The Twin Hells: A Thrilling Narrative of Life in the Kansas and Missouri PenitentiariesReynolds, John N. (John Newton)
History
The Twin Hells: A Thrilling Narrative of Life in the Kansas and Missouri Penitentiaries
Reynolds, John N. (John Newton)
Prisons -- Kansas; Prisons -- Missouri
A number of them were severely wounded. Several died of the injuries
received. The prison directors had a called meeting and investigated
the riot. The blame fell upon convict Johnson. A criminal charge was
preferred against him in the courts, for arson. He was convicted and
served an additional sentence of twelve years. This, added to his former
sentence, makes twenty-four years of imprisonment for this desperado.
When he was taken out of the penitentiary to stand trial for setting
fire to the prison, he was heavily loaded with chains, and in the
custody of six prison officials. It was feared he would make a desperate
effort to escape during this trial. On his return to the prison he was
placed in a dark dungeon, and has been kept caged up ever since, like a
wild beast. When he is given exercise he wears a ball and chain and an
officer walks immediately behind him, with a loaded Winchester, ready
to shoot him down if he makes any bad breaks. The officials are very
careful when they enter his cell for any purpose, as he is liable to
kill them. Captain Bradbury, the deputy warden, in speaking of
him, says, he is the most desperate criminal he has met during his
thirty-three years of prison experience.
HENRY BUTLER,
a colored representative of Pettis County, has served the longest
consecutive term of any of the male prisoners. Henry killed his man,
and for this mistake has been doing service for the State of Missouri
"without money and without price" for the past fifteen years. The story
of his downfall is very romantic. He was a married man, and the father
of an interesting family. There lived near him a young lady of color,
very handsome and attractive, so the story goes, and for whom Henry
had a great liking. There was nothing wrong about all this, perhaps,
if Henry had not permitted his affections to go too far. Instead of
admiring this dusky maiden at a distance, as he should have done,
he brought her to his home, and cared for her there in a manner
too affectionate for the tastes of his colored neighbors. Henry was
remonstrated with, but to no purpose. At the close of church services
one moonlight Sunday evening his neighbors held an indignation meeting,
and it was resolved to put a stop to Henry's little love scheme, as
it was now very evident that his wife was getting tired of having the
maiden about her so much. The meeting adjourned that evening to have the
next one the following night at Henry's front gate. During the ensuing
day he was apprised of the intentions of his callers, and was urged to
let the young lady depart from under his roof. Henry refused, since love
is blind. He got his shotgun in readiness to protect his home and his
rights. At the appointed hour some twenty-five or thirty neighbors
gathered at the place selected, and demanded of Henry that he should
give up the maiden loved, or pull hemp. At this juncture Henry called
into requisition his double-barreled shotgun and turned both barrels
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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