The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1925-07-20
BY Winifred Mason Huck
Former Representative to Congress
from Illinois.

/
lions made by the prison authorities
through years of experience.
you may come with me now"
said Miss Green. Susie was led
away to the cottage for negroes.
I was taken down a long, dark
corridor into another, which seemed
to be sunshine itself. This, I
learned, was "a" corridor, one of
the gathering places for the prison
ers.
The windows on one side opened
on large court.
1t was then noon. The prisoners
had had their noon meal and the
whistle had not yet Down for the
beginning Of afternoon work.
Some of the girls were playing a
game of "F1inch." Others We're play
ing jacks. A good many were
crocheting. All seemed much inter
ested in me.
A "New GirP'
I learned that was a new girl"
1t matters not how old we are, we
all are "giIls."
Down All interminable gauntlet of
questioning eyes we passed TO "B"
corridor. There Miss Lourey, the
matron Of that division took charge
of me and led me into the dining
room.
I had been hungry, but entrance
into the prison had taken away my
appetite, and I asked for a glass Of
milk only.
The milk had a strangely unpleas-
ant flavor and I could not drink it.
1t was my introduction to prison
milk, which is occasionally sweet,
but always scrupulously skinned.
1t was taken to the sleeping quar-
ters Of the 'B" girls, where Miss
Lourey opened my bag.
you may use your own wooden
stockings If you WISH" she said,
putting two pairs aside, "and this
little tin box you may keep to put
youth Toothbrush and such things
in What is this?" She held up
small bottle Of glycerine.
you may keep that, but you are
not allowed to have perfume or
rouge. You can keep your nail file,
your crochet hook, this hair net-and
what is this?" She held up small
celluloid sewing kit.
Might Be Stolen
There are no rules against your
having this, but it's kind Of cute and
you may lose e." She did not say
what she meant, that it might be
stolen from me.
But the prisoners were less reti-
cent. One day a girl came to me
in the washrooom. "Say, Elizabeth"
she said, you left all your things
right out on your bed in plain
sight, and with all those girls pass
ing, you'll lose everything you own.
I took off my apron and covered
them up with it,
Jaw, there amt nothing there
that no one would want" I said in
my best Jail vernacular
''Say, Elizabeth, you don't know
them girls. They'll steal anything
from anybody" said my friend, who,
by the way, had come to Marysville
recommended as one Of the cleverest
and fastest working hold-up women
in the State.
A DdearfuI Moment
AS Miss Lourey continued search
ing my bag, I helped her.
In dreadful moment I caught
sight Of an old handkerchief bearing
laundry mark. My real 'name
For a moment the walls spun.
Then acted. I held the hand
kerchief in my hands. Slowly, while
Miss Lourey's eyes were fixed or
my bag, I tore the corner off.
Guarding against vigilance from
the corners of her eyes, 1 made nc
quick movements. With scarcely G
stir, I rolled the bit Of linen into
the palm of one hand. I dared not
drop it or put 1t to my pocket, fol-
she would search my clothes ano
the floor would be carefully watched
The next time it was turned,
slipped the roll under my tongue
Then I assumed the pose Of reti
cence.
Sullen Silence
Prisoners, I knew, sometimes flew
into fits Of temperament that would
shame a grand opera star. I would
use the sullen silence pose.
I was led to the bathroom and
searched in earnest. The matron
was looking especially for narcotics
She even examined my shoes, and
showed her the heel pads.
Should morphine be found among
the prisoners, I did not want my
matron to recall tn heel pads un-
der which she had not booked.