The Washington times., 1925-07-30

VIII applause SIIlpAAdSAAtlS dP
proval when the villain was
defeated.
AS the prison chapel would
accommodate only half of the
number of prisoners, the per-
Torrance had to be given twice,
with an interval Of only fifteen
minutes between. and it was
late in the afternoon before
the tired players had luncheon.
William a. Brady, under whose
auspices the play was afterward
staged in New York, made a
short but intensely human adj
dress to the men in gray, tell
ing Of several ex-convicts whom
he and others had helped get re-
established and who had made
good" in a big way.
That night, when the excite
ment Of the day had died down,
while the warden, Graham Tay-
lor and myself we're at dinner,
the melody of an old Christmas
carol, In mems voices, came sud-
denly from the adjoining room.
AS the strains of "Heilige Nacht"
came to US, surprise gave way
to emotion, especially when we
recalled that this convict choir
had just come from the death
house. where a concert had been
given ~. the nineteen men stol-
idly waiting to be ''put off" by
due process of law.
After two or three other songs.
Osborne left his dinner to 5Cin
the singers and play for them
on the piano.
London Bridge Is Falling Down
Later we three visited the
dormitory. where 200 prisoners
slept. A violin and guitar were
being played at the end of the big
room. Cots had been pushed
back, and those who were able
were dancing. I say those who
were able" because the dormitory
was reserved for decrepit and
aged prisoners to whom the 3 by
cells would have been quickly
fatal.
And, in passing, let me say that
one of the first requests made by
Osborne to the prisoners or
ganization was that old, crippled
and impaired inmates should be
given first consideration in the
matter OF assignment to the dor
mitory. Under previous admins
trations large number Of those
who enjoyed this comparative
comfort and freedom were silk
stockings'' and others who got
favor through pull or money.
That Christmas night in 1914
fully one-half of those in the
domitory were incapacitated for
dancing, but those who could
dance were making up for the
others with zest. Somehow with
out apparent prearrangement the
entire body of 200 men~were on
their feet, or crutches, in a sudden
wave OF enthusiasm and had
formed into a grand march"
winding up, like children, with
London Bridge Is Falling Down"
1t was a never to be forgotten
scene and a fitting close to dak
unique in prison history.
The day after Christmas an
entirely different drama was en-
acted in the same chapel, which
had been converted from a thea
ter to a courtroom. The court
of appeals, comprised Of the
warden, the principal keeper and
the prison physician, was in ses-
sion to- hear cases which had been
passed upon by the prisoners
court and then appealed It was
the court of last resort. It's de-
cision was final
A grsyrkaired, middle-aged pris'
oner was led forward b. the SER
geant at arms, himself q prisoner,
who bad been elected To the post
by his fellows. The nlddled-aged
man had been convicted by tie
prisoners court Of having used
insolent language to a prison Off
cer-a freeman" He looked de-
termireI and defiant. But when
askeG by tie court Of appeals
to make his statement he sur
prised everyone by saying:
''I wish to withdraw my APP
peal. I have thought it all over
since yesterday. I want TO ac-
knowledge that was wrong in
protesting with the language I
used at the time against what 1
thought was an unjust imputa.
ton on the part Of the "scvew"-'
mean that I should have laid
my complaint against the officer
before the prisoners court and
not abused him as I did. I be.
Iievs in the prisoners court.
belisv 1t is the right idea.
did what 1 was charged with do
ing and I beg leave to withdraw