The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-04-25
SIXTY DAYS IN WORKHOUSE
By JULIUS MAILMAN
CAS- Told To Alex Jackinson)

LAS IOId 10 Alex JacklnSOn)
THERE were six of in the courtroom known Part
A. General Sessions, waiting to be sentenced hush
spread the audience twelve serious men, their
faces couded with a sombre nonchalance filed out of
the jury room. The foreman rubbed his right index
finger across his lips. eve find the defendants guilty.
flushed whispers, lawyers pleas, and the presiding
Judge sentenced to sixty days in the workhouse. We
furrers members of the Joint Board, convicted
trumped-up charges of assault The sentence tho
unwarranted, did not surprise We knew as class
conscious workers what to expect in capitalist court
From the courtroom taken back to cell
and at four o'clock that day found ourselves
crossing the Bridge of Signs to the Tombs There we
carefully searched, handcuffed and placed in in
divdual cells the 9Th tier. Toward evening our
handouts removed. We spent the night tossing
restlessly about the hard pallets. In the morning
keeper poured some coffee through the bars into
tin cup. Nine o'clock we taken downstairs and
again manacled few minutes later two detectives
ushered us into waiting patrol wagon Together with
other prisoners, whsked rapidly off to We'll
fare Island.
We arrived within fifteen minutes. In the office
braceets" removed but the red marks they left
remained wrists for several hours. keeper
began questioning One of the boys there
before and he recognized him. $50 it's you back again?
he questioned sarcasticaly Chow many people did you
cut up this time 2" He then inquired how long our
term was. We replied "Sixty Days." to which he ut
tered "Al right check your things" We stepped
to a window marked VALUABLES and placed our
watches, fountain pens, and other belongings the
being
ly checked up. We informed that inmates are
often robbed sometimes with the consent of the
keeper Later on learned that to complain of such
losses meant term in Solitary which spelled bread
and water twice daily.
Each of then handed the regulation grey pants
and shirt. We entered the clothes from which
emerged, dressed in our new toys We exchanged
chances and smiled. keeper then led across an
ally to the mess-hal which low, white building
connected with the main prison In the two
of tables, topped by porcelain Soon other pris
oners, dressed were, filed in and sat down on
the wooden stools. The food served in zinc dishes
by the hall gang Our first dinner consisted of
cold oatmeal floating white fluid which served
milk Coffee and piece of dry pudding completed the
meal which was eaten in silence A keeper standing
in the center aisle saw to that
After dinner, we were given two damp blankets and
taken to dormitory. AS entered, our
noses inhaled musty odor of decay, with which the
room, used broom shop impregnated
The four orange colored walls sadly in need of
painting Eight Undiscovered windows, of which
could not be opened faced the east end of the island
From the ceiling patches of plaster were constantly
falling single line of lamps hung midway between
the two rows of beds, each consisting of thirty
Three toilets and long sink adjoned the furhest end
of the
Most of the inmates were Bowery buns arrested for
vagrancy. In this motley gathering with whom had
without feet who had to be wheeled about Here also
were homeless old men, cast off by society unde
sirable Thugs pckpockets blackjack sluggers and
other derects made up the personnel of the
"House of Correction"
On the floor above was laboratory where dogs were
quartered These CANNES used for experimental
work in behalf of drug addicts It took some time
before got used to their continuous barking sound
ing thru the ceiling
ITO Be Continued.