Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1926-08-07

intimately on certain phases Of pris-
on life that are rarely, il ever. dis
closed to the public.)
CONTINUED from last week.
Normally it was twenty-four
hour ride but being winter and with
heavy Christmas traffic and snow
drifts it was day and a half before
we arriped at Marquette. At one
point in the trip the temptation to
commit violence and secure my free
dom preyed very heavily upon me.
The two deputies would, take turns
in going to sleep. figured correct
ly that If the one on watch would
consent to take me back to the diner
to get supper, at my expense, that
] could man-handle him between
coaches, throw him off and later es-
cape before his partner would
awake. ! planned it out thoroughly
and using the suggestive and, per-
suasive powers formerly used as
"con" man / tempted his appetite
and he consented to take me to the
diner. Everything worked as planned
but when I got to the vestibule door
my conscience rebelled and while I
was willing to take almost any
chance / couldn't do violence. so the
plan died abortive.
SATURDAY BEFORE CHRISTMAS.
On arriving at Marquette the two
deputies, neither of whom had made
such trip before, were like chill.
dren in a maze. 1t was Saturday
night, the Saturday before Christ
mas Alighting from the train the
holiday crowds were everywhere
about. Everybody was in good cheer
but me. One Of the deputies called
up the Jail to send a patrol wagon.
They were told they had none there,
also that / was prison charge and
not a jail charge, They actually did
not know what to do.
i suggested to them that they call
q taxi and to our surprise they had
none there in the winter, as they
could not navigate the hills. so they
called livery stable and got
sleigh While waiting for same
induced them to let me go in cor.
ner drug store and buy diary.
The girl clerk looked at me. saw my
handouts and suggested that POS
sibly five year diary would be
suitable. Twas applicable all right
but what a cruel suggestion.
THE ARRIVAL AT MARQUETTE.
Eventually the ride in the sleigh
to the prison began. The prison was
some four or five miles from the
depot and at night and in sleigh
I'm and over hills was some ride.
talked the deputies into removing
the handouts from me just before
we reached the prison as I said the
effect would put me in better stand
ing with the officials than to have
me arrive there with two deputies
and all manacled up like wild man
On arriving at the prison about
eight-thirty at night no one knew
which entrance to go in and through
mistake we got into the Warden's
private residence and were literally
thrown out Of same. Finally we got
in the right entrance and funny IS
IT. may seem, due partly to the fact
that / was dressed right up to the
minute in tailor made clothes and
new tailor-made chinchilla overcoat
7 appeared the more business=liSe OF
any of the trio, the official in charge
thought l was the deputy bringing
two prisoners as he walked up to
me. asking me for the papers of my
charges. If there had been but one
deputy I undoubtedly would have
grabbed the papers he had in his
pockets, presented them and flew,
leaving the deputy for the prisoner
as it was had but to smile and let
them do the explaining
PLACED IN THE BULL PIN"
Well do I remember my entrance
to that prison on that Saturday
night The prison band was playing
in the chapel and being rather
facetious I remarked that 1t was nice
in them to have the band there to
receive me. / was led through the
puard room into the ha1I.master'5
office when little dried up apology
of a man in plain clothes actually
apologized to me for having arrived
at night and there being no one
there to regularly receive me and
that he had no other recourse under
the circumstances but to put me in
the east end, known as the "bull-
pen"
Very politely he asked me to leave
nv overcoat, top-coat vest and CAP
along with any valuables I wish pre-
served there in the .office--not
even making pretepse to search
me-and thence escorted me to the
bull pen" This proved to be a
circular steel pen. divided into eight
sections, in one Of which was
placed. Again he apologized for
having to put me there and was very