The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1925-07-09
BY WINNIFRED MASON HUCk
Former Representative to Congress
from Illinois.

from Illinois.
Miss Ruth Green, n tall. gray-hair-
cd woman, was the first to approach
us.
"Havc you any money" she asked.
That question again! ! gave her
my pockctbook. and she counted my
money.
Seven dollars and 10 cents" she
said. is that right
81 suppose it is" I answered. and
would have made tho same answer
if she had said zone dollar and 45
cents"
."Arc you sure that is the right
amount ?" she said.
"If you have counted il. am
sure" said. She gave me fleet
ing look of inquiry and then quizzed
Susie. who had Is cents.
as that oil you havc?" | asked
Susie. forgetting that was not per
mitted to speak unless spoken to.
| asked Miss Green to make mine
an even seven dollars and give the
change to Susie. Susie riskcd
speaking out Of turn to thank me.
Under Suspicion
got surprise when. weeks later,
learned that n report Of my gift
was made at the supcrintcndcnt's
office and tina, Susie and I were un-
der suspicion for tho whole time that
was in the prison. ..,
This was because gifts made in
prison seldom have good motive
back Of them, according to observa
tons made by the prison authorities
through years of experience.
rNnn with y
said Miss Green. Susie WAS led
away to the cottage for negroes.
| 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.
crs.
The windows on ono side opened
on large court.
1t was then noon. The prisoners
had had their noon meal and the
whistle had not yet blown for the
beginning of afternoon work.
Some of the girls were playing a
game Of "Flinch." Others were
playing jacks. A good many were
crochcting. All seemed much inter
cstcd in me.
A "Ncw Girl
I learned that | was a new girl
all are "girls."
the prisoners BECAUSE they are proof
that there are others in the outside
world who are getting into trouble,
too.
Down an nterminablc gauntlet of
A0
corridor There Miss Lourcy. the
of me and led me into the dining
room.
had been hungry. but entrance
into the prison had taken away my
appetite. and | asked for glass of
milk only.
The milk had strangely unpleas-
ant flavor and could not drink it..
1t was my introduction to prison
milk. which is occasionally sweet.
but always scrupulously skinned.
was taken to the sleeping quar-
tiers Of the "B" girls. where Miss
Lourey opened my bag.
"iou 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
your toothbrush and such things in.
What is this?" She held up small
bottle of glyccrine.
"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 a
small cclluloid sewing kit.
Might Be Stolen
"There arc no rules against your
having this. but it's kind Of cute.
and you may lose it," She did not
say what she meant, that it might
be stolen from me.
But the prisoners were less rcti-
cent. One day a girl came to me in
the Mushroom. "Say. Elizabeth
she said. "you left all your things
right out OF your bed in plain sight,
and with all those girls passing,
! you'll lose everything you own. !
took of my apron and covered them
up with it,"
had dumped the things out on
! my bed, to use the tin box for Il
drinking cup until one should be
issued to nc.
"Aw. there amt nothing there
| that no one would wlnt." ] said in
my best Jail vernacular. s...a
"Say. Elizabeth. YOU don't know
them girls. They'll steal. anything
from anybody" said my friend. who
by the way. had come to Mar. svillc
recommended as one of the clcvcrcst
and fastest working hold-up women
in the state.
These bits Of biography we picked
up only bv rumor. for we never
hnrw anything officially of one On,
other.
A Dreadful Moment
As Miss Lourcy continued search
inc my bag. ! helped her.
In 4 dreadful moment caught
sight Of an old handkerchief bearing