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)
In due course of time, Grant makes his appearance, showing around a
visitor who carries a kodak. He makes no attempt to exercise the machine
in our neighborhood, and is simply shown through like any other visitor.
Not long after he is gone the hour of noon approaches. We form in due
order, and, while awaiting the signal to start, for the first time I dare
to turn my head sufficiently to get a good look at the dapper young
prisoner who leads the right line of our company, the back of whose head
and manner of marching had so pleased me. And whom should I discover him
to be but my own boss, Harley Stuhlmiller. Here have I been three days
marching behind him ten times a day, and seeing him at frequent intervals
all day long in the shop; and now for the first time I am able to match
his face and the back of his head together. This gives a good idea of the
remoteness of man and man in this unnatural place.
We make our usual march down to the stands, where each man secures his
bucket, and then back up the length of the yard.
Sure enough--there he is. The camera fiend is standing with Grant and some
others just outside of the main door. Evidently he has not been told that
at noon we turn aside to the door leading into the north wing; it is only
at night that we march directly into the main building in order to secure
our bread for supper. The men quickly catch the humor of the situation,
and there is a deal of quiet enjoyment of the photographer's
disappointment. He hastens down toward us, but only succeeds in snapping
our rear ranks as we enter the building. Tom Brown has escaped him.
It is certainly wonderful how news gets about in this prison. From what
the Warden tells me this evening, it could not have been more than half an
hour after the man with his kodak entered the front gate before the
warning of his camera was received by me, over at the farther end of the
yard. The Marconi system hasn't very much advantage in speed over the
wireless telegraphy of the prison.
My first action upon getting back to the cell is to get my own telegraphic
system in working order, so as to get word to that trusty who has
threatened to go to the Warden about last night's occurrence. I want him
told not to attempt to go over the head of the P. K., but to leave the
whole matter to me. I send two messages through the secret channels and
then get ready for dinner.
That meal, when we reach the mess-hall, turns out to be corned beef,
potatoes, an excellent pickled beet, and the usual bread and coffee. I
eat with more relish than usual, and find the time allotted for the meal
altogether too short for a proper enjoyment of it. Or perhaps the word
enjoyment is a little too strong--let us say, for a proper disposal of it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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