Within Prison Walls: being a narrative during a week of voluntary confinement in the state prison at Auburn, New YorkOsborne, Thomas Mott
History
Within Prison Walls: being a narrative during a week of voluntary confinement in the state prison at Auburn, New York
Osborne, Thomas Mott
Auburn Prison; Prisoners -- New York (State); Prisons -- New York (State)
It must be at about half-past eleven that a certain air of restlessness
pervading the shop shows that dinner time is approaching. Murphy goes for
his soap and towel. "Come on, Brown, and wash up."
"I'm sorry, I forgot and left my soap and towel in my cell."
"Well, never mind, come and use mine."
So, raising my hand for the Captain's permission to leave my place, I join
Murphy at the sink, and again we use his soap and towel in common. My
partner's treatment of me is certainly very satisfactory; there is just
enough of an air of protection suitable for a man who knows the ropes to
show toward his partner who does not, combined with an open-hearted
deference to an older man of wider experience that somehow is
extraordinarily pleasant.
Before going back to the cell-house we march first to the place where we
left the buckets this morning before breakfast. Each man secures his own
bucket, which is marked with the number of his cell; then we go swinging
up the yard, break ranks at the side door of the north wing, up the
stairs, traverse the long gallery, and so to my cell around the corner.
It begins to have a certain homelike association; but I do dislike having
to close the grated door and lock myself in every time.
The gallery boy has been most attentive. I find a rack for my towels and a
mirror added to the cell equipment; also he has promised me a better
electric light bulb. There are two gallery boys, I find; one is George,
the other is Joe. George is Captain Lamb's trusty, and serves in the shop
as well as the gallery. He has been the one who has added my new
furnishings. Joe I see only when I am in my cell; and I do not know where
he works. He brings me water and has been most genial.
There seems to be about half an hour at noon between the shop and the
mess-hall. As soon as I am back in my cell I remove my cap and coat and
"slick up" for dinner. Then I chat with any of the trusties that happen to
drift along to my cell. One of them brings me a book which a prisoner on
our gallery is sending to me. It is Victor Hugo's "Ninety-Three." Opening
it I find a note. The writer begins by saying that he had found the book
interesting and hoped I would, and then adds, "Some of the guards laughed
at you when you passed this morning. I know it is a hard proposition you
are up against; but say, stick it out! I only wish I could help you, and
I am voicing the sentiments of all the boys who work in the school."
Generous in him to run the risk of punishment in order to send me this
word of encouragement.
We march to dinner in the same order as at breakfast, and I find myself
again next to the blue-shirted Landry. I like his looks and his
personality. It is curious how one can get an effect of that, even under
the rigid and unnatural demeanor which the discipline engenders. There is
a dapper little chap who leads the right line of our company to whose back
I have taken a great liking; some day I hope to get acquainted with his
face.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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