The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-06-10
CHAPTER FIFTEEN

was received at the state prison
by the deputy warden. The law re-
CURED that proper commitment be
handed tea the penitentiary auhori-
ties which would, of course, include
the sentence the person so delivered
then, had to be a kind of death war
rant within itself. And the sheriff
had no more than got the instru-
ment out of his hands than he turned
to me, gave my hand a parting
clasp and, seemingly anxious to get
out of the room, walked away.
At his desk the dollhouse custo-
dian said in that deferential tone
used when addressing an obedient
condemned man, "I'll have to ask you
to remove your clothes. Mr.. Kane"
He did the searching.
THE supposition is" he explained
to me, that man in your situation
might want to kill himself. / don't
believe that you or one man out of
ten others would do 1t, but the rule is
that We must make a careful exami-
nation like this"
1 nodded my understanding.
Fact O. the matter is" continued
he. I've often thought 1t might be
best just to put about a dozen differ
ent death dealin' things into fell
lows cell and tell him that he might
take his choice as to which he wanted
to use. That would save time and ex-
pense, and it would be easier on the
man himself, wouldn't it?"
Perhaps" 1 answered, hoping tina
he might soon let up on the palaver
The Man in the Chair.
The man who had brought me in
from the front then arose
III see you later, Jack" he said
lf there's anything you want that
were allowed to give you, Just in
form either one of the two heads
meaning the warden or his deputy
and IT Will be sent in at once"
thanked him, then the next mo-
ment arose to accompany the cell
mousse man to the bathroom.
now then, Mr.. Kane" observed he
after we had arrived at the bath
house door-the building was in an
inner court-"my orders compel me
to watch you battle"
inc cell in which I was locked
opened out upon narrow sheet iron
passaSeway, along the outer edge of
winch extended an iron railing
Jnat tier of cells was the second
from the bottom. and from the front
OF 1T l could look through the crossed
checkerboard-like bars and down
upon the cement floor that reached
from the front OF the lower tier of
cells across to the brick walls of tho
building. Barely within the range of
my vision l could see a man sitting
in chair on that lower floor at
the far end OF the corridor. l was
wondering what he was doing there,
when l heard voice somewhere
near me.
Well, Mr.. Kane" the voice spoke
with German accent, how do you
like the place."
Il haven't been here long enough
swer Are you on this tier?'
oh, yes-unless I'm dreamin'," an
swered my neighbor laughingly.
What cell you in?"
Il never noticed the number" |
told him. IT'S about the third or
fourth from the end"
The Name OF g Our . Street 2
Tn only about four doors from
you, then he returned. You dom:
you?"
Mo- haven't even learned that
much yet"
Listen, then" said he, land I'll
tell you, It's called Murderers'
Row" He laughed heartily.
A careful inspection of the interior
of my cell showed that it was, with
the exception of that front part,
solid sheet steel. over the door
there was a narrow iron shelf at
tached securely to the wall. The bed
vas about three feet in width. being
made of four upright iron posts sup
porting iron ratings, and there were
woven springs that made the bed
comfortable to lie upon. AS bed
clothing there were two heavy new
blankets and pillow. The only
wooden appurtenance in sight was
small oblong-topped stool. which was
used as both seat and a table
|. the latter whenever my meals were
drought in. at which time the edge
J of the cot served as a chair
AR Kane" came my neighbours