The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1925-07-06
Locked in Prison Cell,
Mrs. Huck Sees "Inside"
Arrives at Penitentiary and Goes Thru
Usual Regime With Convicts

] iN CIV wv AAlfA against your
having this bu, it's kind OF cute, and
YOU may lose a." She dld not say
what she meant, that d might be
stolen from me
hut the prisoners were less rcti.
cent one day girl came TO me In
the Mushroom SAY Elizabeth" she
said, you lcft all your things right
out ON Your bed IN plain sight. and
With all those girls passing. yuurl
lose everything you own. ] took of
nay apron and covered them up with
/ A."
had dumped tho things out on my
bed, 10 use the tin box for a drinking
eup until one should be issued to me,
"Aw there ain't nothing there that
no one would want" / said In my
best jail vcrnacular.
SAY, Elizabeth. you don't know
them girls, They'll steal anything
from anybody" said my friend. who,
by the way, had come 10 Mnrysyille
recommended a. ono Of the clrvcrest
and fastest working hoId.up women
In the state,
These bits Of biography We picked
up only BY rumor, for We never
knew anything officially OF one an.
other
4 Dreadful Moment
As MSs Lourey continued search,
ms my bag I helped her
In IA NEan.NN..f
sight OF an old handkerchief bearing
a laundry mark, My real name,
For a moment the walls spun
Then acted. ! held the handker,
chief IN my hands Slowly. while
Miss Lourey's eyes were fixed on my
bag. tore the corner off
Guarding against vigilance from
the corners OF her eyes. made no
quick movements. with scarcely
stir | rolled the bit Of linen into the
palm Of one hand dared not drop
u or put II in my pocket. for she
would search my clothes and the
floor would be carefully watched.
There was no looking glass in the
room In which she might watch me.
Nor did she wear glasses 10 reflect
me as her hack was turned.
Tho next time Il was turned. I
slipped the role under my tongue.
Then assumed the pose OF rctlcencc.
Sullcn Silence
Prisoners, / knew. sometimes flew
into fits Of temperament that would
shame a grand opera star I would
use the sullen silence pose.
/ was led 20 the bathroom and
searched in earnest. Tho matron
was looking especially for narcotics.
She even examined my shoes. and I
showed her tho heel pads.
Should morphine BE- found among
the prisoners. did not want my ma
tron TO recall the heel pads under
which she had not looked.
In such a case. II might not have
gone well with me. But prisoners
were never punished for anything
they had done outside OF Jail
They were only locked in their
rooms or put in dungeon for VIC.
lating some prison rule or for using
profanity on a matron.
Sarah. for instance, never got in
punishment. tho she was one OF the
cruelest murderesscs in tho state She
was In prison for brutal murder
that she had hired done.
She Ind the hardest eyes aud
mouth I ever saw. and shc was ar
rosant beyond belief. Her scragEy
locks completed the resemblance TO
Medusa.
But she was careful and smart
enough 10 obey the rules. while little
Pinky. who had come TO Mnrysvilie
for a few common indiscrctlons.
broke a rule and was in solitary con.
finement for three days after her ar,
rival.
Now" said Miss Lourey. when
you have finished your bath. you
may wash your own undcrciothes. so
they will be clean when you leave"
The Tiny Scrap
The moment she left me. put the
tiny scrap OF linen down the drain.
Almost before it had disappeared. the
corridor girl" came in with my clean
prison underclothes.
The garments were coarse. but to
me the luxury Of getting into clean
clothes OF any kind was thrilling.
Those three days in the city fail were
nm unprecedented experience In un-
cleanliness.
A washboard and some soft soap
were given me. with which washed
my clothes Then. with my hnlr still
damp from my shampoo and un.
combed--for my comb was in the
linen room. where | WIS not allowed
TO go--I went into "B" corridor.
where the sun was streaming in.
Even tho / was then a prisoner In
the blue uniform Of shame. I felt
with true gratitude the glory OF nun
shine and the inspiration OF being |
clean.
The filth OF the Cleveland Jail was |
only brand on memory.
! needed all the encouragement the |
sun could give me, for In half an
hour was chief actor In one OF the |
most difficult scenes OF my prison |
career.
1t started with: elizabeth you are |
wanted in the superintendent's Of
flee"
Copyright, 1876 SEA Service, rne.j