Convict Life at the Minnesota State Prison, Stillwater, Minnesota
Date: 2015-02-08T00:00:00+00:00
Keywords: Bank robberies -- Minnesota -- Northfield -- History -- 19th century; Minnesota State Prison (Stillwater; Minn.) -- History; Prisons -- Minnesota -- Stillwater -- History

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Title: Convict Life at the Minnesota State Prison, Stillwater, Minnesota

Author: William Casper Heilbron

Contributor: Cole Younger

Release date: February 8, 2015 [eBook #48208]

Language: English

Other information and formats: www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/48208

*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CONVICT LIFE AT THE MINNESOTA STATE PRISON, STILLWATER, MINNESOTA ***

CONVICT LIFE AT THE MINNESOTA STATE PRISON
STILLWATER, MINNESOTA
Profusely Illustrated

By W. C. Heilbron

Second Edition 1,000 Copies

W. C. HEILBRON
104 Dispatch Bldg.
ST. PAUL, MINN.
PRESS OF MURPHY-TRAVIS CO., MINNEAPOLIS
1909

Preparer's Note

Typographical errors have been retained in this text.

PREFACE

Few people have a comprehensive idea of a penitentiary, especially the daily life of the inmates and the routine work in connection therewith. We will endeavor to give an accurate account of the prisoner's mode of occupation, his ideals, hopes and aspirations and follow him from the day he entered the prison, from his initiation into the various departments, to the day of his final discharge. One of our celebrated poets has truly said:

A prison is a house of care,
A place where few can thrive,
A touchstone true to try a friend,
But a grave to one alive.

This stanza sums up the situation very nicely, although prison life is not the horrible nightmare that many authors have depicted. Most writers seem to get their ideas from the comic papers, wherein the prisoner is absurdly cartooned with close-cropped hair, low-browed and villainous looks, dressed in striped clothing of grotesque fit, and in many cases he is pictured chained to the floor by a huge ball and chain. This may have been an authentic description of the average prisoner years ago, but is not true today. It is a far cry from the time when Diogenes walked the streets of ancient Athens with a lighted lantern in the day time looking for an honest man. There were no prisons at that period of the world's history. If a man committed a serious crime against the state or [pg 4] an individual the authorities ordered the lictor to strike off his head. If the offense was a minor one the offender was sold into slavery. This mode of procedure required only a few moments to execute, for in those days there were no protracted trials or clever attorneys to seek technicalities through which to free their clients. This condition of affairs prevailed for many centuries, and it often happened that a greater injustice was done the wrongdoer than he had committed against the state.

Fortunately, however, it remained for Victor Hugo to cry a halt against the then inhuman treatment accorded prisoners. In “Les Miserables” he paints a vivid picture that profoundly awakened public conscience, which still causes the world to shudder as it thinks of the injustice society did to poor Jean Valjean for stealing two loaves of bread to keep from starving.

There is today a more broad, more tolerant and a decidedly more civilized sentiment towards the inmates of penal institutions. It is universally recognized that the prisoner of today becomes the citizen of tomorrow; this fact must be conceded. Every effort is, therefore, made to assist them who have a keen desire to lead an honest life. However, if one is inclined to go around with a “chip on his shoulder,” so to speak, he will undoubtedly find as much trouble inside as he will outside of a prison. If he behaves himself, complies with the rules and performs his work in a conscientious manner he will have no more difficulty than he would anywhere else.

Modern penology has many bright laurels to its credit. What is meant by “modern penology” is that era which ushered in the good-time law, whereby a prisoner is enabled by meritorious conduct to reduce his original [pg 5] sentence to a marked degree; the parole and grading system, which permits the release of a first offender at the expiration of half his sentence; the establishing of prison night schools, enabling him to learn a trade during imprisonment and permitting him to have books, papers, magazines, etc. In fact our modern penology, of which a striking example can be seen in the Minnesota State Prison, that has the reputation of being one of the best-managed institutions in the country, aims to develop the good in the prisoner instead of continually keeping at a white heat all his coarse and brutal instincts.

Many years ago (and in some prisons at the present time), harsh measures were employed to punish an inmate for the slightest violation of a prison rule. But experience vividly impressed upon the public mind that such policy was a vicious one. It returned the prisoner to society a hundred fold more dangerous than he was previous to his commitment. Moral suasion has now supplanted the loaded cane, the dungeon and all other drastic, coercive measures which, instead of improving, had a decided tendency to make idiots of prisoners, morally, mentally and physically. It is dangerous to permit a mad dog to roam at large, and the same is true of the prisoner whom the custodians of the state turn loose on the community, whose every fibre beats stridently for revenge upon those who have subjected him to brutal treatment. Roughly speaking, we feel safe in saying that seventy-five per cent of the prisoners are susceptible to moral suasion and any appeal made to them is taken seriously.

Our modern penology is not the effervescent dream of unbalanced minds, but the result of exhaustive research by many of the best prison authorities in America and [pg 6] Europe. Long experience has proven its value, and the present century will assuredly witness as many wonderful improvements as took place in the past.

For various reasons I have refrained from mentioning the names of prisoners with sensational reputations who have been inmates of the Minnesota State Prison in the past.

I am sincerely indebted to Warden Wolfer, his employees, and many inmates of the prison, for their cooperation in assisting me to present the following pages to the public, without which this book would be impossible.

W. C. Heilbron.

St. Paul, June 20, 1909.

MINNESOTA STATE PRISON

THE PRISONER'S RECEPTION AT THE PENITENTIARY

[pg 7]

An incoming prisoner is designated by the inmates as a “fresh fish.” He enters the administration building, and, as a rule, if he has the reputation of being a “slippery chap” is handcuffed to the sheriff or one of his deputies. Handcuffs, in the vernacular of the underground world, are called “come-a-longs.” He now enters a room known as “between the gates.” (One of these gates leads to the outer world and the other to the inside of the prison.) Here the prisoner's commitment papers are examined, the deputy warden sent for to receive the new arrival, and slips are immediately made out notifying the several heads of departments of the man's name, county from which he came, the offense for which he was committed and the time that he shall serve.

Upon the arrival of the deputy warden the prisoner is taken in charge and marched through the officers' barber shop and kitchen. Upon leaving the latter room the “fresh fish” is commanded to “turn to the right,” and a short distance ahead, about twenty feet, he is told to '“turn to the left.” He now enters the large cellhouse—his future home, to remain for the number of years that His Honor, the Judge of the District Court, has sentenced him to serve. The cellhouse contains 664 cells (referring to Minnesota's institution, which furnishes the [pg 8] nucleus for this article) and is in charge of an officer known as the Captain of the Cellhouse.

This officer now takes the new arrival in charge and searches his person thoroughly, empties his pockets of everything they contain, and takes his coat, hat and vest. Any valuables found on him, such as money, jewelry, trinkets, tobacco, etc., are immediately tied up into a bundle and sent to the deputy warden's office. A duplicate receipt is made out for all articles of intrinsic value, is signed by the Captain of the Cellhouse and also by the new arrival so as to insure their safe keeping until the day of his release.

The next move, and one that is a decisive reminder of his future status in the world, is to the bath room, where he takes a bath and puts on a “second-grade” uniform, there being three grades in all. The first is the highest. Its garb consists of a neat grey suit and cap. First grade prisoners are entitled to write one letter each week, to draw a ration (four ounces) of tobacco weekly, and to receive visitors once in four weeks. They have a dining room to themselves and are served with a greater variety of food than are the prisoners in the other grades. They have also such other privileges granted them from time to time as their general conduct warrants.

Prisoners in the second grade are clothed in a black and grey check suit and cap. They are permitted to write one letter a fortnight, to draw a ration of tobacco weekly and to see visitors once a month. They also have a dining room of their own, but the food served therein is not as varied as that served to first grade men. The latter, for example, are served with butter and other relishes at stated intervals, but such things are not part of the diet of the second grade prisoners.

Administration Office

Between the Gates

Group Showing the Three Grades of Prisoners

[pg 9] [pg 10] [pg 11]

Inmates in the third grade wear black and white striped suits. They are denied tobacco, writing and visiting privileges and their meals are served in their cells, which are located in one portion of the cellhouse. In none of the grades are prisoners required to march with the “lock-step,” and excepting those in the third grade, all are permitted to wear their hair long enough to comb during good behavior. The prisoner, after his bath, is again brought into the cellhouse and the captain has one of the inmate barbers clip his hair and shave him. If the new arrival belongs to the respectable class, wearing a mustache and dressed well he will hardly recognize himself if he should chance to look into a mirror. In a few moments the proud American citizen has been supplanted by the convict. Those who belong to the so-called “criminal” class are not affected upon donning the prison uniform, but it is different with the first offender. If he is a proud, sensitive man the change is great enough to almost wrench his heart strings asunder. Many a new arrival, spending his first night in his cell, with its iron bed, whitewashed walls, scant furnishings, iron floor and the dimensions of the room only five by seven feet, has been known to break down completely. After such an ordeal (not your make-believe imprisonment, where some author has himself locked up for an hour or so to gain local coloring for a novel) one gets a clear idea of what prison life really is and places a higher valuation on the liberty that he so recklessly trampled under foot in his mad rush for riches, position and fame.

After the tonsorial artist has completed his task the prisoner is conducted to the deputy warden's office, where he is weighed, asked innumerable questions, etc., instructed as to the rules of the institution, measured according [pg 12] to the Bertillon system, which is the standard adopted in this country and throughout Europe.

BERTILLON MEASUREMENTS

To Dr. Alphonse Bertillon, the celebrated French anthropologist, the world is indebted for the knowledge of the scientifically demonstrated fact that no two persons are exactly alike in physical measurements. In fact any single individual can be identified from thousands of others by this cleverly thought-out system, which was first adopted in this country in 1887. The accompanying illustrations are self-explanatory.

The system embraces three distinct parts: First, the measurement of certain unchangeable “bony lengths” of the body; second, a careful description of the features of the face; third, a careful localization of all scars and marks on the body. While the face may change, be even mutilated beyond recognition; while the scars and other marks may be removed, the “bony lengths” of the body remain unchangeable in adults. The parts measured of the bony lengths of the body are the length and width of the head, the cheek width, length of foot, the middle and little finger and the cubit, i. e., from the elbow to the tip of the little finger; the height standing, the height seated, the reach of outstretched arms, right ear length (which most authorities assert remains the same through life), the median line in front from the fork or hollow below the “Adam's apple” down, and, in the rear, the spinal column from the seventh vertebra to the base of the spine, are the anatomical or “guiding [pg 13] points” from which all descriptions of the body are recorded; in the fingers, the joints and flanges,—the flanges being the portions of the fingers between the joints. The calipers for measuring the head are provided with a graduated arch and are similar to a compass. In taking the length of the head the left point of the caliper is held at the root of the nose and the right point is brought against the occipital bone in the back of the head; the thumb screw is then tightened and the measurement checked by passing the instrument again over the head. The width of the head over the cheeks is taken in the same way. The measurement of the foot is taken with a caliper rule similar to that used by a shoemaker; the prisoner is posed standing on his left foot and steadying himself as shown in the illustration. The graduate stem is placed against the inside of the foot with the fixed arm in contact with the heel and the sliding arm then brought in tightly against the toe. In measuring the left middle [pg 14] and little finger the back of the caliper rule is used, two small projections being provided on the fixed and sliding arms. The finger is bent at right angles to the back of the hand and the measurement taken from the tip of the finger to the knuckle.

Head Length Measurements.

The registering and record made of the foregoing, together with an accurate description of the face and all marks on the body, constitute the third and complete part of this system. To illustrate this part briefly,— measurements are all based on the French metric system, viz: Height, 1 metre, 71 centimetres, 3 millimitres; [pg 15] width, 14 centimetres, 5 millimetres; length of right ear, 6 centimeters, 3 millimetres; length of foot, 2.62; length of middle finger, 11.7; length of little finger, 7.1; length of forearm, 46.3. A metre is 39 inches, a centimetre about 3/8ths of an inch and a millimetre, 1-25th of an inch.

Measurements of Outstretched Arms and Left Foot.

Left Middle Finger Measurement.

The description of heads range in 14 (head) classes, being reckoned from A to Z. The middle fingers have three classes; forearm, three classes; height, three classes, and the little finger, three classes. Only one millimetre or 1-25th of an inch is allowed as the difference between the measurements of any two operators of the Bertillon system in the “bony lengths” of the body. This is so infinitesimal that a measurement taken in France, England, the United States or in Russia by different operators will discover the prisoner, no matter where he may be, and there is no escape unless it be the grave.

The technical terms used in the description of scars or marks are strictly medical. For instance, if a man has a scar on his left breast it is described as recitilnal, vertical, horizontal, inal—such a distance from the median [pg 16] line, and to the right, left, above or below the nipple. Scars on the fingers are described in the same terms, indicating the flange and joint, and so on through all parts of the body,—every mark, cut or bruise being measured in front, from the median line, and in the rear, from the spinal column, as stated.

With reference to the ears, there are certain external features by which scientists assert criminals may be instantly detected. Have you a criminal ear? Dr. D. S. Lamb, at one time curator in charge of the Army Medical Museum, says there is such a thing as a “criminal ear.” Anthropologists have been giving a great deal of study to this matter of late, and their data points to the conclusion that the term “ear-mark” is something more than a mere figure of speech. No one has two ears just alike; all ears are faulty in one way or another, that is, as to size, shape or position, and these organs do not stop growing when the body pauses in its development. At [pg 17] all events, chronic malefactors are apt to be disfigured by certain malformations of that organ. It has been proven that abnormalities in the ear structure are characteristic features of degenerates. Such abnormalities are commonly found in idiots, imbeciles and epileptics, and the prisons contain quite a number of inmates with such ears. The sloping ear is bad; it shows a tendency to reversion to the primitive animal ear which slopes. The great Napoleon, Lord Byron, Henry Clay and Alexander Hamilton had sloping ears. Another objectionable type is the “wing ear,” which projects wing-like from the head. This type of ear is said to indicate a tendency towards degeneracy; are found in one individual out of every five among sane persons, in two out of five among the insane and in three out of every five in criminals, occurring twice as often among men as among women.

Criminal Ear.

Right Ear and Trunk Measurements.

Considering all available data, it appears that ape-like traits, monkey-ancestry being commonly exhibited, are found far less frequently in the ears of women than in men. This fact would seem to prove that our female race has progressed the farthest from the ancestral type. By carefully feeling with the thumb inside of the edge [pg 18] of the ear and a little behind the top a very small lump of cartilage will be found, as if a foreign body had become imbedded in the tissue. This is a remnant of what was originally the tip of the ear, when hundreds of thousands of years ago that organ in our remote ancestors had a point on it. Among men of note,—statesmen, scientists, politicians, etc., it occurs less frequently by about ten per cent. The so-called “Darwinian tubercle” appears, as stated, less frequently in women than in men, and is unmistakably a trait reverting to the ape. Certain it is that no part of the body can be identified with greater accuracy than by the ears. Your own, for example, are not matched exactly by any other pair in the world; there are differences which are shown beyond the possibility of mistake, by careful measurements, as applied in the Bertillon system. In nine out of every ten persons the ear-lobe runs into the flesh of the cheek without any perceptible division between. Experts term this the “confluent lobule,” and it also is found more often in women than in men. It is said to occur in 92 per cent of the sane and in 47 per cent of the insane. The most remarkable feature in regard to the criminal ear, if it can be so called, is the prominence of the raised area just inside the outer edge, the outer edge being termed the “helix” and the part referred to the “anti-helix.” It appears that the overdevelopment of this portion of the aural structure is particularly characteristic of criminals.

A student of this subject can tell a person's age more accurately by observation of the ears than by any other way. Even women, who, in other respects, preserve the youthfulness of their appearance to an advanced period are apt to betray their maturity through this organ, which acquires a sharp definition of contour, a tiny wrinkle [pg 19] appearing just in front of it. Some people are able to wag their ears slightly,—another indication of primeval animal traits: Our remote ancestors unquestionably wagged their ears, and every human being today is provided with ear-wagging muscles. In most individuals, however, these muscles have become so far rudimentary that they are useless for wagging purposes.

THE FINGER PRINT SYSTEM

Our new arrival is still in the hands of the record officer; his next introduction is to what is known as the “finger-print” system, which method has but recently been inaugurated at the Minnesota State Prison. All prisoners are at first compelled to have “photos” taken of the balls of their fingers, the procedure being very simple. The recording officer has an inking-stone and brayer similar to those used in a print shop for “pulling” proofs. He inks the stone, grasps the outstretched finger of the new arrival, the underside or ball of his finger rolled a full turn on the stone, and then given a similar roll on paper blanks provided for that purpose, which are filed away in a cabinet with the Bertillon records for future reference. These blanks are frequently consulted for the purpose of identifying escaped or suspected offenders.

The finger-print system was invented by the Chinese thousands of years ago, and is considered to be the safest method yet discovered for correct identification purposes. Today it is being extensively used in this country and in Europe. The United States Government has a perfectly organized bureau in operation in [pg 20] conjunction with its federal and military prisons. Hundreds of thousands of thumb prints have been made, but no two have yet been found exactly alike.

The impetus given to the system in this country is perhaps due to Mark Twain, America's famous humorist, author, publisher, printer and lecturer. In “Puddenhead Wilson” Mr. Clemens has the village dunce riding a “hobby” at full tilt and that hobby was the taking of finger impressions. The citizens considered him a weak-minded fool, but to humor him they allowed impressions of the balls of their fingers to be taken. The names of their owners were recorded and then carefully filed away. Finally Puddenhead Wilson proved himself to be anything but a fool, for when a mysterious murder was committed in the village he apprehended the perpetrator of the crime, his sole clue being the bloody imprints of the murderer's fingers found on the woodwork in the room where the crime was committed. The finger-print system, since the advent of Mr. Clemens' book, has sprung into vogue in all parts of the country.

There are to date several authentic cases on record where by means of this new method of identification prisoners were acquitted, notwithstanding the fact that circumstantial evidence in the hands of the prosecuting attorney was overwhelmingly against the accused. One case was that of a man who had broken his parole from a penitentiary. While absolutely innocent, he was arrested and charged with having committed a certain crime. He could offer no proof without divulging the fact that he had violated his parole, (he still had about two years to serve), but realizing that he was about to be sentenced for eight or ten years on the present charge, he chose the lesser of the two evils and informed the [pg 21] [pg 22] [pg 23] authorities of his identity. Investigation disclosed the fact that he had not been released from the penitentiary when the alleged crime was committed. This incident demonstrates conclusively that the finger-print system not only detects the wrongdoer, but greatly assists in preventing a miscarriage of justice.

Visitor's Reception Room

Governor's Room

Board of Control's Room, where Monthly Meetings are Held

After the operation of taking the new arrival's finger-imprints is completed, and instructions are given as to prison discipline, etc., the incoming prisoner is sent to the medical department, where he is given a thorough physical examination, and if he is affected with any disease it is noted in a book kept expressly for that purpose. If he needs medical attention he is told to come up to the “sick-call” in the forenoon at nine o'clock. All ailing prisoners can attend this call each morning.

THE PRISONER IS ASSIGNED WORK

By this time the new arrival is, in all probability, wondering what will happen next, but he is soon enlightened. Work in one of the various departments will be assigned him, for instance, presuming that the shop where he is to be employed is the twine factory, he is turned over to the guard of that particular shop. This officer instructs him very minutely as to shop rules and duties that will devolve upon him, and usually accompanies his instructions with some good, sound advice as to how to best get along with the least possible trouble. The shop foreman now takes him in charge and instructs him how to perform the duties required of him.

[pg 24]

At the noon hour he must take off his apron, wash his hands and face in a bucket of water placed conveniently near the shop runner, and when the guard blows another sharp blast with his whistle form in line with the other men and prepare to march to the dining room. He is now assigned a place in the ranks of his shop crew and told to always “fall in” at his place. The guard stamps his cane twice on the floor and the men begin to march to dinner.

At first the “fresh fish” makes quite a number of mistakes: In the dining room he is somewhat bewildered as to how to make his wants known to the waiters, as he has been told that talking is strictly forbidden, but upon reading the rules in the library catalogue he easily comprehends the silent method of asking for food. If he wishes bread he must hold up his right hand; meat, his fork; soup, his spoon; vegetables, his table knife; coffee, his cup, and for water, the rule is to hold up the cup inverted. This form of the sign language is fully adequate for the situation.

THE FIRST NIGHT IN HIS CELL

At the close of the first day's work the prisoner is marched to his cell. Just inside the entrance to the cell house he is handed his supper in a tin dish, goes to his cell, previously assigned to him, and remains standing with his right hand on the cell door until the evening count of the number of prisoners in the institution has been verified by the deputy warden. If the count is correct the prisoners are notified by the sounding of a gong near the desk of the cellhouse captain, at which signal they are permitted to sit down and amuse themselves as they see fit. Immediately after the ringing of the gong [pg 25 ] the gallery men pass around tea for the prisoner's evening meal in addition to what he received when he enters the cellhouse.

Our subject now has an opportunity to take a glance at the cell wherein he must spend his “little bit” as the professional crook jocularly terms his sentence. This apartment is not commodious nor supplied with modern improvements of a first-class hostelry; its dimensions are five by seven, and contains: one Bible, two cups, one small mirror, one cuspidor, one spoon, one face towel, one dish towel, one piece of soap, one comb, blankets, sheets, pillow cases, matress, bedstead and springs, one wooden chair (for first and second grade), one earthen water jar with cover, one electric light, one small shelf, one library catalogue and all the library and school books desired. If the occupant is of a philosophical bent of mind he will now realize that the way of the transgressor is indeed hard. The first month or two are the most severe upon the new arrival. His environments force him to dwell continually upon the depths of degradation to which he has fallen, and he suffers the keenest possible mental torture; but after passing this period he begins to readjust his viewpoint and adapt himself to his surroundings and then calmly awaits the termination of his sentence. Few people have any conception of what the first offender endures during his first few months' imprisonment; the thoughts of his jeopardized liberty are ever before him. In summing up and planning for the future about the worst obstacle he fears,—the quintessence of human degradation,—is the baleful word “ex-convict.” That alone hurled at the public through the medium of the public press expresses the sum total of moral turpitude and degeneracy. No matter if [pg 26] the individual in question is pure-minded, the symbol of the culture of the age in which he lives, the hyphenated word “ex-convict” seems to conjure in the minds of the public a picture that causes them to shudder with fear for their safety. As a rule this fear is not shared in by prison officials. Only about ten per cent of the inmates cause them any anxiety, the rest are orderly, perform their work promptly and properly, and cause as little trouble as possible.

Prisoners frequently remain at the work first assigned them until their discharge. However, if it is found too difficult the superintendent of the respective departments can assign other work. Should this be impossible a prisoner may put in an application to explain the situation to the warden. Each prisoner has the privilege of seeing the warden at least twice a month, who adjusts all differences of opinion between the guard and prisoner, or between prisoner and foreman. Every complaint of unjust treatment is investigated thoroughly by the warden, and equitable measures are employed to remove the bone of contention. If the guard or foreman is at fault a dignified but forcible lecture generally produces the desired result. This is also true where the inmate has been negligent in his work, causing the trouble.

As previously stated, if the new arrival remains at the task first assigned him during his entire imprisonment the routine from day to day is almost identical. He can attend chapel on Sundays if he wishes to do so; a Catholic and Lutheran chaplain preach excellent sermons each alternate Sunday.

Sixty days prior to the expiration of sentence the outgoing prisoner is given a shaving ticket, or if he desires to grow a beard he can do so, if not he can get a shave [pg 27] [pg 28] [pg 29] each week as usual. He is given a bath and change of underclothing each week, and if his clothes and shoes need repairing he is taken to the tailor department and supplied with a new outfit. A few days before his time expires he is taken to the tailor shop and fitted to his outgoing suit of clothes, and upon the day preceding his discharge is sent to the cellhouse barber shop, where he is given a hair cut and shave.

Interior of Men's Cell

Employee's Dining Room

Officers' Kitchen

THE PRISONER'S RELEASE

Now arrives the day so anxiously anticipated by those incarcerated in our penitentiary. A new beginning and a new chapter in their life's history is before them. It is an event that so greatly excites the average outgoing prisoner that he hardly knows what he is doing, and in many cases his nerves are in such a condition that he is unable to sign the receipt for the money that he receives. The inmate in the forenoon is notified of his release, and is immediately taken to the tailor shop, where he dons his discharged clothing, is given any personal belongings that may have been in his cell by the captain of the cell-house, who inspects them in order to ascertain whether or not he is the owner thereof. He is now conducted to the administration building by the deputy warden, where he is given his discharge papers and twenty-five dollars in money, a sum provided by law for each released prisoner. Just before he walks into the world a free man the former inmate is told to step into the warden's office, and this gentleman gives his departing “guest” a few words of helpful advice, bidding him Godspeed on his journey.

[pg 30]

WHY SOCIETY SHOULD ACCORD HIM A SQUARE DEAL

The discharged prisoner is now in the hands and at the mercy of society. If he is accorded a square deal he may become a useful citizen. If it is his misfortune to become associated with bigoted zealots who taunt him with his past degradation the chances are that he will become a criminal again and prove a source of great expense to the state.

In closing this chapter it would be well to suggest that every ex-convict is not a dyed-in-the-wool villian, but that persecution may make him such in the course of events. Is he entitled to a square deal? Most assuredly so, especially if he is employed at honest work and his every action shows determination to lead an upright life. He has sinned against society, it is true, but without question he has paid the debt of his transgression a hundred fold by his imprisonment. Still, after all has been said, a bad reputation is a difficult thing to live down, even that which clings to the free citizen. The discharged prisoner's chief reliance, therefore, in the final analysis is to so circumspectly conduct himself as to place him above the carping criticisms of his new associates. If he follows this course his neighbors are not likely to keep their eyes on his “cracked” reputation.

[pg 31]

DEPARTMENTS AND INDUSTRIES OF THE MINNESOTA STATE PRISON

THE ADMINISTRATION BUILDING.

The administration building is directly under the charge of Warden Wolfer. He has the power to appoint all subordinate officers and employes and discharge them for inefficiency and insubordination. As chief executive officer of the prison, under the supervision of the State Board of Control, the warden is directly responsible for its successful management, the humane treatment and reformation of the inmates placed in his care for safe keeping.

Warden Wolfer is one of the best prison men in this country and the enviable reputation Minnesota's penitentiary has attained is due entirely to his long and successful experience in handling criminals. He has headed the Stillwater institution for nearly twenty years and has conducted the affairs of the prison in a sane and business-like manner. Under his unceasing vigilance the institution has emerged from a non-paying to a profit-earning enterprise, and today it is one of the best self-supporting institutions in the world, for, in our opinion, Europe has nothing that can compare with it. Mr. Wolfer has received many flattering offers from other states to take charge of their penal institutions, but he has declined, preferring to remain at the head of the institution that he has worked so faithfully to perfect.

[pg 32]

The position of warden of the Minnesota state prison is no sinecure, for that presiding officer is one of the busiest men in the state. The business connected with the twine plant, conducted almost entirely on a mail-order basis, is colossal in itself, there being nearly fifteen million pounds to be disposed of each year. In addition to this important item the task of maintaining peace and harmony among the officers, guards, employes and the (at present) seven hundred prisoners assumes monumental proportions. However, Mr. Wolfer has succeeded in performing this gigantic labor for all concerned year in and year out with rare tact and good judgment.

For comparative purposes, the expenses ten years ago, with a population of 504 prisoners, exceeded the earnings by $35,285.04, whereas the earnings for 1906-7 were $329,735.70, a remarkable showing indeed and speaking well for the executive ability of the present management.

Warden Wolfer is an excellent type of the successful self-made man. From a guard in his youth at the Joliet (Ill.) penitentiary and later in charge of the Detroit House of Correction, he was enabled to accept the wardenship of the Stillwater, Minnesota, institution.

There are several assistants employed in the executive department, where the method of conducting the business of the prison is thoroughly systematized and the organization is as nearly perfect as possible. The warden is at all times in touch with every detail of the institution and all correspondence of the prison, of whatsoever nature, passes through his hands for final disposition. He makes a trip each day through the various departments, morning and afternoon, to personally ascertain that everything is in proper order. This watchfulness produces good results; for instance, a short time ago he [pg 33] [pg 34] [pg 35] found a guard in the act of assaulting a prisoner and immediately discharged him. Again, he overheard a guard using extremely abusive language toward a prisoner and reduced his salary in consequence. As all such offenses are posted on a bulletin board just outside of the warden's office and in the corridor leading into the prison the officers and guards are careful in their treatment of inmates under their charge.

Horace W. Davis, Chief Clerk and Accounting Officer.

Main Street Inside Prison Walls

Convicts During Sunday Drill

Minnesota should rightly feel proud of her penal institution, and especially of Warden Wolfer, who has advanced the prison to the high standard of efficiency it occupies in the ranks of modern penology.

The Deputy Warden's Headquarters

The deputy warden ranks next to the warden in the administration duties of Minnesota's penal institution; in fact, he is the warden's right-hand man in conducting the disciplinary affairs of the institution. Much depends upon his efficiency in promoting harmony and goodwill among the prisoners.

The deputy warden's office is located on the ground floor of the hospital building, and it is here that all the statistical records of incoming prisoners are preserved, such as the Bertillon measurements, finger-print system, etc.

The duties of the deputy warden are many and arduous. Mr. Backland has had many years experience as a prison man and is very popular among the officers, guards and employees. He is always courteous to guards and prisoners alike. The following are the duties governing the deputy warden:

[pg 36]

Duties of the Deputy Warden

1.

The Deputy Warden is the assistant and agent of the Warden in the government and management of the inmates of the prison—more particularly in securing compliance with its rules by the subordinate officers, employees and inmates.

2.

He shall be present daily at the prison from the hour of unlocking in the morning until after the inmates shall have been locked up at night, unless leave of absence has been granted by the Warden, and he shall visit the prison occasionally at night, and personally ascertain that the inmates are secure and that the officers are on duty and alert.

3.

In the absence of the Warden, the Deputy shall perform the duty of that office relating to the government and management of the inmates of the prison. His orders shall be respected and obeyed by subordinate officers, guards, employees and inmates, so far as relates to discipline and carrying out such rules and orders of the Board of Control as are not otherwise delegated.

4.

Under the order of the Warden, the Deputy Warden shall have special control and direction of all officers under his own rank, and all guards and employees of the prison, and shall be responsible that everyone performs his respective duties with intelligence, fidelity and zeal. It shall also be his duty to promptly report to the Warden every neglect of duty, impropriety, or misconduct, on the part of any officer, guard, or employee.

5.

The Deputy Warden shall be minute in the inspection of every person when coming on duty, especially armed guards, and of their arms, and shall report to the Warden the name of any person who may come on duty under the influence of intoxicants, or without being in an appropriate uniform, or whose uniform is not in good condition; and all who are unworthy or inefficient from any cause.

6.

He may grant leave of absence to any officer, guard, or employee for a period of one day, but no longer, without consulting the Warden, except on emergent occasions, and then only in the absence of the Warden. The Deputy Warden shall enforce obedience to the rules and regulations, and to all orders given by the Warden, and shall maintain, generally, the police and discipline of the prison with the strictest exactness. For [pg 37] [pg 38] [pg 39] that purpose he shall frequently, during the day, but at irregular intervals and without notice, visit the shops, towers, yards, guardposts, hospital, kitchen, cells and all other apartments of the prison, and the different places where work is being done, and take every precaution for the security of the place and its inmates. And he shall see that the officers and guards are vigilant and attentive to their duty, and that they keep the inmates in their charge diligently employed during the hours of labor.

7.

He shall not permit any book, pamphlet or newspaper to be read by, or be in possession of, any subordinate officer, guard, foreman, or employee, while on duty in or about the prison. Nor shall he permit the use of liquor or smoking on the premises by any such officer, instructor, guard, or employee, while on duty.

8.

When an inmate is received the Deputy Warden shall see that he is bathed, shaved and has his hair cut, clothed in the suit of a second grade inmate, and duly presented to the Physician for examination, after which he shall measure him according to the Bertillon system, and also carefully examine into his past history and character, reporting same on blanks furnished for that purpose, after which he shall assign him to work under the direction of the Warden. He shall, at short intervals, but irregularly examine the gates, locks, doors, levers and gratings in and about the prison, and see that they are in a good and safe condition.

9.

He shall exercise due vigilance to see that there is no unnecessary waste or loss of the property of the prison, and that there is the strictest economy in the consumption and the use of supplies. Also that thorough neatness, cleanliness and good order are maintained throughout all the buildings and the grounds.

10.

He shall make himself acquainted with the social habits and conduct of every subordinate officer, guard or employee of the prison, and particularly whether, when off duty, such officer, guard or employee is a frequenter of saloons or other houses of similar resort, or associates with idle or loose characters, and report his information to the Warden.

11.

He shall see that no material is allowed to be placed near the enclosing walls, and that nothing is accessible to inmates which might facilitate escape. He shall especially see that all ladders are properly secured.

12.

As all business must first be directed through the office of the institution, he shall have a vigilant eye over every person who may have business with the prison, yards and workshops. And also see that nothing which has not been authorized by inspection in the office is carried in or out for inmates or others; and that no communication is held by such person with any inmate, except by authority granted, and in the presence of an officer.

13.

He shall, every night, before relieving the officers and guards from duty, verify, by actual count of inmates to be made by subordinates, the written daily count report furnished him from the office.

14.

As the prison reformatory law affords to inmates the privilege of earning diminution of imprisonment from maximum sentence, affects their grade standing, and in consequence their chances for parole, it will be incumbent upon all authorities of the prison to give the strictest attention to the conduct of each, that no injustice be done to any inmate or to the state. And especially it shall be the duty of the Deputy Warden to satisfy himself as to the behavior of each inmate, and his industry, alacrity and zeal in the execution of his work, so that he may be able to advise with the Warden as to the merits and proper standing of each. For this purpose he shall, when making his rounds, frequently communicate with officers, guards and employees.

15.

All breaches of discipline, or other offenses by an inmate, must be immediately reported in writing by the officer in charge to the Deputy Warden, who shall, at the earliest opportunity, make full inquiry into the facts. And if he cannot easily excuse or correct the offender without the infliction of a penalty, he will make a full report to the Warden, at the earliest practical moment, and inflict such punishment as may be necessary under his direction.

16.

The Deputy Warden shall select from the trusty inmates a sufficient number to compose a well regulated fire department and assign them to their respective duties and stations in conjunction and in harmony with the Chief Engineer. Frequent tests of the fire apparatus shall be made and frequent false alarms given and runs made to test the efficiency of the department.

17.

He shall take careful invoice of all personal property brought in by prisoners, and deposit it with the Chief Clerk for safe keeping. It shall also be his duty to store and preserve in as good condition as possible the clothing worn by a prisoner when requested to do so by said prisoner.

18.

The Deputy Warden will assign inmates to the several employments and make details of inmates to act as runners, messengers, or distributors of material in shops or elsewhere, and will decide how far such inmates may converse with other inmates, and give them such permission if any is necessary, through the officer in charge. He will, each day, make a written report to the Warden, giving the number of inmates on the previous day and how many were employed.

Deputy Warden Backland's Office, with Inmate Clerk

Prisoner's Band with Convicts Entering Cellhouse

Interior of Woman's Cell

Band with Convicts Entering Cellhouse After Outing on Holiday

Prisoner Band and Convicts Entering Cellhouse

Citizens Who Work in Shoe-Shop Leaving Prison Through Main Gate

Officer's Barber Shop with Inmate Barber

Room where Breads and Pastries are Cooled

On this floor are also located the punishment cells, the crank department and the insane ward. At the present time there are about twenty insane prisoners there and many are very dangerous and quite difficult to handle. Mike Brennan has been locked in this ward for many years. He is a life prisoner, has violent homicidal tendencies and has attacked several prisoners before being finally separated from his fellow inmates.

Mike Cunningham, who recently killed another prisoner and received a life sentence, is confined in the crank department. Cunningham is very treacherous. He conceals a sharp instrument about his person to use whenever an opportunity presents itself. He is guarded with great care by the officer in charge to see that he obtains nothing of a dangerous nature.

Each afternoon the deputy warden holds court in his office; at this time all reports of the various guards are considered and reprimands administered for violations of prison rules. The charge is first read to the offender and he is permitted to reply in his own defense. If he can prove extenuating circumstances in excuse for his breach of the rules he is excused; if not, reprimanded [pg 41] [pg 42] [pg 43] [pg 44] and perhaps deprived of his tobacco and writing tickets for three or four weeks; without these tickets the privilege is withheld.

It is well to state that no high-priced attorneys are retained by the accused in this “court” in order to locate a full-grown technicality whereby the chances of escaping censure are greatly enhanced. If the inmate has committed a serious offense the deputy warden is empowered to order the culprit put in the solitary for several days on bread and water.

Corporal punishment is strictly prohibited, and no guard or officer is permitted to “club” a prisoner except in self defense or to quell a mutiny. The following are the principal offenses for which prisoners are reported:

| Altering clothing.
| Bed not properly made.
| Clothing not in proper order.
| Communicating by signs.
| Defacing property.
| Dilatory.
| Dirty cell or furnishings.
| Disobedience.
| Disturbance in cellhouse.
| Fighting.
| Hands in pockets.
| Hands or face not clean.
| Hair not combed.
| Impertinence to visitors.
| Insolence to officers.
| Insolence to foremen.
| Insolence to fellow prisoners.
| Inattentive in line.
| Inattentive at work.
| Inattentive in school.
| Laughing and fooling.
| Loud talk in cell.
| Loud reading in cell.
| Malicious mischief.
| Not out of bed promptly.
| Not at door for count.
| Not wearing outside shirt.
| Not promptly out of cell when brake is drawn.
| Out of place in shop or line.
| Profanity.
| Quarreling.
| Shirking.
| Spitting on the floor.
| Staring at visitors.
| Stealing.
| Trading.
| Talking in chapel.
| Talking in line.
| Talking in school.
| Talking at work.
| Talking from cell to cell.
| Talking in corridor.
| Throwing away food.

Cellhouse Looking West. In Front of Desk on Left New Arrival is Searched

The Hospital in Background, and Sick Prisoners in Park

[pg 45] [pg 46] [pg 47]

THE HOSPITAL.

This building is located at the western end of the yard and at the head of the main thoroughfare of the prison. It is modern, well lighted, ventilated, has commodious rooms and a physician is always in attendance. Dr. B. J. Merrill has been at the head of this department for many years and is considered one of the best physicians and surgeons in the state. He is assisted by a resident physician constantly in attendance. The head physician visits the prison each morning at nine o'clock and prescribes for those present at “sick call.” This call, as previously stated, takes place every morning, the men being gathered from the various departments of the prison by the assistant deputy warden.

Any prisoner who is not feeling well need only inform his guard that he wishes to see the doctor and his request is granted. This is obligatory on the part of the guard, as the physician's orders are final in such matters.

When the sick-call men arrive at the hospital they form in line just outside the door and are called into the doctor's office one at a time. The inmate states his complaint and his name and prescription is entered on the records. If too sick to work he is permitted to either stay in the hospital, loaf in the park or remain in a cell for the day. There are several cells in the cell-house which are used exclusively for this purpose. After the chronic cases have been disposed of the chief physician attends to the more serious ailments. He also prescribes the diet for the sick prisoners, and if they order anything that is not in the culinary department it is purchased at once.

The hospital is well patronized by the inmates. During [pg 48] the month of July, 1908, 2,018 cases were disposed of. But the building used for a hospital is now altogether inadequate to accommodate the growing demands of the institution, as the population of the prison has practically doubled during the past decade.

With regard to epidemics the prison has been very fortunate and the mortality list has been exceedingly small. The death rate for 1908 was only nine, principally due to tuberculosis, a disease which is quite prevalent in penitentiaries the world over.

During the summer months the convalescent patients are permitted the freedom of the park all day. Those who are unable to walk are carried down and given an opportunity to get the beneficial outdoor air.

The following rules give a clear idea of the duties of chief physician:

Duties of the Prison Physician

1.

The Physician shall visit the prison every day, between the hours of seven and ten in the morning, and examine and prescribe for all sick inmates, and also at such other times as the condition of the inmates may demand. He shall also visit all prisoners in the sick cells who are unable to come to sick call. If sent for at any time by the Warden or Deputy Warden to attend an inmate he shall immediately do so to the exclusion of all other engagements.

2.

He shall examine every inmate on his entering the prison, and record in a book for that purpose his name, date of entrance, date of examination, nationality and race of inmate, and of his parents; his weight, stature and heredity, so far as affects his criminality or health; also the condition of his heart, lungs and other organs; the rate of pulse and respiration; the measurement of the chest and abdomen, and any existing disease, deformity or other acquired or inherited disability, and he shall immediately vaccinate him.

3.

He shall keep a record of all admissions to and discharges [pg 49] [pg 50] [pg 51] from the hospital, and of all cases treated by him, with the name, number and the place of the inmate, and the diagnosis and treatment, with such observations as may assist in forming a perfect record of each patient.

4.

He shall make a written report daily to the Warden of the attendance at the sick call in the morning, and of the disposition made of those reported sick. And also of all admissions to, and discharges from the hospital.

5.

He shall, every morning, carefully examine all inmates in the solitary cells, or in special restraint or punishment elsewhere, and shall make a written report to the Warden as to the condition of each. He shall be particular to report to the Warden in writing any inmate whose health he thinks is being injured by the punishment or restraint he is being subjected to, and shall recommend such changes in such inmate's diet or otherwise as he may think necessary. In the absence of the Physician the Assistant Physician shall make similar examinations every evening, and make a written report to the Warden.

6.

The Physician shall frequently, and also whenever requested by the Warden, examine all of the cells of the inmates, the plumbing and cell ventilators, for the purpose of ascertaining whether they are kept in a proper state of cleanliness and ventilation and in a good sanitary condition and report their condition to the Warden and to the official who made the request.

7.

He shall, whenever requested by the Warden, and also whenever he thinks proper, examine the quality of the provisions and condition of the food provided for inmates. Whenever he shall find that any provisions are unwholesome, or that the food is insufficient, or for any reason prejudicial to their health, he shall immediately make report thereof to the Warden.

8.

He shall have full control over the patients in the hospital, subject to the rules of the prison and instructions of the Warden, and shall give daily instructions as to the treatment of each patient to the assistant physician and his orders must be followed.

9.

In case an inmate claims to be unable to labor by reason of sickness or other disability, the Physician shall examine such inmate. If, in his opinion, such inmate is unable to labor, or his occupation should be changed, he shall immediately certify [pg 52] the fact to the Warden. Such inmate shall thereupon be released from labor or his occupation be changed or he be admitted to the hospital or elsewhere for medical treatment, as the Physician shall direct, having due regard for the safe keeping of such inmate. When he certifies that such inmate is sufficiently recovered to be able to labor the inmate may be required to do so.

10.

He shall, whenever requested to do so by the Warden, make a careful examination of any inmate, and make a written report of his physical and mental condition.

11.

Whenever an inmate, in the opinion of the Physician, becomes insane, he shall certify the fact to the Warden, giving his reasons therefor, and make a full statement of the mental and physical condition of the prisoner, together with his opinion as to what disposition should be made of him.

12.

When an inmate dies the Physician shall record the cause of death and all the circumstances connected therewith, and as full a history of the previous health of the prisoner as he may be able, and immediately report the information to the Warden.

13.

When the Physician considers it necessary, or when requested by the Warden, to make a post-morten examination of the body of a deceased inmate, he shall do so within twenty-four hours thereafter, if possible, and shall immediately make a written report of the result of his examination to the Warden as to the cause of death. He shall also call the coroner of the county whenever he may deem it proper to do so.

14.

The Physician may be assigned an assistant to be designated as Assistant Physician and such number of nurses as may be necessary to properly care for the sick. Such Assistant Physician shall be selected by the Warden with the approval of the Physician, and shall carry out in full the Physician's orders in the care of the sick.

15. | He shall keep such books, and in such form as may be ordered by the Board of Control and by the Warden.

16.

He shall report in writing to the Warden for the information of the Board of Control at its monthly meeting, the patients received into the hospital or treated in the cells or elsewhere during the preceding month, stating their respective ages, diseases, previous occupations in prison, the time they have remained [pg 53] in the hospital or cells, the date of commencement and termination of treatment, and number of days during which such patients, in consequence of sickness, have been relieved from labor. Also the death and cause thereof, transfers to Insane Asylums and such other facts, with recommendations, as he desires to submit.

17.

At the close of each biennial period the Physician shall make a report to the Board of Control as to the sanitary condition of the prison during the biennial period just passed, in which he shall present, in summarized form, all information included in his daily and monthly reports. The Physician will be responsible for all instruments and supplies in his department.

Hospital Cell and Life Prisoner

Prisoner's Exercise Drill on Sunday

Hospital Cells, Prison Doctor and Inmates

HALLUCINATIONS OF A FEW PRISONERS

Like all other penitentiaries, the Minnesota State Prison contains its quota of inmates who are slightly demented, or who have periodical fits of hallucinations. When these unfortunates give oral demonstrations in the evening after the prisoners have retired and all is quiet for the night they furnish considerable amusement. Their mental state, of course, is deplored by all, and it is only their language that arouses the risibilities of fellow prisoners.

THE TELEGRAPH OPERATOR.

One of these men imagined himself to be an operator in St. Paul; that he had a train going out and one coming in on the same line. He was vigorously tapping away on one of the walls of his cell when a night guard asked him what troubled him. “This,” said the prisoner in all seriousness, “is a telegraph station in St. Paul.” [pg 54] “Well, you had better cut this out and go to bed; the prisoners can't sleep with all this fuss going on.” “Fuss nothing,” angrily retorted the prisoner, “I'm attending strictly to business! The Governor is on one of those trains and if there is a wreck there will be trouble!”

The captain of the night watch immediately sent for the deputy warden to suppress the “operator,” who, when he arrived, and after a sharp command to be quiet, without glancing up from his “key” ordered the deputy to go away and “not interrupt him.” Of course this rejoinder caused the other inmates to burst out laughing, and no amount of discipline could check their merriment. By this time it was necessary to open the cell door and take the operator bodily from his “key” and transfer him to the observation ward at the solitary. Just as he was relieved from “duty” he shrieked at the deputy, “You will catch h— if those two trains come together!”

THE BEDBUG INCIDENT.

For some unaccountable reason the cellhouse building is infested with bedbugs, notwithstanding the fact that every effort is made to exterminate them. An afflicted prisoner one day stepped up to the deputy warden, respectfully gave the customary military salute, and, with a solemn face that would do credit to a judge about to impose the death penalty, remarked: “Say deputy, I have a complaint to make.” “All right, proceed,” said the deputy. “Well,” continued the prisoner, “there are about five hundred inmates who pass my cell every day going to and from their work and each man throws a bedbug into my cell. This d— foolishness has to be stopped or there will be something doing,” and the man looked as though he meant business. Telling of the [pg 55] incident afterwards, the deputy said that the story was so absurd he could scarcely refrain from laughing.

THE X-RAY MACHINE.

There was also a prisoner whose particular form of dementia was in imagining that the man in the cell above him persited in turning an X-ray machine on him, and the imprecations that he would voice every now and then are unprintable. The incident had its laughable side, nevertheless, and an outburst from him was always very amusing.

So, too, were the demonstrations of the man who imagined that he had a river on his back that emptied into his left ear. Every now and then he would exclaim, “Boys, the river is rising,” or that the “river was drying up.” He was absolutely harmless, but a trifle noisy.

IMAGINES HIMSELF PRESIDENT.

At present there is a life prisoner confined in the Minnesota State Prison who constantly imagines himself the President of the United States. He is a Russian, was considered quite harmless until a few years ago, when he threatened to kill the deputy warden, and was removed to the crank department. His conversations were very ludicrous, continually promising the boys who talked with him that “as soon as he was pardoned (which was always soon) he would appoint them” to the various positions at the disposal of the chief executive. As a humorist he was on a par with the inmate who imagines that his cell is full of ghosts. Every now and then this man proceeds to drive out these unwelcome intruders, and swears at them roundly. He becomes very noisy during this driving out process and the night guards [pg 56] frequently command him to desist. When assured that the ghosts are all out of his cell he remains quiet the rest of the evening. These spells occur frequently, and there is little question but that the man really believes that ghosts are in his cell.

PRISON HUMOR.

Several years ago there was an inmate in the Stillwater penitentiary who unconsciously perpetrated one of the best jokes that had been heard at the institution for some time. He was a German and a hard-working carpenter by trade. He was honest to a fault and led a model life while on the outside. The crime for which he was sentenced was assault on a fellow workman, and for this offense he received a two-year sentence at the Stillwater penitentiary. He was immediately put to work for the Minnesota Thresher Co., being assigned work in one of the carpenter shops. One day he forgot to take his plug of chewing tobacco with him to the shop, having left it laying on the small table in his cell. That evening when he came in from work he found the plug of tobacco missing. He at once began calling for one of the night guards, and on that gentleman's arrival the prisoner remarked:

“Say, Mr. Guard, dere must pe thieves in dis here blace. Mine tobacco's she was gone, und I harms noboddies. I dink ve petter send for dere bolicemans und catch sum uf dem rascals.”

The foregoing story is absolutely authentic, and was told again and again by the prisoners who appreciate a good joke as keenly as their free brothers. It also brings out rather forcibly the fact that, notwithstanding the man was in prison, he was still honest.

[pg 57]

THE VERSATILE PRISONER.

It is quite generally known that the prisoners at the Minnesota state prison are prohibited from talking, and what conversation there is, generally takes place on a holiday or is permitted in cases where their work makes talking necessary. One day there was committed to the prison a man who was proficient in a dozen different languages. The deputy warden was examining the man as to his birth, nationality, religion, etc., and when he asked the prisoner his nationality he replied that he could talk in several different languages. “Hump,” grunted the deputy, “we talk English here and d— little of that.”

CAPT. “JACK” CRAWFORD'S JOKE ON THE GUARDS.

Several years ago the poet-scout, Capt. “Jack” Crawford, delivered a lecture in the prison chapel to the inmates. In passing it is well to state that this well-known lecturer makes it a point to visit the various penal and charitable institutions throughout the country free of charge, hence his friendly call at the Stillwater prison.

During the course of Mr. Crawford's remarks he paused in his discourse and said: “Men, I heartily sympathize with you for being in the unfortunate condition you are, but (and the speaker pointed his hands at each side of the room where the guards were stationed) if these high-toned gentlemen in blue uniforms were dressed in the same clothes you are and placed among you, why I couldn't tell the difference between you!”

This unintentional joke at the guards caused a great deal of applause, but when Mr. Crawford's remarks are [pg 58] examined by cold, logic, it will be found that he simply told the truth and that the dissimilarity is a question of clothes and nothing else.

FEEDING THE DONKEYS.

When the prison band was first organized the inmate musicians made a noise that was something indescribable. It sounded like a sawmill blowing up, or a handsaw striking a 60-penny spike. One day one of the highly-strung nervous chaps went up to the deputy warden and asked permission to buy a bale of hay.

“What do you want hay for?” asked the deputy.

“Why,” replied the prisoner, “I would like to present a bale of hay to those jackasses in the park who are making all that confounded noise.”

TRICKS OF PRISONERS WHO SHAM ILLNESS

A prison is not an admirable place for those disinclined to work. A man occasionally succeeds in hoodwinking the authorities for a time, but this rarely occurs. Whenever there is a reasonable doubt the prisoner is given the benefit of it. A case in particular is that of one Mr. B., who complained that the entire lower part of his body was paralyzed and that he was unable to walk. He was given a pair of crutches and put in the hospital ward, where he lived well, his wants supplied by the attendants and where he had absolutely nothing to do. The doctors suspected that he was faking and secretly applied tests to verify their belief. Evidently the man was on his guard and fully acquainted with the various modes of procedure in such cases, for he stood the tests unflinchingly.

[pg 59]

Finally Warden Wolfer took his case under personal charge and evolved a plan that the clever prisoner had not figured on as one of the possibilities of detection. The strategy was this: A newly-appointed guard was dressed in a third-grade suit of convict clothes on the day when the prisoners in the crank department were given their weekly shave. Mr. B. was sitting on the bench waiting to be shaved. The deputy warden stepped into the room with the alleged third-grade prisoner and gruffly ordered him to be seated, then turned to the barber and told him to shave the third-grade man next, as he was in a hurry. Not an inkling of suspicion flashed across Mr. B.'s brain. In the door leading into this ward a small peep-hole is arranged, enabling the guard to look into the room without entering. The warden was stationed behind this door to observe the results of this scheme. As the third-grade “prisoner” sat down to be shaved he suddenly seized one of the barber's razors, and, with a whoop, jumped out of the chair and made for the “helpless” Mr. B., who immediately cast aside his crutches and rushed down the corridor to escape from the supposed demented “prisoner.” The fact that his legs were paralyzed and that he was acting a part was entirely forgotten.

At this stage of the proceedings the warden entered the room and informed the crestfallen Mr. B. that the comedy was over. At first he was inclined to continue the paralytic roll, but when informed that he had the option of going to work or taking an indefinite stay on a bread-and-water diet he wisely chose the first alternative, and for the remainder of his term gave no more trouble.

Another case of shirking is that of Mr. M., who is a life prisoner and who has spent over a quarter of a [pg 60] century behind the bars of Minnesota's famous penal institution. He insisted that something was wrong with his limbs and that he could not walk; that he needed the assistance of crutches, but one night one of the nurses observed him walking back and forth in his cell, evidently taking a needed constitutional. He was sent to work in a few days and is today walking as successfully as ever. He employed this deception for many years.

A “HORSE” ON THE PRISON PHYSICIAN.

Some time ago there arrived at the prison a man who appeared to be, as far as visible appearances were concerned, a chronic sufferer from epileptic fits. On the day he entered prison he had two of these fits, and almost every day thereafter they occurred with surprising frequency. The assistant physician was always called on these occasions, but could do nothing for the sufferer, he being thoroughly convinced that the fits were the real article. The prisoner was given an easy position in the cellhouse, as it was considered too dangerous to have him working in the shops alongside of the machines, belting, etc.

Finally, however, this easy job began to pall on the epileptic prisoner's nerves; and he asked the deputy warden to be transferred to the shops. “I can't do it,” said the deputy, “as it would be against the physician's orders to change your work.”

“Well, if that is the case I will have to cut out the fit business,” replied the prisoner.

“What do you mean?” asked the deputy warden.

“These fits are all fakes,” smilingly retorted the prisoner, “and I can cut them out any time.”

[pg 61]

“The only way you can convince me that these epileptic fits are not genuine is to stop having them. If you do this for thirty days, I will give you any job you want.”

The prisoner got the job, greatly to the mystification of the physicians and the deputy warden.

ESCAPES FROM PRISON

There has been but one successful escape during the eighteen years that Warden Wolfer has had charge of the prison. A capture was, however, effected a few days later. The escape was neatly planned, and the “loophole” through which he crawled could only have been detected by one who was constantly looking for a chance to “fly the coop,” using a prisoner's expression. Opportunity came to him in the following manner: It was the custom of the captain of the cellhouse to unlock the doors immediately after the men had left their cells. In the fall of the year it is still quite dark when the prisoners march into the dining room to breakfast. On the morning that Mr. B. made his escape he simply remained in his cell, and as soon as the captain of the cell house unlocked the side doors and went back to his desk came out of his cell, cautiously made his way out of one of the side doors and made a beeline for the wall near the railroad gate, negotiating the same near this point. The wall guard imagined that he saw some one go over the top of the wall and fired several shots in that direction, but it was still very dark and he was uncertain just what it was. The prisoner got away without a scratch, but, as previously stated, was recaptured a few days later. Shot by a farmer whom he tried to rob and received a bad bullet wound in one of his ankles. The farmer, however, was not aware of his identity,—had ordered [pg 62] him off his premises, but the prisoner acted in a threatening manner and was thereupon shot.

About seventeen years ago another attempt to escape was made by a desperate young fellow and two companions. They evaded the guard, slipped out of the shop near the wagon gate and then waited where they were not observed; then a dash for freedom through this big double gate as it swung open to permit a team to pass out. All three were apprehended shortly afterwards under the warehouse building of the Minnesota Thresher Co., where they had sought temporary refuge. This was just opposite the prison. It is very improbable that any more attempts will be made through this gate, a guard now being stationed on the wall above the gate and one across the street. Formerly there was but one guard in charge of the gate, which had a tendency to invite attack at this quarter.

Prison Band

Prison Band In Park

Prison Train Backing Into Prison Yard to be Loaded with Twine

Train Leaving Prison Yard After Loading

About twenty-five years ago a prisoner, Frank Landis by name, made as successful an escape as was ever made from any institution. He sawed the bars on one of the cell house windows, squeezed himself through and has never been heard from since. Landis had arrived in St. Paul one day and victimized business men out of nearly twenty-five thousand dollars. He represented himself to be the son of a rich merchant of La Crosse, Wis., and, to allay suspicion, invited one of the merchants to telegraph at his expense as to his credentials. He evidently had a confederate at the other end of the line, as word came back that he was O. K. After getting this merchant to cash his checks he next induced him to introduce the generous buyer to other merchants, the aforesaid merchant vouching for his standing in each instance. One [pg 63] [pg 64] [pg 65] man became suspicious, and early the next morning communicated with La Crosse and received immediate advice that the name was unknown. Then the hunt for Landis began, but he had departed for parts unknown, was later captured and received twenty years in the Stillwater penitentiary. Here his stay was of short duration, as he soon made his escape.

On a previous page we stated that there had been but one escape from the Minnesota State Prison since Mr. Wolfer has been warden. Recently, however, a “trusty,” who had been acting as coachman, took advantage of the freedom allowed him and disappeared. This is not considered by the officials as an escape in the true sense of the word. Below we give the “trusty's” picture with the Bertillon Measurements.

| Height, 1 m 75 1
| Height 5 ft. 9 in.
| Outs A 1 m 82
| Trunk 90
| Head Length 19.8
| Head Width 15.3
| Cheek Width 13.6
| R. Ear 7.2
| L. Foot 27.4d1
| L. Mid F. 11.6
| L. Lit. F. 9.2
| L Forearm 48.1

[pg 66]

Name, Allus Petwray, No. 2654. Nationality, African; age, 30; color, Negro; build, muscular; complexion, M. brown; hair, black; eyes, Mar. deep; weight. 161.

Sentenced March 1, 1909; term, 2½ years. From Polk county, for the crime of grand larceny, second degree.

Marks and scars: 1 cut:- hor. rec. 1.5 c at 3 d ph. R. III-Cut:- rec. hor. 4c at on & sr. of cen. sr. brw. III-Cic;- rec. ob. 1c at slt. over & sr. out. pt. sr. eye. III-cut:-rec. ver. sit. ob. 3c at 2.5 to front dx. tragus. III-Cut:-rec. ob. 8c at 3 over dx. ear.

Occupation, coachman.

This photograph and record of Bertillon Measurements has been sent broadcast to all the police departments in the United States and Canada, and his recapture will probably be “only a question of time.”

BREAKING INTO PRISON

We have just related some cases where men have broken out of prison, and it is in order to state the facts regarding a robbery that took place at the prison. A man actually broke into prison for the purpose of stealing. He had procured a rope ladder and scaled one of the rear walls, made his way to the Western Shoe company's factory and selected the finest case of shoes he could find. He then retraced his way to the wall, tied a rope to the case of shoes, climbed up and went away as though the act of stealing shoes from a penitentiary was an every-day accomplishment for him. He was also captured, and it was then discovered that he had been a former inmate, accounting for his familiarity with the grounds. The place is constantly patroled by two night watchmen, and it is still a mystery how he managed to evade them. This act might have been performed out of a spirit of reckless bravado to demonstrate to the other inmates that he was fully capable. His little stunt, however, cost him another residence of three and one-half years at the prison.

[pg 67]

THE PAROLE SYSTEM

The state of Minnesota was one of the first to introduce the grading and parole systems in its prison. Speaking of this feature, Warden Wolfer says:

“We have paroled 934 prisoners since the parole law went into effect in 1894. We now have 72 prisoners on parole, three of whom are females. Of those paroled 716 were committed on a definite sentence, and 218 on Reformatory Plan.”

“The grading and parole law continues to work satisfactorily and gives much promise and encouragement for the future. We are often disappointed by the failure of promising parole men to make good, but on the other hand, we are as often encouraged by the less promising who have made good beyond our most sanguine expectations. All of which demonstrates the limitation of human judgment and the difficulty of ‘reading the human heart aright.’ Most of those who break parole are carried over the line by some weakness, usually intemperance, a weakness that they do not seem able to control.”

“We are glad to be able to say that our expedience with the grading and parole system gives us growing encouragement and hope for the future, because we believe we have hopeful and satisfying evidence that few men break their parole because of the desire to do wrong. As a rule, the parole breaker heartily regrets his misstep, and frequently will make good if given another chance.”

“The parole embodies those ethical principles of conduct that make for normal life and good character. Rationally and constructively applied, it builds up and encourages manhood and at the same time it discourages a disposition to yield to weakening impulses that lead to wrongdoing. Every possible effort should be made to apprehend and return the fugitive parole breaker, for if allowed to remain at large he is almost sure to become a confirmed criminal. Therefore, a more thorough supervision of paroled prisoners is necessary, and a more accurate system for the apprehension and identification of parole breakers seems imperative in every state, and throughout the country, wherever the parole system is in vogue.”

[pg 68]

“Of the 934 prisoners paroled 59 per cent were finally discharged by reason of expiration of definite sentence; 13 2-3 per cent, who were committed on the Reformatory Plan, were discharged by the board after having given satisfactory evidence of a desire and purpose to live honestly and become good citizens; 19 2-3 per cent of the whole number paroled violated their paroles; 17 1-3 per cent of the whole number were returned to prison to serve unexpired sentences, leaving 2 1-3 per cent parole violators now at large.”

This system has had a marked tendency to improve the discipline of the prison, for it impels inmates to bend every effort to merit this consideration at the hands of the state authorities. The state law governing the parole of prisoners from the penitentiary is as follows:

THE PAROLE LAW

Parole of Prisoners,—The State Board of Control may parole any prisoner: Provided,

1.

No convict shall be paroled who has been previously convicted of a felony other than the one for which he is serving sentence, either in this state or elsewhere.

2.

No convict serving a time sentence shall be paroled until he shall have served at least one-half of his full term, not reckoning good time.

3.

No convict serving a life sentence shall be paroled until he has served thirty-five years, less the diminution which would have been allowed for good conduct had his sentence been for thirty-five years, and then only by unanimous consent, in writing, of the members of the Board of Pardons.

4.

Such convicts while on parole shall remain in the legal custody and under control of the Board of Control, subject at any time to be returned to the prison or reformatory, and the written order of said board, certified by the Warden, shall be a sufficient warrant to any officer to retake and return to actual custody any such convict. Geographical limits wholly within [pg 69] [pg 70] [pg 71] the state may be fixed in each case, and the same enlarged or reduced according to the conduct of the prisoners.

5.

In considering applications for parole said board shall not entertain any petition, receive any written communication, or bear any argument from any attorney or other person not connected with said prison, in favor of the parole of any prisoner, but it may institute inquiries by correspondence or otherwise as to the previous history or character of such prisoner.

At the present time nearly all the states have inaugurated the parole and grading system similar to the law in operation in this state, and some are considering the advisability of introducing the system. This law is one of the best measures of the so-called modern penology and one in which the leading authorities on such matters feel the most pride.

This cut shows the condition of the safe and office of the State Bank of Stephen, Minn., after being wrecked by dynamite. This was done by three men. One escaped, one gave state's evidence and the other is now serving a term at the Minnesota State Prison.

Warden's Office

DIMINUTION OF SENTENCE

The following law will give the reader an idea of the “good time” the prisoner earns during imprisonment, and is another powerful incentive toward good conduct. Few prisoners permit themselves to commit violations of rules, the gravity of which subjects them to punishment. A man may be deprived of good time for refusing to obey an order, fighting, insolence to guard, foreman or fellow-prisoner.

Diminution of Sentence.—Every convict sentenced for a definite term other than life, whether confined in the state prison or on parole therefrom, may diminish such term as follows:

1.

For each month, commencing on the day of his arrival, during which he has not violated any prison rule or discipline, and has labored with diligence and fidelity, five days.

2. | After one year of such conduct, seven days for each month.
3. | After two years of such conduct, nine days for each month.
4. | After three years, ten days for each month for the entire time thereafter.

Said board, in view of the aggravated nature and frequency of offenses, may take away any or all of the good time previously gained, and, in consideration of mitigating circumstances or ignorance on the part of the convict, may afterwards restore him, in whole or in part, to the standing he possessed before such good time was taken away. Whenever a convict shall pass the entire period of his imprisonment without an unexcused violation of the rules or discipline, upon his discharge he shall be restored to his rights and privileges forfeited by conviction, and receive from the governor a certificate, under the seal of the state, as evidence of such restoration

DISCHARGE ALLOWANCE

In some states there is little or no provision for aiding the discharged prisoner, and in some states when parole is granted his prospective employer must first send railroad fare before he is released. In many states the discharged man is given five dollars in money, while in others he is permitted to earn money during his imprisonment. The following is the law that governs in the state of Minnesota:

Upon discharge the Warden, at the expense of the state, shall furnish each convict released with one good, serviceable suit of clothing and underclothing, and, when released between October 1 and March 31 following, with a good, serviceable overcoat; and he shall pay to each convict, when released, $25 in money drawn from the current expense fund.

[pg 73]

THE CELLHOUSE BUILDING

Within the cellhouse building there are 664 cells, ranged tier upon tier, there being six in all. The building is constructed entirely of iron and stone, and the walls are nearly three feet thick. It is safe to say that in this solidly built building more human sorrow is represented than anywhere else in the state. If an authentic record could be made of the tragedies that take place behind these grim, unsympathetic stone walls it would fill volumes. However, it would require the enviable intellect of a Victor Hugo or Charles Read to vividly picture the utter despair and blasted hopes of the many thousands who have been imprisoned within these cheerless walls since the construction of the building. It is absolutely fireproof, but quite antiquated, the sanitation and ventilation being extremely poor. About fifteen prisoners are employed in the cell house, sweeping cells, galleries, passing out water, holystoning the flags in the corridor and keeping the place as clean as possible. Two men are constantly employed in whitewashing the cells and the interior of the cell house, and another's time is wholly occupied in exterminating bedbugs, which are quite plentiful and possess large appetites.

The captain makes a tour of the galleries each morning and inspects each cell to see that everything is in order. If a cell floor or other articles are in a slovenly condition the inmate is reported to the deputy warden, whose duty it is to administer a reprimand for negligence. While making this four of inspection he delivers all incoming letters addressed to prisoners. All incoming and outgoing mail is carefully scrutinized before delivery. On Sunday morning material for writing letters [pg 74] is issued to all prisoners who are permitted to write, and the distribution of tobacco is also made at this time. The upper tiers of the galleries used to be the rendezvous for inmates possessing suicidal inclinations, not a few of whom, having lost all courage and lacking the determination to live, chose this method of ending their woes. We use the words “used to be” advisedly, for they have ceased to be an attraction to the death-desiring since the failure to accomplish the result occurred to an inmate who a short time ago took the plunge from the upper tier. In an hour or so he was at work as if nothing unusual had happened. Heretofore a plunge from the upper tiers to the stone flags always meant a call for the undertaker.

Cellhouse, Looking East

Prison Band

Spinning Room In Twine Factory looking West.

Spinning Room In Twine Factory looking East.

[pg 75] [pg 76] [pg 77]

THE CHAUTAUQUA CIRCLE

There is in existence in the Minnesota State Prison a Chautauqua circle, being a branch of the main organization, conducted entirely by the inmates and the presiding officers elected from the members thereof.

Election of officers occurs once a year. Meetings are held fortnightly in the prison chapel, at which time several papers are read and discussed by the members. At the conclusion of the meeting a critic chosen from the circle reviews the program, points out various errors in composition papers or commends them as the case may be.

The membership of this unique organization numbers about thirty, and as old members withdraw new ones are selected from the better educated prisoners. Meetings are always conducted in an orderly manner, not a snigle serious violation of the rules having occurred since the organization—about twenty years ago. Discussions at times becomes exceedingly spirited, especially if a paper is read that attacks the pet hobbies of the several members.

As an educational feature of the institution the Chautauqua circle is accomplishing excellent work and deserves the sincere patronage and commendation of the prison authorities.

BAND AND ORCHESTRA

Like the majority of the better-class prisons, Minnesota's penitentiary has the honor of having within its walls a well-equipped band and orchestra. They are in charge of an experienced citizen-music teacher, and have made [pg 78] remarkable progress since organization. About nineteen members compose the band, mostly men who have a long time to serve.

The orchestra provides music for the services in the prison chapel, and when entertainments are given provides the musical numbers on the program. Of late years it has attained a degree of efficiency that has been commended very highly by prominent visitors to the institution.

The band gives a concert each morning during the summer months and also during drill exercises, which take place in the yard every Sunday immediately after chapel service. Concerts are also given in the park on holidays, when the men are enjoying outdoor freedom, which the inmates appreciate very much, helping wonderfully to break the dull, routine monotony of prison life. The band and orchestra cost the state very little, its instruments are paid for out of the fees received from visitors, who pay a twenty-five cent admission to see the institution. This amount is donated for the benefit of the library fund.

PRISON NIGHT SCHOOL

The prison that now neglects to provide suitable educational facilities for the instruction of its inmates is considered behind the times. A great many inmates of penitentiaries are illiterate, and the prison night schools afford an excellent opportunity to acquire the fundamentals of a good education. This department is under the supervision of the superintendent of public schools of Stillwater, who is assisted by a corps of teachers chosen from among the inmates. The course of study [pg 79] corresponds to the course pursued in the state primary and grammar schools. There are fourteen classes, ranging from a, b, c class to one in advanced bookkeeping. Three sessions are held weekly, and the school is popular among the prisoners. Those serving reformatory sentences are compelled to attend, but the voluntary attendance is always in excess of the compulsory. During the season of 1907-08 the average attendance was 164, and of this number 48 were compelled to attend, while the balance, 116, attended voluntarily.

The prison night school is in operation eight months during the year, and is well partronized, many inmates receiving their first instructions in reading and writing during their period of service. To the ambitious man there is plenty of opportunity for self-improvement, so it can readily be seen that no one need wholly waste the time that he is compelled to serve for infraction of state laws. When school is not in session inmates are granted permission to have all the school books they require in pursuance of studies.

THE SHOE INDUSTRY.

This factory is conducted by the Western Shoe Co., and annually employs about 225 prisoners. There is an excellent opportunity here for the inmate to learn a trade at which he can make a good living upon his release. Few citizens are employed at this work, but a competent citizen-foreman is in charge of each shop. As far as possible prisoners are taught the business of making shoes, and many of them become very proficient at this work.

The company pays a stated price for each piece of [pg 80] work turned out, and the per diem earnings of the prisoners is larger than in any other prison in the country. The volume of business of these two industries amounts annually to more than $2,000,000. Of this total, returns from the twine factory, operated on state account, amount to $1,300,000, while the shoe company, operated on the piece-price system, does a business in excess of $800,000.

THE REPAIR SHOP.

All the repair work of the institution is performed in this department, and in this shop are located the tinner, plumbers, carpenters, painters, machinists, etc., all under the supervision of a first-class foreman. The tinner makes all the tinware used in the various departments of the prison and attends to its repairing. As the entire institution is heated by steam, the plumbers are kept constantly employed during the winter repairing radiators and overhauling wornout steam pipes. As repairs and improvements are constantly being made and as the prison buildings are quite old, considerable carpenter work is also necessitated each year.

Perhaps the busiest men in this shop are the machinists, whose business it is to see that all machinery, shafting, etc., are kept in repair, thus reducing breakdowns to the minimum. This shop is run in an economical manner and annually saves the state thousands of dollars.

TAILOR SHOP

In this department is located the tailor shop, laundry and bath room, about twenty prisoners being constantly employed in the former, making and repairing clothing [pg 81] [pg 82] [pg 83] for the inmates; the second and third rooms, of course, are devoted to washing and drying of clothes and bathing of prisoners. As there are about 700 prisoners whose clothing must be mended and washed each week, the employes of this shop find all the work they wish to do.

Prisoners at Work in Shoe Shop

Tailor Shop

Laundry

BATH ROOM

The bath room is located below the tailor shop in a two-story building. Here bathing operations are begun each Friday morning under the supervision of a guard, who marches the prisoners to the bath room, twenty-eight at a time, there being accommodations for only twenty-eight men, and each is provided with an overhead shower bath of hot or cold water.

As the guard marches in with the men the prisoners remain standing in front of their shower until the attendant registers their numbers, and the guard then stamps his cane twice on the floor to notify the prisoners to begin bathing. The registered number slips are sent upstairs, where the inmates' clothing is kept in pigeon holes arranged along the walls of the laundry, each pigeon hole being labeled with the prisoner's register number, and at the expiration of his bath is hastily sent downstairs and placed on the small door leading to his stall. Each prisoner is given a clean handkerchief and pair of socks.

When the men are through bathing and the guard again stamps twice on the floor with his cane they step out of the bathing booths, and at the signal the march back to the shop begins. It requires about fifteen minutes to bathe twenty-eight men.

[pg 84]

Just in the rear of the tailor shop is a cobler, whose duties are to repair the shoes of the inmates. All the shoes are bought, including the discharged clothing worn by the inmates, when they are relieased from prison.

Prisoners at Chapel Service on Sunday

Bath Room

Second Grade Dining Room, Accomodating 350 Prisoners, All of Whom are Fed in 15 Minutes

THE PRISON CHAPEL

Religious services are conducted in the prison chapel each Sunday, and as previously stated, a Catholic and Protestant chaplain preach every alternate Sunday. The attendance, although voluntary, is very large, taxing the capacity of the chapel. Services are held at nine a. m., previous to which time each prisoner is asked by his guard whether or not he wishes to attend.

A great many people think that, as a rule, prisoners are hardened sinners, not susceptible to the refining influence of the Gospel. But the facts do not justify this belief, for there are as many Christians in the Stillwater penitentiary, per population, as can be found anywhere. Many of the prisoners attend church every Sunday and are better inmates for the imbibing of moral instruction.

The law strictly forbids the teaching of sectarian doctrines and visiting clergymen are instructed to observe this rule.

The prison orchestra and choir, consisting of inmates, furnish the instrumental and vocal music for the services. Any inmate who wishes to consult the chaplain of the prison or the pastor of his particular denomination in regard to spiritual matters is always accorded the utmost liberty to do so. The chaplains also attend the sick in the prison hospital and conduct the burial services of the unfortunates who die in prison. Upon entering the [pg 85] [pg 86] [pg 87] chapel the men take their places on the benches and must remain seated, with their arms folded and eyes to the front. When it is necessary to arise the deputy warden gives a signal and also when to be seated. The benches contain hymn books, and all prisoners are permitted the privilege of joining in the singing.

THE DINING ROOM

Two of the inmates' dining rooms are located just above the officers' kitchen and beneath the prison chapel. The population of the prison, however, has increased so rapidly during the past few years that it was found necessary to make room for the overflow in the chapel and mess room opposite the officers' kitchen. One of the rooms in the main dining hall is devoted to first-grade prisoners and the other to the second grade.

Entering the dining room, the prisoner promptly takes his seat and remains with his arms folded until the signal to eat is given by the deputy warden. There are six waiters in each dining room, and it is their business to see that the men are promptly served. Some pass nothing but bread, others coffee or water, and the rest attend to distributing the miscellaneous items on the bill of fare. Talking is forbidden in the dining room at all times. The food is very plain, but wholesome, and there is always plenty of it. The following bills of fare, one for the winter months and the other for summer, will give an idea of the food served. They were selected from the house steward's records and are authentic copies for that date:

[pg 88]

PRISONERS' BILL OF FARE, WEEK ENDING JANUARY 4, 1907

SUNDAY.

| Breakfast: Baked pork and beans, light biscuits, syrup, butter, coffee.
| Dinner: Roast beef, mashed potatoes, mashed turnips, gravy, bread, pickles, cake.
| Supper: Hot tea.

MONDAY.

| Breakfast: Fried pork sausage, potatoes, gravy, bread, coffee.
| Dinner: Vegetable soup, boiled fresh beef, bread, potatoes, pickled beets.
| Supper: Stewed Beans, white and graham bread, tea.

TUESDAY.

| Breakfast: Corned beef hash, syrup, bread, coffee.
| Dinner: Boiled ham, cabbage, potatoes, gravy, bread, bread pudding.
| Supper: Apple sauce, white and graham bread, tea.

WEDNESDAY.

| Breakfast: Fried beef livers, potatoes, gravy, bread, coffee.
| Dinner: Roast pork with dressing, mashed potatoes, gravy, pickles, macaroni and tomatoes, bread, cake, cheese, coffee.
| Supper: Hot tea, prunes and bread.

THURSDAY.

| Breakfast: Vienna sausage, potatoes, gravy, bread, coffee.
| Dinner: Roast beef, potatoes, stewed beets, gravy, bread.
| Supper: Peach sauce, white and graham bread, tea.

FRIDAY.

| Breakfast: Fried bacon, potatoes, gravy, bread, coffee.
| Dinner: Mutton stew, (potatoes, turnips and onions), bread.
| Supper: Oat meal and milk, white and graham bread, tea.

SATURDAY.

| Breakfast: Corned beef hash, syrup, bread, coffee.
| Dinner: Boiled salt pork, potatoes, cabbage, gravy, bread, bread pudding.
| Supper: Hot tea, dried peaches and bread.

[pg 89]

WEEK ENDING JULY 4, 1908.

SUNDAY.

| Breakfast: Baked pork and beans, light biscuits, syrup, butter, coffee.
| Dinner: Roast beef, mashed potatoes, gravy, rice and tomatoes, radishes, bread, cake.
| Supper: Hot tea with sugar.

MONDAY.

| Breakfast: Bologna sausage, green onions, potatoes, bread, coffee.
| Dinner: Boiled ham, potatoes, hominy, gravy, bread, bread pudding.
| Supper: Stewed beans, white and graham bread, tea.

TUESDAY.

| Breakfast: Corned beef hash, syrup, bread, coffee.
| Dinner: Roast beef, potatoes, gravy, stewed peas, bread.
| Supper: Prune sauce, white and graham bread, tea.

WEDNESDAY.

| Breakfast: Fried pork sausage, potatoes, gravy, bread.
| Dinner: Mutton stew, (potatoes, turnips and onions).
| Supper: Rice and syrup, white and graham bread, tea.

THURSDAY.

| Breakfast: Vienna sausage, potatoes, gravy, bread, coffee.
| Dinner: Roast beef, potatoes, baked pork and beans, bread.
| Supper: Pie plant sauce, white and graham bread, tea.

FRIDAY

| Breakfast: Fried bacon, potatoes, gravy, bread, coffee.
| Dinner: Boiled salt pork, potatoes, gravy, spinach, bread pudding.
| Supper: Oat meal and milk, white and graham bread, tea.

SATURDAY.

| Breakfast: Corned beef hash, syrup, bread, coffee.
| Dinner: Roast veal with dressing, mashed potatoes, beans, gravy, bread, radishes, apple pie, cheese, cake, lemonade.
| Supper: Hot tea, stewed peas and bread.

[pg 90]

The items in italics are served to first and second grade only. Items in small caps are served to the first grade only. Third-grade prisoners are required to eat in their cells and are not allowed in the dining room while in that grade.

On holidays, especially Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years, an excellent meal is served to every inmate in the institution, and they are allowed on all legal holidays to spend three hours in the prison park where they are given the privilege of talking.

THE IMPLEMENT FACTORY

At present, although still in embryo, there is in the Stillwater penitentiary a factory devoted exclusively to the manufacture of rakes, mowers and binders, but this branch is just emerging from the experimental stage and may require a year or two to reach a scale large enough to supply the needs of the Minnesota farmers.

This factory is in charge of Supt. Downing, an experienced machine man, with years of experience in this kind of work. At present all preliminary work is being carried out and field tasks made with the machines. These machines had to be constructed along entirely new lines so as not to infringe patent rights controlled by the harvester trust. An appropriate name has been chosen for the binders,—“The Minnesota.”

The legislature of this state has been very liberal in supplying the farmers with cheap twine, rakes, mowers and binders, and, it is presumed that as soon as some trust controls the price of wagons these, too, will be made by convict labor at greatly reduced prices.

[pg 91]

PRISON LIBRARY

The inmates of the Minnesota State Prison have a fine library of about 6,000 volumes at their disposal, and it is well patronized. The books have been carefully selected, and all those of a suggestive nature or of the “Dead-Eye-Dick” variety have been excluded. Here are many volumes pertaining to history, biography, science, art and fiction, bound magazines, poetry, reference books, etc. However, the intellectual pabulum mostly preferred by the inmates is fiction and bound magazines. The state subscribes for all the best magazines, and, after they have been withdrawn from circulation, they are sent to the bindery, bound and later listed in the catalogue ready for reissue among the prisoners.

There are two prisoners employed in the library who circulate the books and papers among the inmates. The prison has what is known as an “exchange box.” All papers and magazines subscribed for by inmates are permitted to be exchanged for others. Papers circulate ten days from date of issue, and magazines thirty days. For instance, a prisoner subscribes for the Weekly Dial; after he has read it he can place five or six of his friends' numbers on the margin thereof and then drop it in the exchange box in the morning as he comes down the main stairway to work. It is the duty of the librarian to see that such papers and magazines are delivered to the room numbers indicated. When the first man has finished the paper he erases his number and again places it in the exchange box. This procedure is continued until the last number has been reached or until the prescribed limit that it has to circulate has expired.

Every inmate in the institution is given a library [pg 92] catalogue and permitted to draw out two books a week. He is his own free agent in the selection of books, receiving just what he has ordered on his library slips. These slips contain the numbers of the books selected by him and are gathered up by the night guards. If an inmate mutilates a book he is denied the privilege of the library.

THE MIRROR OFFICE

The Prison Mirror, with the exception of the Summary, published at the Elmira reformatory, is the oldest institutional paper in the country. It is also the only paper exclusively managed by prisoners, all other penal and reformatory periodicals being conducted by a high-salaried superintendent or else the policy is under the supervision of the chaplain.

The Mirror is issued each Thursday, has a circulation of about 1,500, and is distributed free to the inmates of the institution, who are permitted to send the same to relatives or friends free of charge The subscription price to the general public is $1.00, and it goes to nearly every state in the Union.

This publication is edited and managed by a prisoner, who has full charge of the printing department. Each Wednesday chase proofs of the following day's issue are submitted to the warden for approval, but he is rarely called upon to exercise his censorship, as the editor is instructed to eliminate all personalities and sensational topics.

Editor's Room, Prison Mirror

Composing Room, Prison Mirror

Library

Warden's Dining Room

Any inmate can contribute articles to the Mirror, which, if found satisfactory upon being carefully examined by the editor, are published. Quite a number [pg 93] [pg 94] [pg 95] of the inmates are very competent writers, contributing regularly to the columns of their home paper.

This bright little publication was founded in 1887 by the prisoners.

For the benefit of those who have never seen this paper, we select at random the following extracts written by prisoners:

“It makes a batsman hot to have the pitcher fan him.”

“The only prisoners in this place who have a pull are the barbers.”

“A New Year's resolution will not keep by preserving it in alcohol.”

“The wife of a big-mitt politician always wears imported kid gloves.”

“When a mouse hoves in sight, a woman acts as if she had rats in her garret.”

“Sometimes the lady pickpocket will faint in your arms in order to pull your leg.”

“It makes a man awful hot under the collar to accuse him of having cold feet.”

“A Stillwater girl is so modest that she cannot take the pajamas off a murphy without blushing.”

“A boose fighter usually continues to take his little drop until the big drop of—five feet or more.”

“In a game of freeze out Thanksgiving afternoon I got cold feet when some one raised six windows.”

“When a woman becomes afflicted with St. Vitus dance it generally goes to her tongue instead of her feet.”

“Just because a boy can grow a baseball mustache is no reason why a saloon keeper should sell him a highball.”

“I do not know whether there are any lady ‘bugs’ in here or not, but there are quite a number of the other sex.”

“ ‘Y is the Fourth of July. J is the first, u is the second, l is the third and y is the fourth—of July.’ Marvelous!” [pg 96]

“Count Boni has taken part in many duels, but the only thing he ever killed was the goose that laid the golden egg.”

“The trial judge hit me so hard that I not only saw stars, but have been seeing stripes ever since he landed on me.”

“A writer says that there is no room in this country for anarchists. But I think we could find room for a few in here.”

“The one who cherishes the picture of his or her mother is scarcely beyond hope, no matter how far from the narrow path.”

“It is admitted that the tariff is the mother of trusts, but their papa, like the father of John D. Rockefeller, is clouded in mystery.”

“The people of Pennsylvania are now convinced that the contractor who built the bootblack stand in the capitol is a polished rascal.”

“When the courts register a fine against Standard oil, John D. chalks it down on a piece of ice and then places the ice where the sun will strike it.”

“With a few expert trainers and Governor Johnson for jockey the meek-eyed mule is apt to show his heels to all competitors in the presidential race of 1912.”

“Throw a few ponies of whiskey into a young man who does not possess horse sense, then arm him with a Colt pistol, and he will make an ass out of himself.”

“A French count, who is not throwing his feet under the dining room table as often as he would like to, will soon sail for this country where he expects to cop out another meal ticket.”

“In pleading his own case a prisoner in a western state quoted from Shakespeare and was rapped down by his honor who said that no eastern boo-gang talk would be tolerated in his court.”

“It is not near so disgusting to see a man with a little streamlet of tobacco juice wending its way through his chinwoodlets, as to see a woman chewing snuff and the rag at the same time.”

“When I went to sharpen my knife the other day in the cutting room I noticed a big mosquito on the frame of the grinding stone. He was evidently getting his proboscis in shape for the peek-a-boo season.”

“Eddie Foy, the famous comedian, used to sing, ‘There are [pg 97] Moments When One Wants to be Alone.’ This is the place for that Eddie. You need not look any farther or advertise Morning Telegra(w)ph.”

“Out of of a total number of one hundred and twenty-six tramps arrested in Philadelphia the other day, eighty-seven of them were baby carriage mechanics. The new woman has put this industry on the bum.”

“One of the inmates who is doing time for horse stealing, had a serious case of nightmare the other evening, Evidently he imagined he was again handling horses on the range and sheriff was gaining on him.”

“ ‘I am pleased to note,’ said Tailor Nelson, ‘The Mirror is keeping in touch with the latest sartorial fashions in this institution through this department. Coats will be worn longer by some than others is all I can say at this time.’ ”

“Uncle Sam is not seeking trouble, but he is something like the Irishman who threw his bonnet on a barroom floor and shouted, I am not looking for a fight, but there is going to be one if there is a man in the house who dares to jump on that old hat.”

“A big longshoreman in New Orleans by the name of Tim O'Keefe has challenged Jack Johnson to a rough and tumble fight. Tim has a hand as big as a ham and when unloading a vessel he uses a three hundred pound bale of cotton for a shoulder pad.”

“A woman in the east recently made her pet dog a present of a diamond collar that cost two thousand, five hundred dollars. Now I have reformed, still if I were hungry and did not have the price of a meal, I would be tempted to sandbag Fido for his sparks.”

“Cal, the sorter in shop H, who is an old sea dog himself, says that the only practical experience Sin Bad and other local fishermen ever had in the whaling line was throwing the harpoon into one of these miniature whales that are habitats of Liver Brown's free lunch counter.”

“One of the villagers here who has been accustomed to having a liquid nightcap before entering upon his nocturnal visits to Morpheus says he is compelled to have a nightcap here just before retiring—and therefore he wears one—made up of a towel. His imagination does the rest.”

[pg 98]

There are six men employed in the print shop the year around. This includes the editor, the pressman, job man and three compositors. At times, when printers are rather scarce, it is necessary to break in a new man. Some of the men who learned the printing business in this shop have followed up and are successful at the trade. The mechanical work is performed entirely by prisoners, but the printing itself is sent to a downtown press. It is expected that a first-class press will be installed in this department in the near future, which will prove highly economical.

The Mirror department prints all the stationery used at the prison. This item alone contributes a large saving to the state each year. The job work is all of a superior quality and in as good form as could be done in any outside first-class office. All the press work is done on an eight-by-twelve Gordon press, but it is now entirely too small for the size and amount of work performed.

THE BINDERY

There is a bindery department in connection with the Mirror office and the prison library in charge of a life prisoner, who learned the business while in the institution from a well qualified short-time inmate. He repairs all the library books, binds the state magazines and attends to the binding of all the printed books, blank forms, etc., issued in the print shop. He is frequently called upon to bind books and magazines for the various state institutions, is a very competent man and performs his work in a neat and durable manner.

The Bindery

Manufacturing Tobacco for Prisoners, Steward Alexander in Background

Sinbad's Greenhouse

[pg 99] [pg 100] [pg 101]

THE STEWARD'S OFFICE

The steward's office is in charge of Mr. T. W. Alexander, a man who has had at least twenty-five years' experience in institutional work, well qualified to fill the position of chief steward of the prison. All supplies are ordered for the prison through this department and upon receipt are carefully checked to ascertain if they comply with specifications.

Supplies are issued from this departemnt on the 5th, 15th and 25th of each month, the heads of the several departments making out requisitions therefor, countersigned by the warden. Prison supplies are purchased quarterly through the State Board of Control. Whenever any articles are issued to a department duplicate vouchers are made out, one retained by the steward and the other signed by the recipient and forwarded to the State Board of Control.

The chief steward has charge of the officers' quarters and the administration building, and sees that they are kept clean and in proper order. He is responsible for all the property under his charge.

THE FEMALE WARD

On an average there are ten females in the matron's ward. This department is located above the administration quarters, and is entirely separated from the cell house; it is impossible for the occupants of the latter to communicate with the former.

The women's ward is presided over by Miss McKinney, who has been in charge for many years. The rules governing women prisoners are not nearly as strict as [pg 102] those pertaining to the men. Their food, also, is of a better quality. In the summer they are permitted to take outdoor exercise each evening during good behavior. The women prisoners are subject to the grading system and also receive the benefit of the parole law. If they wish to do so they can attend chapel service every Sunday morning. Their work is not very arduous, being mainly confined to keeping the officers' rooms in a neat and orderly condition.

Matron's Apartment

Women Inmates Outing on Holiday

Female Department—Sewing Room

Female Department—Women's Cells

THE GREENHOUSE

A large greenhouse is located in the western end of the prison yard, just opposite the prison hospital, presided over by a life prisoner who has been there over eighteen years. By the boys of the institution he is known as “Sindbad the Sailor,” having spent many years on the high seas before the mast in the merchant marine, on board of whalers and in the old navy.

The greenhouse supplies flowers for decorating the lawns and park, cut flowers for the hospital inmates, the officers' and guards' mess rooms and the room used by the members of the State Board of Control on their monthly visits to the prison. When Sindbad becomes lonely for the wash of the sea waves his assistant throws a few buckets of water against the side of the greenhouse and he exercises his imagination for the rest.

THE POWER HOUSE

The engine room is located on the main street of the institution, and it is here that power is generated for driving the immense lines of shafting that radiate through [pg 103] [pg 104] [pg 105] the several departments. The power plant is in charge of a chief engineer and several inmate assistants, two of whom are life prisoners, one having charge of the big engine and the other attending to the electric light plant. Both men are under considerable responsibility, but they are conscientious workers and have little difficulty in performing their duties satisfactorily.

The chief engineer has charge of the automatic sprinkling plant, engine, steam heating, ventilating, cooking, electric light plant, water supply and all the machinery pertaining thereto. Each of the cells contains an eight-candle power lamp, and the shops and streets are provided with electric lights so that the inmates can see to work during the winter months. As they are employed from seven in the morning until six in the evening the year around, lights are often necessitated.

THE PRISON FIRE DEPARTMENT

It is not generally known, but, nevertheless, the prison maintains a well organized fire department. This brigade is not a large one, but as a first aid in case of necessity it is equipped to do efficient service.

There are eight prisoners on the day shift and the same on the night crew. The fire alarm system of the prison is as nearly perfect as human ingenuity can devise. There are two hose carts, and frequent experimental runs are made in order to keep the department to a high state of efficiency. At these runs the men go to the fire house, take out the hose carts and make as quick time as possible to the nearest hydrant where the supposed fire exists, the hose is attached and all preparations made as if a real fire were under way.

[pg 106]

Occasionally a general night alarm is sent in, and when this occurs all the guards residing at the prison must respond promptly. The warden and deputy warden also respond to a general night alarm. Since the big fire of twenty-five years ago, and that which consumed the large paint shop occupied by the Minnesota Thresher Co., about eighteen years ago, there have been no conflagrations within the prison grounds. This, in a great measure, is due to the vigilance exercised in each department in regard to leaving refuse and inflammable material lying around.

RULES GOVERNING DISCIPLINE.

Your attention is directed to the following rules. Only by observing and obeying them can you make a good record as a prisoner and become eligible for parole and the diminution of your sentence which the law allows:

1.

Your first duty is strict obedience to all rules and regulations and any orders of the officer under whose charge you may be placed.

2. | You must observe strict silence in all departments of the prison and while marching through the yard.

3.

You must not speak to, give or receive from visitors anything except by permission of the Warden or Deputy Warden. Gazing at visitors or strangers passing through the prison is strictly forbidden.

4.

You are expected to apply yourself diligently at whatever labor you are assigned, and, after reasonable teaching, to perform the same amount of work as would be required from you as a citizen.

5.

At every signal to fall in for marching take your place in line promptly. March with military step, attend to and promptly obey the orders of your officer.

6.

You will be required to keep your person clean and your clothing tidy and in good order. You must not make any alterations in your clothing or cut your shoes; if they do not fit [pg 107] [pg 108] [pg 109] or need repairs report the fact to your officer. You must not carry knives, tools of any kind, pencil, paper or any material whatever from your shop to your cell without permission in writing from the Warden or Deputy Warden. Finding these things in your possession will be considered proof that you have violated this rule. Tinkering or writing notes to other convicts or carrying notes from one convict to another is strictly forbidden.

7.

You are not allowed to have any money on your person or in your possession, neither are you permitted to trade or purchase any article whatever. All of your business must be done through the Warden.

8.

You must approach an officer in a respectful manner. Always salute him before speaking. You must confine your conversation with him strictly to the business in hand. You must not address an officer on matters outside the prison. Insolence in any form to an officer, foreman, or even to a fellow convict will not be tolerated,

9.

On entering the cell house, office of the Board of Control, Warden or Deputy Warden you must uncover unless your duties are such that you have special permission to remain covered.

Audience Looking Down on Prisoners in Prison Park, Decoration Day, 1909

Prisoners in Prison Park, Decoration Day, 1909. On holidays They Have the Privilege of Talking.

PRIVILEGES

You are not compelled to attend service, but you are specially requested to do so, believing that the moral support of religeous instruction is necessary to all.

You are required to bathe once a week in summer, once in two weeks in winter, and oftener if considered necessary by the prison Physician unless excused by him, the Warden or Warden.

On entering the prison you will receive three (3) tickets entitling you to the following privileges as long as you obey strictly all the rules of the prison:

| First. One ration of tobacco each week.
| Second. Permission to write under grade rules.
| Third. Permission to see friends once in four weeks.

NEWSPAPERS. You are permitted to receive such weekly [pg 110] papers as the Warden may approve. No daily papers or sensational publications of any description will be admitted.

EXTRA LETTERS. Written permission must be obtained from the Warden or Deputy Warden in case it becomes necessary to write special letters.

MAIL MATTERS. Letters and papers of every description must be examined at the office under the direction of the Warden before being mailed or delivered.

SHOP RULES

1.

On entering the shop you will take off your coat, put on your apron and get at your work promptly. If you have any cause for complaint, whether from keeper, foreman or others you will be allowed to send application for an interview through your officer at any time to the Board of Control, Warden or Deputy Warden.

2.

Communications between prisoners is strictly prohibited and will not be allowed at any time except by special permission of the officers in charge, and then only when absolutely necessary.

3.

In talking with your foreman you are required to confine yourself strictly to your shop duties. You will not be allowed to talk with him upon matters pertaining to outside news.

4.

You will be required to approach your officer in a respectful manner. Always salute him before addressing him and make your wants known as briefly as possible.

5.

You will be required to give your individual attention to your work. Gazing about at visitors passing through the shop or at other prisoners will not be allowed. You must respectfully listen to and faithfully carry out all instructions given you by your foreman pertaining to your work.

6. | You will not be allowed to leave your place of work except by permission of the officer in charge.

7.

You will not be allowed to brush against a fellow convict in passing, to get in each other's way or otherwise trespass upon the rights of each other so as to provoke illfeeling.

8. | Careless or wilful injury of your work or tools will be promptly reported.

9.

You must always salute an officer on entering or retiring from your shop. You will not be permitted to leave shop or place of work under any circumstances without first obtaining special permission of the officer in charge.

10.

If you are sick or unable to work report the fact to your officer and act as he may direct. If you desire to see the Physician give your name to your officer immediately after entering the shop in the morning.

11.

All trading or bartering of whatsoever kind between prisoners or between citizens and prisoners is strictly prohibited. You will not be allowed to give or receive any present or gift from a foreman or citizen under any condition.

12.

If it becomes necesary to use a lead pencil about your work apply to your officer, who will supply you. Pencil must invariably be returned to the officer every evening. You will not be allowed to cut off or appropriate any part of pencil.

DINING HALL RULES

1.

On entering the dining hall take your seat promptly—position erect—arms folded, with eyes to the front until the signal is given to commence eating.

2.

Strict silence must be observed during the meal. Staring at visitors, talking and laughing, fooling or gazing about the room is strictly forbidden.

3.

Eating or drinking before or after the gong sounds, using vinegar in your drinking water, or putting meat on the table is prohibited.

4.

Should you desire additional food make your wants known to the waiters in the following manner:

1. | If you want bread hold up your right hand.
2. | Coffee or water, hold up your cup.
3. | Meat, your fork.
4. | Soup, hold up your spoon.
5. | Vegetables, hold up your knife.
6. | If you desire to speak to an officer about food or service in dining hall hold up your left hand.

5.

Wasting food in any form will not be tolerated. You must not ask for or allow waiter to place on your plate more [pg 112] food than you can eat. When through with meal leave pieces of bread unmussed on left side of plate. Crusts and small pieces of bread must not be left on your plate.

6.

After finishing your meal place knife, fork and spoon on right side of plate. Sit erect with arms folded. When the signal is given to arise drop hands to your side. At the second signal of the gong march out and to your respective places in line in a prompt, quiet and orderly manner.

7.

In passing to and from the dining hall you must not gaze into cells or loiter on the gallery. Walk erect with your eyes to the front. It is strictly against the rules to carry out any of the dining hall furnishings or to carry food to or from the dining hall at any time except on Sundays and holidays, when you will be allowed to carry lunch to your cell for the evening meal.

CHAPEL RULES

1. | On entering the chapel you will march erect with arms by your side, keeping step with the music.
2. | You will take your seat promptly as designated by the officers in charge and sit with arms folded during chapel service.

3.

The signal for rising and being seated will be the sound of the Deputy Warden's gavel. When this signal is given you will rise promptly and remain standing until notified to be seated. You will be allowed to drop arms to your side while standing.

4.

Strict attention must be given to the service. You must not gaze about the room at visitors or at fellow convicts, but must sit erect in your seat facing the speaker.

5. | Reading, spitting on the floor, shuffling of the feet or any other unnecessary noise is strictly forbidden.

6.

Should you be taken sick during service, or if it becomes necessary for you to retire, raise your right hand to the officer in charge, who will excuse you if necessary.

7.

After service you will sit erect with arms folded, giving strict attention to your officer until he gives the signal to rise, when you will be required to rise promptly and march out of the chapel as directed, keeping time with the music.

8.

In marching to and from the chapel you will be required to keep in close order with face to the front and in as quiet and orderly a manner as possible.

Any wilful violation of these rules will be promptly reported, and severely punished if necessary to enforce compliance.

GRADING RULES

The Board of Control by virtue of the authority and power conferred upon them by Section 5 of an act of the Minnesota Legislature, entitled “An Act to regulate the sentencing of prisoners convicted of felony and their subsequent release on parole,” hereby establish three (3) grades of prisoners to be known and designated as the First, Second and Third Grades, together with a system of marks to be governed by the following rules and regulations, which shall be in force and have effect from and after the official notification of the passage of said Act is certified by the Secretary of State under date of April 5th, 1893.

All prisoners on arrival shall be entered in the Second Grade; they may earn nine credit marks each month and shall be marked on conduct, work and mental advancement. Promotion from the Second to the First Grade shall be conditioned upon the earning of fifty (50) out of the possible fifty-four (54) credit marks, within six (6) consecutive months. The loss of more than two (2) marks in any one month shall cause the prisoner so offending to be reduced to the next lower grade. By a clear record of one (1) month, and the earning of nine (9) credit marks shall entitle the prisoner to be advanced to the next upper grade.

Prisoners may lose their grades:

| First. By such violations of prison rules as shall necessarily subject them to solitary confinement.
| Second. For general disorderly conduct.
| Third. For habitual laziness, untidiness or negligence.

[pg 114]

LIBRARY RULES

In ordering books the following directions must be carefully adhered to:

Write plainly upon a slip of paper your name and cell number. Underneath place the numbers of fifteen or twenty books you prefer to read. Always take your library book with you when moving from one cell to another. Bear in mind that all books are charged to you and that you will be held strictly responsible for their preservation and safe return. The catalogue and all books charged to you must be accounted for on the day of your parole or discharge from prison. You will not be allowed to have a library book in your possession or in your cell except those that have been regularly charged up and come to you through the regular channels. If you find a stray book in your cell you must turn it over to the Librarian at once. Failing to do this, in the event of finding a stray library book in your cell will be the means of depriving you of all library privileges.

You are accorded the utmost liberty in the selection of your reading matter, but it is hoped and it will be expected by the management that the library record will show that you have exercised due diligence and regard for your own best interests in the selection of books. The Warden, Chaplains, Teachers or other officers will gladly advise you concerning the selection of proper reading matter.

All library books, excepting books of reference, may be retained two weeks. Books of reference may be held but one day.

RULES FOR EXCHANGING PAPERS

Any person wishing to exchange papers or periodicals with other prisoners may do so by observing the following rules:

Mark the numbers of the cells to which you wish to send the paper or periodical plainly on the margin thereof and drop it in the exchange box at the foot of the stairs as you go out with your bucket in the morning.

Solitary Confinement Cell, with Crank Cells Opposite

Crank Cells and Keeper

Solitary Confinement. The Severest Mode of Punishment at the Minnesota State Prison. Door to Right is Closed at all Times.

After reading papers sent to you scratch your number out and replace papers in the exchange box the following morning, but [pg 115] [pg 116] [pg 117] do not add any numbers to the list nor erase any but your own.

Weekly and semi-weekly publications circulate ten days from the date of their issue; monthly publications circulate the month of their issue.

Writing on, drawing pictures on, or in any way defacing exchanges is forbidden. Papers must be kept as clean as possible.

RESTORATION OF CITIZENSHIP.

A convict who shall pass the entire period of his imprisonment without a violation of the rules and discipline, except such as the Warden or Board of Control shall excuse, shall upon his discharge from prison be restored to the rights and privileges forfeited by his conviction, and shall receive from the Governor a certificate under the great seal of the state as evidence of such restoration, to be issued upon presentation to the Governor of a certificate of such conduct, which shall be furnished to such convict by the Warden.

SOLITARY CONFINEMENT.

The mode of punishing infractions of the prison rules at the Stillwater penitentiary consists of standing the prisoner on the inside of a cell door; putting his hands through the bars, and handcuffed on the outside. He is kept standing in this position ten hours during the day, and then let down during the night; is allowed only a single slice of bread and a cup of water each day while undergoing punishment. There are no beds in these cells, nothing but a plank on which to sleep.

As a rule, prisoners are only kept in these punishment cells from four to six days, and it frequently occurs that he is released in one day, providing he promises to obey the rules and will try to avoid getting into trouble in the future. It is not the custom to subject the inmates of the Stillwater penitentiary to this form of punishment for trivial offenses, but it is applied to those prisoners who attempt to escape, who destroy property, or [pg 118] who indulge in fights and who display a general negligence in regard to their work.

On entering the punishment cell the prisoner is searched thoroughly and given a third-grade uniform. After the punishment is over he is kept in the third grade for thirty days, and by good conduct at the end of that time he is admitted to the second grade. While in the third grade all his privileges are cut off, such as permission to write letters, receiving visits from friends, and tobacco and newspapers.

Not very many prisoners are subjected to this form of punishment and it is resorted to only when all other means of enforcing prison discipline fails.

THE TWINE FACTORY

There is a twine factory in operation in the Minnesota State Prison having a yearly capacity of nearly eighteen million pounds of binder twine. This adjunct to the prison's industries was inaugurated about eighteen years ago, the author of the measure being the brilliant Ignatius Donnelly, known as the Sage of Nininger. At that time the farmers of this state were groaning under the iron heel of the trust, being compelled to pay eighteen cents a pound for their twine, but today the prison is manufacturing twine of superior quality and selling it to the farmers at an average price of about seven cents per pound.

In its infancy the twine plant was conducted on a very small scale, but the present management has developed and added to its equipment until now the factory supplies almost the entire demand of the state. There is little opposition from labor unions against the employment of prison labor in this industry, for there is but a small proportion of the product manufactured in this [pg 119] [pg 120] [pg 121] state outside of the prison, and outside factories are under the domination of the Cordage Trust.

The successful operation of Minnesota's twine plant has aroused the keenest interest among prison officials in other states, and there are now quite a number of similar factories operating in other penitentiaries. Delegations of prison officials from other states are frequent visitors at the Minnesota factory, inspecting the manufacture of twine, and they are invariably enthusiastic over results attained.

The twine factory is what is known to the trade as a “three-system plant;” that is, it contains three complete sets of each of the machines necessary to convert the fibre into twine ready for shipment. The transformation is effected principally by a series of combings. From the moment the rush-plaited cover is removed and the bale is opened until the long strands of fibre reach the spinning machines to be twisted into cord the material is constantly undergoing combing.

The binder twine fibre is unloaded from the cars inside the prison yard. It is weighed and stored in the warehouse until it is used. Adjoining the fibre warehouse is the opening room in which the bales are opened and spread out, the kinks shaken out of the long strands by hand and the fibre put through a machine called a “breaker.” The breaker subjects it to the first course of raking, and in order to toughen the material and make it more pliable distributes a limited amount of oil through it. After passing through the first breaker, it is sent on to a second, where it is again cleaned and straightened. Then it is removed from the opening room to the next shop, where it is passed through first to a coarse then a fine “spreader.” Like the breaker, the spreader is merely a steel comb on a belt.

[pg 122]

After leaving the spreaders the fibre is in long, straight and fairly clean strands, and one would think that it might at once be twisted into a cord. But the combing process is not through yet, for in the next room it is sent through first a coarse and then a fine “draw frame,” and then is given what is technically known as a “third working” in a still finer one. These draw frames not only comb the fibre, but they also regulate the sliver—that is, they determine how many strands of hemp will go to make up the finished twine.

Next the fibre is run through a “finisher,” an almost human machine, which regulates more precisely than the draw frames the size of the sliver, and then it is ready for the spinning rooms. As it comes out of the spinner it is wrapped on huge spools, which are piled on little carts and distributed among the men operating the balling machines. These latter wrap the twine into five-pound balls, tagged and ready for baling. In the balling shop the twine is weighed, tested and packed in 50-pound bales, which are sent to the twine warehouses and stored there, roof-high, until the harvesting commences.

The output of the twine factory previous to 1903 amounted to about 5,000,000 pounds, but it turned out about 15,000,000 pounds last season, and it is anticipated that this enormous increase will reach 18,000,000 in the near future. About 225 prisoners are employed the year around in this manufactury. Mr. E. C. Williams is the superintendent of the twine plant and is an excellent man for the position, thoroughly understanding the business. Under his capable management the factory is kept up to its highest capacity and few breakdowns have been recorded.

Spinning Room In Twine Factory

Bailing and Sacking Room In Twine Factory

Spinning Room In Twine Factory

Convicts Marching In to Dinner

[pg 123] [pg 124] [pg 125]

REAL FACTS ABOUT THE NORTHFIELD, MINNESOTA, BANK ROBBERY.

Related by THOMAS COLEMAN YOUNGER.1

“In telling the story of the Northfield bank robbery and its frightful results I have only to say that there is no heroism in outlawry, and that the man who sows is sure to reap. After Lee surrendered I tried my best to live at peace with the world and earn a livelihood. I'd been made a guerrilla by a provocation that few men could have resisted. My father had been cruelly murdered, my mother had been hounded to death, my entire family had been tormented and all my relatives plundered and imprisoned.”

“From the mass of rubbish that has been written about the guerrilla there is little surprise that the popular conception of him should be a fiendish, blood-thirsty wretch.”

Cole Younger. In Prison Garb in Minnesota State Prison, Jan. 10, 1877 (left). As he looked “going out”,July 14, 1901 (right).

“Yet he was in many cases, if not in most, a man who had been born to better things and who was made what he was by such outrages as Osceola, Palmyra and by a hundred raids in less famous but not less infamous, that were made by Kansans into Missouri during the war.”

“When the war ceased those of the guerrillas who were not hung or shot or pursued by posses till they found the hand of man turned against them at every [pg 126] step, settled down to become good citizens in the peaceful walks of life, and the survivors of Quantrell's band may be pardoned, in view of the black paint that has been devoted to them, in calling attention to the fact that of the members of Quantrell's band who have since been intrusted with public place, not one has ever betrayed his trust.”

“As for myself and brothers I wish to emphasize that we made an honest attempt to return to normal life at the close of the war, and had we been permitted to do so the name of Younger would never have been connected with the crimes that were committed in the period immediately following the war.”

“That my life was good or clean I do not assert. But such as it was, it was forced upon me by conditions over which I had no control. Before final judgment is passed upon the men of my kind who were with me in those days I ask that the fact be considered that we were born in days when hatred was the rule and reared among scenes of violence.”

“But I have been accused of many crimes of which I have not been guilty, and I am willing to take my oath that the crimes that were charged against me in Missouri were not mine. Never in all my life had I anything to do with any of the bank robberies in the state of Missouri which had been charged against myself and brothers.”

“In the fall of 1868 my brothers, Jim and Bob, went with me to Texas. The next two or three years we spent in an honest life, my sister joining us and keeping house for us at Syene, Dallas county. In 1870 and 1871 Jim was deputy sheriff in Dallas county. He and Bob sang in the church choir. At that time Bob, who [pg 127] was only 17, fell in love with one of the young ladies in the village.”

“I went down to Louisiana, and the story was that I killed five men and shot five others because I had been robbed by a lot of crooked cattlemen. There is just this much truth about this incident: There was a crooked race, with me as the victim. After the race I fought a duel, but not over the race.”

“The duel was forced upon me by a man named Captain James White. He circulated a scandalous tale about the young woman Bob was in love with. I sent word to him that he would have to apologize or fight. After the race I referred to White and I went to a neighboring plantation and fought it out. At first shot his right arm was shattered at the shoulder. When he thought he was dying he apologized and admitted that he had circulated the story for the purpose of forcing a fight upon me.”

“It was about this time that the Kansas City fair was robbed. This was charged against the Younger brothers, although not one of us had anything to do with it. Bob felt so keenly the notoriety that resulted from my duel and from the stories of the Kansas City robbery that he left Dallas, and later Jim and I followed him. About this time my brother John, was only 14 years old when the war closed, was forced into a quarrel and murdered as wantonly as a man was ever murdered in the history of the west.”

“When I was on the Pacific slope Missouri adopted the famous Drake constitution, which prohibited Confederate soldiers and sympathizers from practicing any profession, preaching the gospel or doing many other things under a penalty of a fine of not less [pg 128] than $500 or imprisonment for not less than six months. One section of this constitution gave amnesty to Union soldiers for all they had done after January 1, 1861, but held Confederates responsible for what they had done either as citizens or soldiers.”

“The result of this was persecution for all men who were not friendly with the carpet-bag adminstration following the war, and there was no mercy shown to any of them. After a few days of seeing my friends and old comrades hounded and imprisoned I saw there was nothing left for me to do but gather together with those that were left and do the best we could.”

“In passing swiftly over the scenes of violence in which we took part, I will take up the Northfield case by saying that we had decided to find a good bank, make a big haul, get away with the money, leave the country and start life anew in some foreign land.”

Convicts entering train at Stillwater bound for new prison.

Warden Wolfer chaperoning convicts to their new “home”

“We were told that General Benjamin F. Butler had a big lot of money in the First National bank at Northfield, and that A. A. Ames, son-in-law of Butler, who had been carpet-bag governor of Mississippi after the war, had a lot there also. We were not very friendly to Butler because of his treatment of Southerners during the war, and accordingly decided to make a raid on the Northfield bank.”

“My brothers, Jim and Bob, Clell Miller, Bill Chadwell and three men named Pitts, Woods and Howard, were those who decided to take up the expedition. This was in the middle of August, and we spent a week in Minneapolis picking up what information we could about Northfield and the bank and playing poker. Then we passed another week in St. Paul, also looking for information as to the amount of money [pg 129] [pg 130] [pg 131] and the precautions taken in the bank to take care of it.”

“Chadwell, Pitts, Bob and myself procured horses at St. Peter, where we stayed long enough to break them and to train them for the hard riding to which we knew they would be submitted later on. It was at St. Peter that I made the acquaintance of a little girl who afterwards was one of the most earnest workers for our parole.”

“A little tot then, she said she could ride a horse, too, and reaching down, I lifted her up before me, and we rode up and down. I asked her her name and she said it was ‘Horace Greeley Perry,’ and I replied:”

“ ‘No wonder you're such a little tot with such a great name.’ ”

“ ‘I won't always be little,’ she replied. ‘I'm going to be a great big girl and be a newspaper man like papa.’ ”

“Will you still be my sweetheart then, and be my friend?” I asked her, and she declared she would, a promise I was to remind her of years later under circumstances of which I did not dream then.

“Many years afterward with a party of visitors to the prison came a girl, perhaps 16, who registered in full, ‘Horace Greeley Perry.’ ”

“I knew there could not be two women with such a name in the world, and I reminded her of her promise, a promise which she did not remember, although she had been told how she had made friends with the bold, bad man who afterwards robbed the bank at Northfield.”

“Very soon afterward, at the age of 18, I believe, she became, as she had dreamed, in childhood, [pg 132] ‘a newspaper man’, editing the St. Peter Journal, and to the hour of my pardon she was one of the most indefatigable workers for us.”

“A few years ago failing health compelled her removal from Minnesota to Idaho, and Minnesota lost one of the brightest newspaper writers and staunchest friends that a man ever knew. Jim and I had a host of advocates during the latter years of our imprisonment, but none exceeded in devotion the young woman, who as a little tot, had ridden unknowingly with the bandit who was soon to be exiled for life from all his kin and friends.”

“Preliminary work on the Northfield robbery was got down to during the last week of August 1876, and while Pitts and I were waiting for Bob and Chadwell, who had gone up there to look over the ground, we scouted all over the country thereabouts and around Madelia in order to get ourselves familiar with the lay of the land. When the two boys joined us we divided into two parties and started for Northfield along different routes.”

“On Monday night, September 4, the party I was with reached Le Sueur Center, where we had trouble finding places to sleep, as court was in session. Tuesday night we put in at Cordova, and Wednesday we were in Millersburg. At the same time Bob and his crowd rounded up in Cannon City, which was south of Northfield.”

“On Thursday morning, September 7, we all came together on the Cannon river, on the outskirts of Northfield. That afternoon I took a look at the bank, and in camp at dinner I told the gang that no matter what came off we mustn't shoot anybody. While I was making this point as strong as I could one of the [pg 133] [pg 134] [pg 135] crowd asked what we should do if they began shooting at us. Bob at once said that if I was so particular about not having any shooting the best thing for me to do was to stay outside and take my chances.”

Convicts entering new prison

Convicts detraining at their new “home.”

“Well, at last the time came. Bob, Pitts and Howard started for town ahead, the scheme being that they should round up in the town square and not go into the bank until the rest of the party joined them. It was fixed that Miller and I should go on guard right at the bank, while the rest of the gang was to wait at the bridge and listen for a pistol shot signal in case they were wanted for help. We had it schemed out that as there were no saddle horses around anywhere we could get off with a flying start and get away before they could stop us, wrecking the telegraph office if necessary to prevent any alarm being sent out by wire.”

“Whisky spoiled the whole plan. Between the time they left camp and reached the bridge the men who went ahead got away with a quart of whisky—the first time I had ever known Bob to drink, and as a matter of fact, I didn't know he had done so then until the day and its terrible events were over. The blunder was that when these three men saw us coming, instead of waiting for us to get up with them they slammed right on into the bank regardless, leaving the door open in their excitement.”

“I was out in the street, pretending I was having trouble with my saddle. Meantime I had told Miller to close up the bank door. A man named Allen, who kept a store near by, was then trying to get into the bank, but Miller foolishly shouted at him and told him to get away. Allen at once became excited and saw [pg 136] that something was wrong, and ran off up the street shouting to every one to get his gun, as the bank was being robbed.”

“A Dr. Wheeler, who saw that something was happening out of the ordinary, began to yell ‘Robbery!’ Then I saw we were in for it, and would need all the help we could get. I first called to Miller to come inside and get out of harm's way and then I fired a signal to the three men at the bridge for them to come up and help us, as we had been trapped.”

“Chadwell, Woods and Jim came galloping up, and at the same moment that they arrived I heard a shot fired inside the bank. The three boys were firing their guns as they rode along, shouting to everybody they saw to get out of the way and get indoors, but I am quite sure they never killed anybody. My theory always has been that the man Gustafson, who was shot down in the street, was struck by a glancing shot from some of the citizen's rifles, as they were out blazing away at this time.”

“Miller was then shot by a man named Stacy and his face filled full of bird shot. A man named Manning killed Pitts' horse, and, as a matter of fact, the street was full of flying lead, coming from every direction. It wasn't long before I was wounded in the thigh by Manning, and the next instant he shot Chadwell through the heart.”

“Dr. Wheeler, from an upper floor of a hotel, got a bead on Miller and brought him down, so that he soon lay dying in the middle of the street. Every time I saw a man pointing a gun at me I dropped off my horse and tried to drive the shooter under cover, but there were so many of them, and I couldn't see in [pg 137] [pg 138] [pg 139] every direction, so I soon found out that, wounded as I was, I was helpless. Meanwhile there was a tragedy going on inside the bank.”

Reproduction of finger print system in vogue at the Minnesota state prison

Reproduction of record from files of Minnesota State Prison, showing record of former inmate.

“Bob came out in a hurry and started down the street toward Manning, who ran into a store, hoping he would get a shot at Bob from under cover. Bob ran on, but didn't notice Dr. Wheeler, who was upstairs in the hotel, behind him, and Wheeler's third shot smashed Bob's right arm. Bob switched his gun to his left and got on Miller's horse, thinking that Miller was dead. By this time Howard and Pitts had got out of the bank, and I told them that Miller was still alive and we'd have to save him. I told Pitts to put Miller on my horse, but when we lifted him I saw he was dead, so I told Pitts that I would hold off the crowd while he got away, as his horse had been killed. While Pitts ran, less than ten yards, I stood stood with my pistol pointed at anyone who showed his head, and then I galloped off and overtook him and took him up behind me.”

“Pitts then confessed to me about the drinking, and said they had made an awful mess of it inside the bank. It had been arranged that they should hold up Joseph L. Heywood, the acting cashier, at his window, and after roping him get to the safe without any trouble. Instead of that, these three drink-crazed lunatics leaped over the rail and scared Heywood so badly that he immediately got on the defensive, and in a minute the alarm was out and it was all over.”

“It seems that one of the robbers had waved his revolver at Heywood the minute he entered the bank and asked him if he was the cashier. Heywood had said he wasn't, and then the same question was put [pg 140] to the other two men who were in the bank. Each of the three said he was not the cashier, but the robber turned to Heywood, who was sitting at the cashier's desk, and said:”

“ ‘You're the cashier; open that safe d—n quick or I'll blow your head off.’ ”

“Heywood jumped back and Pitts ran to the vault and got inside. Heywood then tried to shut him in, and was seized by the robbers, who told him to open the safe at once or he would not live another minute. Heywood told him there was a time lock on it that positively couldn't be opened, whereupon Howard pulled a knife and tried to cut Heywood's throat, the cashier having been thrown to the ground in the scuffle that had taken place. Incidentally, Pitts told me afterwards that Howard fired a pistol near Heywood's head, but only with the intention of frightening him.”

“A. E. Bunker, the teller, by this time had tried to get hold of a pistol that was near where he was, but Pitts got the gun first, and it was found on him after he was killed, and consequently furnished just that much good evidence that we were the men at Northfield.”

“The boys saw by this time that the safe could not be reached, so they asked Bunker about the money that was outside. Bunker pointed to a little tray full of small coins, and while Bob was putting them away in a sack Bunker made a dash through a rear window. Pitts fired at him twice, the bullet going through his right shoulder.”

Group showing St. Paul police department, J.J. Connor, Chief.

Group showing St. Paul police department, J.J. Connor, Chief.

“By this time the men in the bank had heard the commotion and firing outside and started to leave. [pg 141] [pg 142] [pg 143] Heywood, who had been on the floor, unfortunately rose at this instant, and Pitts, still under the influence of liquor, shot him through the head and killed him.”

“Meantime we who had escaped slaughter in the terrible bombardment we had faced were trying to make our way to some safe place. Not far from Northfield we met a farmer, who lent us a horse for Pitts to ride, and we got past Dundas ahead of the news of the raid on the bank. We were also beating it at Millersburg, but at Shieldsville we ran into a squad of men who knew what had happened and were after us. These men had, foolishly for themselves, left their guns outside a house, and we didn't let them get hold of them until we had a good start, but they overtook us about four miles away and shots were exchanged without any trouble resulting.”

“Soon there were a thousand men on our trail and about $5,000 in rewards for our capture. We tramped and camped and rode and watched in a strange country and among the lakes. We didn't know the trails and were afraid to try the fords and bridges, knowing that our hunters would be sure to keep their eyes on these places. Saturday morning we abandoned our horses and decided to keep up the fight afoot. We tramped all night and put in Sunday near Marysburg. Bob's elbow by this time was in pretty bad shape and we had to go slow. Finally, on Monday night and Tuesday we couldn't go anywhere, so we passed the time in a deserted house near Mankato. A man named Dunning found us there and we took him prisoner. On the theory that the dead are silent, some of the men wanted to kill him, but I wouldn't stand for that, so we made him swear by all that was holy that he [pg 144] wouldn't tell that he had seen us until we got away. Then we turned him loose. He lost no time in getting into Mankato and giving the alarm, and in a few minutes another posse was after us.”

“That night Howard and Wood decided that they wouldn't hold back any longer and that we were losing valuable time because of Bob's wound, so they left us and went on west. They stole two horses very soon, and this helped us as well as them, for the posse followed the trail of the stolen horses, not knowing that we had divided.”

“On Thursday morning, September 21, just two weeks after the raid, the end came. A party of forty men soon surrounded us and opened fire. We were cut off from our horses and our case was hopeless. We were on the open prairie and not ready for our last flight against such odds, we fell back into the Watonwan river bottoms and hid in some bushes.”

“When the iron doors shut behind us at the Stillwater prison we all submitted to the prison discipline with the same unquestioning obedience that I had exacted during my military service. The result was that we gained friends both in prison and outside. We had been in prison a little over seven years, when, on January 25, 1884, the main building was destroyed by fire at night. George F. Dodd was then connected with the prison, while his wife was matron. There was danger of a panic and a terrible disaster. Dodd released Jim and Bob and myself. To me he gave a revolver. Jim had an axe handle and Bob a small iron bar. We stood guard over the women prisoners, marched them from the danger of the fire, and the prison authorities were kind enough to say that had [pg 145] [pg 146] it not been for us there must have been a tremendous loss of life.”

Head Officials, Minneapolis, Minnesota Police Department. 1. Capt. H.L. Getchell, 5th Precinct. 2. Capt. P.J. Quealey, 2nd Precinct. 3. Capt. Michael Mealey, Asst. Supt. Hdqrtrs. 4. Capt. Frank T. Corriston, Superintendant. 5. Capt. Nicholas Smith, Capt. of Detectives. 6. Capt. Geo. Reviere, Night Capt. Hdqtrs. 7. Capt. Frank Ferm, 3rd Precinct. 8. Capt. Geo. Sinclair, 4th Precinct.

“I can say without fear of contradiction that had it been in our minds to do so we could have escaped from the prison that night, but we had determined to pay the penalty that had been exacted, and if we were ever to return to liberty it would be with the consent and approval of the authorities and the public. A little later Jim was put in charge of the mail and library of the prison, while I was made head nurse in the hospital, where I remained until the day we were paroled.”

“As the years went by the popular feeling against us not only subsided, but our absolute obedience to the minutest detail of the prison discipline won us the consideration, and I might even say, the esteem of the prison officials. In the meantime it had been a life sentence for Bob, he having died of consumption September 16, 1889.”

“Jim and I went out into the world July 14, 1901, after serving a few months less than twenty-five years. Each of us immediately found work, and life again took on its normal hues. Poor Jim, however, was subject to periodical spells of deep depression. The bullet that shattered his upper jaw in our last fight in Madelia imbedded itself near the brain and was not removed until long after we were in the prison at Stillwater. That bullet was the cause of his occasional gloominess. After our relase from prison Jim's health continued precarious. He finally gave up the fight, and on October 19, 1902, took his own life in a hotel in Minnesota.”

“I am not exactly a dead man, but I have been shot [pg 147] twenty-eight times and am now carrying in my body fourteen bullets that physicians have been unable to extract. Twelve of these wounds I received while wearing the gray, and I have ever been proud of them, and it has been one of my keenest regrets that I did not receive the rest of them during the war with Spain.”

The following is an authentic copy of Younger's commitment papers.

THOMAS COLEMAN YOUNGER.

RICE COUNTY DISTRICT COURT.

Crime | Murder 1" deg.
Term Life. | Sentenced Nov. 20th, 1876.
Nativity | Missouri.
Age | 32 years.
Height | 5'—11¼"
Hair | Very light brown, very curly, thin, and bald on crown of head.
Eyes | Blue (light).
Complexion | Fair, inclined to be florid.
Occupation | None.
Marks | Two moles on back—Scar on left shoulder and small scar on left hip caused by gunshot.

Can read and write—uses tobacco—single—temperate.

RECORD

Removed to Washington County Jail, Jan. 26, 1884.

Paroled July 14, 1901.

Pardoned Feb. 4, 1903, on condition that he leave State of Minnesota and that he never exhibit himself in public in any way.

[pg 148]

THE STATE BOARD OF PARDONS

The members of the State Board of Pardons, next to the weather man, are the most severely criticised in the state of Minnesota, and unjustly so. In the exercise of the authority conferred upon them the Minnesota State Board of Pardons is the most conservative in the United States. Notwithstanding the fact that they grant about seventy-five per cent less pardons than similar bodies in other states, the press, in many instances, holds that it is too liberal in its disposition of mercy.

The true function of the Pardon Board has often been exemplified by the daily press of the twin cities, and they appear to be unanimous in the belief that where the interest of humanity or reform can be benefited it is proper for the board to lighten a penalty or grant an outright rpardon.

Jesus of Nazareth enunciated the wise doctrine that “if you wish to be forgiven, you must forgive others,” and this apothegm is the alpha and omega of the Christian religion to day. “Go and sin no more” is often the basic principal of true reformation.

Pardon Board of the State of Minnesota

Governor's private office in State Capitol, St. Paul, Minn. Pardon Board hold their meetings here.

Governor's reception room, State Capitol, St. Paul, Minn.

The laws of man ever since the days of Moses, Confucius, Lycurgus, Solon and Christ are intended to be just and impartial to all men; but no law yet created by our wise jurists and statesmen can eradicate from the individual the brand of Cain placed upon him by society,—that of an ex-convict. The Pardon Board can enlarge a man's liberty by making him a free citizen and a tax-payer, but it cannot free his conscience from the stigma of disgrace that clings to him until the portals of eternity open to receive him. We believe that the pardoning [pg 149] [pg 150] [pg 151] power, judicially applied, is the greatest aid to true reformation yet discovered.

The Minnesota State Board of Pardons consists of the Governor, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and the Attorney General. Its meetings are held quarterly in the state capitol building, and they meet on the second Monday in January, April, July and October.

The law governing the granting of pardons is as follows: “Such board may grant an absolute or a conditional pardon, but every conditional pardon shall state the terms and conditions on which it was granted. A reprieve in a case where capital punishment has been imposed may be granted by any member of the board, but for such time only as may be reasonably necessary to secure a meeting for the consideration of an application for pardon or commutation of sentence. Every pardon or communication of sentence shall be in writing and shall have no force or effect unless granted by a unanimous vote of the board duly convened.”

A convict in the prison Mirror writes as follows:

“Exercising clemency toward convicted persons is a subject that arouses many editorial writers. These newspaper men are creators of public opinion, and it would seem possible for them to calmly, impartially consider the subject instead of disseminating personal ideas immature in reasoning and founded on the erroneous conception that every person in prison has received a fair, impartial trial and that the sentences must be warranted upon the trial court's proceedings. In fact, the majority of editorial writers should refrain from casting reflections upon the pardon power because it seems too lenient or applaud it for refusing leniency toward prisoners. Their attitude shows plainly a lack of discernable [pg 152] ability. Few prisoners appeal to the pardon power of a state for clemency. Clemency is a term used for pity. Prisoners, as a rule, detest being considered seekers after pity. This is the concealed idea of many editorials, and thereby erroneous. The prisoner appeals to the pardon power because it is a lawfully created power to entertain his appeal, which is based upon his opinions concerning the justice of a sentence as opposed to the injustice of the trial court's imposed sentence. The appellant is not after pity, but expects justice. He has a right to the benefits of the law, and has a right, not only to ask for, but to demand justice. And no class of persons should exploit these facts more than editorial writers. Today they are greatly responsible for the necessity of wives, children and mothers practically begging for pity for some loved one in prison. We need Websters to interpret the law and demand justice for clients—not wives, mothers and friends to beg for pity.”

PATHETIC INCIDENTS AT MEETINGS OF PARDON BOARD.

“My little girl Virginia, only four years old, has been praying to Santa Claus every night for the past week, instead of to God. She has asked Santa every night to give her her papa for Christmas.”

“It seems all a dream, and I am afraid that I will awake to find it isn't true. But I felt all day that the pardon would come. I don't know why it was, but I caught myself singing this morning as I went about the house. It is the happiest day of my life. It will be the happiest Christmas that my family has ever spent.”

“Fred doesn't know that the pardon board meets [pg 153] today. He expects that it will meet Thursday. I am going to take the pardon with me to the prison, present it to Warden Wolfer and take my husband home with me.”

It is a young woman, the wife of a chief of police convicted of grafting, pleading before the pardon board for his release. She has worked a year securing evidence. It is just two days before Christmas and the board is called for a special session. The governor, the chief justice of the supreme court and the attorney general, who constitute the pardon board, hear her case with tears in their eyes. Attorneys and others plead for him also. Then the board goes into session. They decide that seventeen months in prison has served the ends of justice. They summon the young wife.

“Your husband has been granted a full pardon,” announces one of the members.

“May he come home with me now?” she asks, faltering, then she swoons. Soon she recovers. The pardon is signed. She takes it with her to Stillwater, presents it to the warden and a moment later husband and wife are in each other's arms. Merry Christmas it was for them.

“He's all I've got, judge. I'll take him anywhere, or I'll keep him right at home in Minneapolis, if you will only let him out. I want to take care of him, for he'll die if he stays there.” Tears drop from the mother of a youth of twenty-two who has been sent to prison for twelve years for larceny. “I've saved $250 in the last five years, and me doing day work,” she says proudly. Her son is suffering from tuberculosis. The board believes that it is better for him to be under [pg 154] such a mother's care than die in the prison and he is released.

Nowhere else, unless it be at a hospital, must one gaze at such a seemingly unending sad procession of pain-torn hearts, the anguished souls of mothers, fathers, sisters, sweethearts and wives, than at the meeting of the pardon board every three months. Nowhere else are the grinding knives of the law more apparent. Few are as fortunate as the two cited above. Of the two or three dozen cases at each meeting, seldom are more than two or three persons shown any mercy.

Here is the case of a murderer sentenced to hang. An attorney pleads for him; points out that the evidence was doubtful, says that the spirit of vengeance guided the jury. But the board has the evidence before it. “It clearly shows that the crime was premeditated,” remarks one member. There is no hope.

A sweet faced girl who has journeyed all the way from Seattle to take her brother back with her, finds that the law could not pardon an offender because his sister believes in him and loves him. The board must be shown that the punishment was too severe for the crime or that life at home will serve better to make the offender a useful citizen than doing penance at the prison.

To an aged father and mother of a boy serving a thirty-month sentence for stealing $56 worth of grain, the sad news is meted out that their son must serve out his sentence. They had trusted with the blind faith that the board would release him because they needed him. “The farm is running down and Charlie ought to be home to help care for things. He had always been a good boy,” they said.

[pg 155]

Scathing lectures are often given those asking pardon for the undeserving, by the members of the board. “Do you think fifteen months is too much for a man who shot his wife? It was not his fault she did not die,” the chief justice recently told some friends of a man who had hunted up and shot a wife who had left him. “If my sister were outraged by a man, shooting would be none too good for him,” the governor recently told a smooth-tongued attorney who was making a plea for a man serving a long sentence for a heinous crime.

So it goes. There is mercy for a few; there is the stern and unrelenting law tor the many.

PRESS NOTICES.

MORE LIGHT.

[pg 156]

Mr. Heilbron's book on Convict Life at the Minnesota State Prison should obtain a wide circulation. The world outside regards the world inside much as it would regard another planet, and is curious accordingly. As a general rule, the “heroes” of this work of art are saying nothing and spinning twine and when they get back to Civilization they keep up the habit. While apt to examine books of this kind in a decidedly critical light, the heroes aforesaid will find in this one no misstatements of fact and no flights of fancy. The illustrations too are excellent, the one of No. 1055's back being a speaking likeness. Another first-class picture is the one which reproduces the magnificent polish on Mr. Nelson's counter in the tailor shop. The bindery, too, that smoothly running one-man department, has quite a palatial appearance. The “chiel amang us takin'” flashlights is to be congratulated. It may be doubted whether a copy of this little book will hereafter be found in every home in the state, but it would not do any harm. Maybe when Horace was hesitating about signing papa's name in papa's checkbook, the family copy would strike his eye and induce him to—go ahead?—

(Prison Mirror, July 29, 1909.)

A NOVEL VOLUME.

“Convict Life at the Minnesota State Prison” Published by Mr. W. C. Heilbron of St. Paul.

“Convict Life at the Minnesota State Prison,” of which Mr. W. C. Heilbron, assistant public examiner, St. Paul, is the author and publisher, is a neat volume, replete with halftone illustrations of scenes, views and incidents of this institution, occupying 134 pages of text, including pictures.

The frontispiece is a remarkably good likeness of Hon. Henry Wolfer, the warden, under whose guidance during the past eighteen years the Minnesota State Prison has made its remarkable penological and financial success.

To one unacquainted with the modus operandi of dealing with prisoners in a penitentiary, “Convict Life at the Minnesota State Prison” affords an accurate and sustained story from start to finish. In this book is given a detailed description of the reception of the prisoner, the manner in which he is handled, [pg 157] clothed, fed, assigned to duty and governed by the resident officials, with excellent sidelights upon the situation.

The illustrations are numerous and give interior views of buildings, shops, departments and hospital, together with interesting scenes of parades, drills and other matters of moment to the reader.

Citizens—even those who have visited penal institutions—obtain but a very scant conception of the method and manner in which they are conducted by a casual observance upon the occasion of a visit. “Convict Life at the Minnesota State Prison,” however, is written so that all may gain a proper conception by reading it, and the illustrations materially aid in that respect. This book will be the means of doing a great deal of good in removing false notions regarding inmates and it ought to enjoy a large sale.—(Prison Mirror, July 22, 1909.)

EDITORIAL.

On the first page of this issue of The Mirror will be found a brief review of the volume entitled “Convict Life at the Minnesota State Prison.” Until recently the publication of matter of that character has been tabooed by managers of penal institutions. However, there is no harm in such publicity. Conditions are constantly improving and penologists recognize that fact. Corporal punishment and the lockstep have been abolished in many prisons.

The problem confronting wardens is not “how to punish prisoners,” but rather how to reform them and restore them to society as good citizens.

The Minnesota State Prison is referred to as a model, and, while the buildings now occupied are old and antiquated, unfit for prison purposes and manufacturing, nevertheless the morale of the inmates is of a high grade and credit is due to those who have brought this condition about. As the author, Mr. W. C. Heilbron, truly states, the first two months of incarceration for the average prisoners provide punishment enough to last a lifetime. Of course this does not apply to all inmates, but it is certainly true of many of them.

It is neither the purpose nor the province of The Mirror to laud any one in particular regarding the management of the Minnesota State Prison. The facts speak more eloquently than all the eulogies that could be uttered. The Mirror, however, desires to direct the attention of the public to the fact that no harm is done by the publication of such a volume as “Convict Life at the Minnesota State Prison,” and much good may result from its compilation and circulation.

[pg 158]

There have been prisons and dungeons since the earliest days of recorded history and no doubt such institutions will be in vogue until the end of the universe. Great advancement has been made in the treatment of those who have been so unfortunate as to be segregated from society in general and the publication of facts instead of fancy will be the means of clarifying the atmosphere considerably as to what is just and humane and of the greatest earthly benefit to men and women who have, either through ignorance, accident, design or viciousness, fallen from grace and become the wards of the commonwealth in a prison or penitentiary.

To the end that the public may be fully and reliably informed of the facts in relation to prison life the volume mentioned must prove to be of great value to all those who peruse its pages with an open mind and a generous heart—(Prison Mirror, July 22, 1909.)

Minnesota's New $2,250,000 State Prison Now in Course of Construction

1.

Editor's Note.—In the preface we stated that the names of former inmates of the Minnesota State Prison with sensational reputations would not appear in this book. However, there has been such an arbitrary demand from the general public, that we have concluded to insert the version of an exploit by one of the early inmates of the institution. Page 49 shows hospital cell occupied by Cole Younger during the 25 years of his incarceration. This is the first time this story has been published in book form. It is surmised the names Howard and Woods indicate Jesse and Frank James respectively.

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Table of Contents

Preparer's Note

PREFACE

MINNESOTA STATE PRISON

- THE PRISONER'S RECEPTION AT THE PENITENTIARY

- BERTILLON MEASUREMENTS
- THE FINGER PRINT SYSTEM
- THE PRISONER IS ASSIGNED WORK
- THE FIRST NIGHT IN HIS CELL
- THE PRISONER'S RELEASE
- WHY SOCIETY SHOULD ACCORD HIM A SQUARE DEAL

- DEPARTMENTS AND INDUSTRIES OF THE MINNESOTA STATE PRISON

- THE ADMINISTRATION BUILDING.

- The Deputy Warden's Headquarters

- Duties of the Deputy Warden

- THE HOSPITAL.

- Duties of the Prison Physician

- HALLUCINATIONS OF A FEW PRISONERS

- THE TELEGRAPH OPERATOR.

- THE BEDBUG INCIDENT.

- THE X-RAY MACHINE.

- IMAGINES HIMSELF PRESIDENT.

- PRISON HUMOR.
- THE VERSATILE PRISONER.
- CAPT. “JACK” CRAWFORD'S JOKE ON THE GUARDS.
- FEEDING THE DONKEYS.
- TRICKS OF PRISONERS WHO SHAM ILLNESS
- A “HORSE” ON THE PRISON PHYSICIAN.
- ESCAPES FROM PRISON
- BREAKING INTO PRISON
- THE PAROLE SYSTEM
- THE PAROLE LAW
- DIMINUTION OF SENTENCE
- DISCHARGE ALLOWANCE
- THE CELLHOUSE BUILDING
- THE CHAUTAUQUA CIRCLE
- BAND AND ORCHESTRA
- PRISON NIGHT SCHOOL
- THE SHOE INDUSTRY.
- THE REPAIR SHOP.
- TAILOR SHOP
- BATH ROOM

- THE PRISON CHAPEL

- THE DINING ROOM

- PRISONERS' BILL OF FARE, WEEK ENDING JANUARY 4, 1907

- WEEK ENDING JULY 4, 1908.

- THE IMPLEMENT FACTORY
- PRISON LIBRARY
- THE MIRROR OFFICE
- THE BINDERY
- THE STEWARD'S OFFICE
- THE FEMALE WARD
- THE GREENHOUSE
- THE POWER HOUSE
- THE PRISON FIRE DEPARTMENT
- RULES GOVERNING DISCIPLINE.
- PRIVILEGES
- SHOP RULES
- DINING HALL RULES
- CHAPEL RULES
- GRADING RULES
- LIBRARY RULES
- RULES FOR EXCHANGING PAPERS
- RESTORATION OF CITIZENSHIP.
- SOLITARY CONFINEMENT.
- THE TWINE FACTORY

REAL FACTS ABOUT THE NORTHFIELD, MINNESOTA, BANK ROBBERY. Related by THOMAS COLEMAN YOUNGER.1

- THOMAS COLEMAN YOUNGER. RICE COUNTY DISTRICT COURT.

- RECORD

THE STATE BOARD OF PARDONS

PATHETIC INCIDENTS AT MEETINGS OF PARDON BOARD.

PRESS NOTICES.

- MORE LIGHT.

- A NOVEL VOLUME.

- EDITORIAL.

- THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG™ LICENSE