work under you than under any other man I've seen around here"
 Some of 'em don't think that way" he chuckled, but I think we'll get along all right. Come this way. Kane" And he started diagonaliy across between some long tables where convicts were tying up socks. and I followed
 A few of the shorn- headed con- vlcts looked up at me as we passed but most of them appeared to be in- terester in their work in a way in- dicative of desire to beat the other fellow. little later I found out the reason for their haste.
 At the Sock Machine.
 by table and addressed a small. stoop- -shouldered fellow:
 Rogers, take Kane here and show him how to make socks" And then the spokesman turned back to me. Now just be patient, kane-sock- maxim is something that isn't learn ed in a few minutes. Rogers will give you all the ideas about it. and it will be up to you to do the rest"
 With that the bald-headed man. who was, in fact, the superintendent of the shops there-where socks, clothing. shoes. brushes. saddle