Evening star., 1928-09-23

to say about it." says Old Calamity, and
he indicates that the new arrival is to
be placed in different cell house from
HendrickSon and assigned to a different
shop. A few minutes later the inquiry
which the deputy has set in motion
proves what he suspected all along.
HendrickSon had "stooled' on the new
arrival, who was itching to get even."
The deputy's quick and apparently
casual decision had prevented serious
fight and possibly murder.
Another prisoner is banker who
speculated with the banks money.
Noting the mental and emotional strug-
gle the man is undergoing, the deputy
cells him with one of his own kind,
rather than with some illiterate rough
neck whose very presence would rub
in" his degradation.
Another's papers show he has broken
Jail twice He is assigned to the end
cell, nearest the guards desk, where the
guard can keep constant eye on him.
Still another receives nod from the
deputy. Back again, Hargrave?" Har-
grave mods amiably. Eyes, sir, and I'd
like to get in B cell house if you please,
sir" Old Calamity smiles grimly. mo
use,'' he replies, just as amiably, "Ost-
richer's gone" Ostricher is the guard
who was caught smuggling in narcotics
Just after Hargrave completed his last
term.
TN half an hour all the prisoners are
"celled." Each must then be
assigned to work. Half of them know
exactly what they want to do. During
the long days awaiting trial they have
made careful inquiries concerning which
jobs are easiest. The tailor shop has
the call So the first man promptly
replies tailor" when the deputy asks
him what he did on the outside. Ever
do any busheling?" the deputy inquiries
casually. The prisoner looks blank.
''Put him in the stone she'd" directs
Old Calamity
Old Calamity must make his de-
cisions with lightning-like rapidity. But
he must be as careful as he is quick,
as a slight mistake can very easily be
followed by serious consequences. More
than one prison murder has been due
to a deputy's mistake in assigning a
convict to shop where he worked with
something which could be used as a
weapon. Even an assignment to a
clerks job in one of the offices may
have serious results.
1 have known several instances where
such prisoners changed the commit
ments of their fellows and "doctored''
the other records to conform, so that
some of the convicts were released a
year or two before their time expired
1t is Old Calamitys business to see
to it that those placed in such posi-
tions are men who can be trusted;
otherwise almost anything can hap
pen A warden of Sing Sing a few
years ago was forced to make good a
loss of $4,000 caused by a prisoner
forging his name to check. At an
other Institution several prisoners were
released, following a fake telegram
taken over the telephone by one OF
the prisoner clerks in the Office.
With 80 or 40 prisoners celled anc
assigned to work, Old Calamity has
the balance of the day to devote tc
making two or three rounds of the in
stitution, listening to the complaints
OF various prisoners who have asked
for an audience, acting on their re-
quests for privileges, hearing the stories
of prisoners charged with infraction
of the rules and melting out punish
ment to them, taking charge of thu
mess hall at meal times, directing th