_The Four Gunmen._--Under this title Winthrop D. Lane writes in the Survey of April 4th about the social history of the four unfortunate young fellows who were executed at Sing Sing on April 13th. Mr. Lane found on careful investigation that all four came from “decent” families; that their career of crime started apparently from street life and its temptations; that each of the four had a previous correctional institution record; that they each started their lawbreaking career early; that the early years of each seem to have been normal and straightforward, giving no hint of the direction later conduct was to take. “One by one, through disease, going to school, or going to work, they came into contact with the abnormal street life of a crowded and heterogeneous community. Their youth demanded play and excitement, and they sought these where they were easiest to find. Gradually, but with seeming inevitableness, they made the acquaintance of older boys and men who had mastered the trick of turning an easy dollar.... Their own entrances into crime were gradual, beginning in all but one case with petty attempts while they were still in their teens to get spending money easily.... Whatever help there may be in probation and suspended sentence was not extended to them.” EVENTS IN BRIEF. [Under this heading will appear each month numerous paragraphs of general interest, relating to the prison field and the treatment of the delinquent.] _New Cell House at Iowa Penitentiary._--The new cell house, built by convict labor at the Fort Madison penitentiary, will be completed in May. The structure has been six years under construction, and its value is said to be more than $200,000. It probably will be sixty days before the board will have everything completed so that the new prison house can be used. The structure is of stone and concrete, and the cells are considerably larger than the rooms in the old cell house. There will be room in each cell for a single iron bed, a rocking chair, hot and cold water and toilet conveniences. The rooms formerly provided for prisoners held but a cot. The board of control has not yet decided what it will do with the old cell house when the new one is occupied. It is probable that prison labor will be used in the remodeling of the walls so that one fair-sized cell may be made out of two cells. There are 590 prisoners now in the Fort Madison penitentiary. The new cell house will provide for 400 of them. The remainder will have to remain in the old structure. The board has received samples of hollow building blocks manufactured at the State clay works at the hospital for inebriates at Knoxville. This is the first of the output of the new industry and, according to experts, the tile is as perfectly made as that of other institutions. It is the intention to have the hollow building blocks needed in the new building at Oakdale sanitarium made at Knoxville.