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

comfortable. took 1t all as irony
i couldn't connect such treatment
with what 1 had heard OF the ISL
IBERIA of America"
There were some other men under
going punishment in the other cells
and i was soon in conversation
with them. inquired about several
acquaintance had known original
ly in the county Jail in Detroit and
having established some friends in
common was soon one OF them. They
told me OF the prison. how it was
run and what to steer clear of. i
was elected good fellow and re-
tanned such title.
LEcTURED BY THE WARDEN.
The following Sunday morning 1
was called into the Deputy's office.
where the Warden wished to inter-
view me. 1t seemed that my repu-
tation had preceded me Certainly
the Warden knew all about me and
he gave me for two hours one OF the
cruelest lectures have ever had the
misfortune to listen to, He attri-
buted my downfall to having too
easy a time at Jackson and he was
going to make a man OF me by put
ting me through the mill The pros
pect looked anything but rosy 1
returned to my ''bull pen" cell and
reflected that 1 now was going to
experience Hell in Prison"
On Monday was taken out and
dressed, going through practically
the same routine as on my arrival
at Jackson. Was assigned to a cell
fnl Il t.,
they sent me to work At that time
ley had no dining room in Marquette
the food being passed in large pans
and buckets past your door and
served from there The cell, in d.
r"ct contrast to my fret cell in Jack
son, was large and roomy, being
about six by nine. 1t had no con-
veniences however but at least It
was clean
/ had some money on arrival and
the hall-master gave me five dollars
in prison script which represented
money and told me / could have
more later on 1t seemed strange to
have any kind of money on my per-
son in prison but as / later learned
1T was Warden Russell's policy to
make his prison as much like out.
side life as possible as he felt that
the psychological effect on the men
proved more valuable and made
them more accustomed to self sup
port. That evening In my new cell
was to learn of the most remark
able system of administering a pris
, on that I had. ever heard or read of.
, coLoRED PRISONERS IN PLOT.
) By that time word had gotten to
the parties of whom / had inquired
when / was in the bull pen and
afer their days work was over they
came up to my cell to shake hands.
One, white boy then and there
after proved to be a true prison
friend He told me that the colored
boys already knew OF my coming and
had planned against me before !
ever got there as they were afraid
I would get a s'front office" Job
there too as / had in Jackson and
as that was something away above
the average jobs allotted to colored
men they didn't want to see me, a
newcomer, come there and pass
above them,
My white friend told me that they
had already sowed the seed of dis
content among the officials by let
ting them know that it was / who
had just half year previous written
special feature article which ap-
peared in the Chicago Defender de-
scribing how we'll the colored boys
got along in Jackson and that / was
coming to Marquette to secretly
write UP the contrast am ashamed
to admit that these colored boys,
who were in power" in the prison
wocld rather that they go their way
never achieving any job of merit in
the prison rather than to let stran-
ger get in and surpass them Of the
trouble they caused and it's outcome
! will dwell later, Q.s..l
"a .,.s--.--,.,. ,sa, g..