19. CHAPTER XIX
NOTED CONVICTS.
AT the present time there are fifty-six females who find homes in
this living tomb. Two-thirds of them are colored. The greater portion
are kept busy making underclothing for the prisoners. They are detained,
during working hours, in a room, seated at tables, with a lady guard
watching them. They are not allowed to converse with each other, only as
they get permission from this officer. They are not permitted to see the
male prisoners. In fact there is no way of entering the female prison
from the male department. The dormitory is on the third floor. The
female convicts wear striped calico dresses, the stripes running
lengthwise. The female prison is kept scrupulously clean, which reflects
great credit upon those having the management of this department.
In company with Doctor Lewellyn, the prison physician, I passed
through the dormitory. Here I found a great curiosity. It was a baby
prisoner, six months old. The little
convict was born in the penitentiary. It is a colored child—its mother
being a mulatto, who was sent to prison for fifteen years for murdering
two of her children. When on the outside, she lived with her paramour, a
white man, and, as fast as children were born to them, she would murder
them in cold blood. The white man was tried also as accessory to the
murder, but, owing to her refusal to testify against him, there was not
sufficient evidence to convict him, and he was set at liberty. He often
visits her at the prison, bringing her eatables, which are very much
relished in the penitentiary. I saw also the notorious Sadie Hayes, who
was sent up from St. Louis for killing a policeman. She was under the
influence of strong drink, and, thus crazed with whisky, the officer
tried to arrest her. She drew a razor, and began to slash away at the
officer, and, in spite of his club and large, muscular frame, she soon
cut him to pieces. He expired on the sidewalk, where the engagement took
place. She was sent up for ninety-nine years, and has now been in prison
about three years. She is one of the most desperate looking women I ever
saw, and, when crazed with drink, becomes an infuriated demon. She is an
adept in the use of the razor.
The oldest female prisoner is an aged German woman by the name of
Oldstein, from Gasconade County. She has been in the penitentiary
thirteen years, and, doubtless, would get a pardon if she had any place
where she could make her home after securing her liberty. The old woman
is entirely broken down and is a physical wreck. She spends the most of
her time knitting. Aside from keeping her own bedding clean she is not
required to perform any labor. She was charged with a cold-blooded
murder. She, her husband and daughter murdered her daughter's husband.
The old man was hung, the daughter was sent up for life, and died in a
few months after entering prison. The old woman was sentenced to be hung
also with her husband, but the governor commuted her sentence to that of
life imprisonment. For thirteen long, dreary years she has lived behind
these prison walls. She longs for death, but death refuses, as yet, to
claim her as his own. Broken in health, friendless, penniless, this poor
old woman is but another proof that "the way of the transgressor is
hard." I also saw Anna Brown, another female prisoner, who, with her
step-brother, planned and carried into execution a
terrible cold-blooded murder. It was none other than the killing of her
aged father. The boy was sent to prison for life and the woman received
a sentence of forty-nine years. Her sentence might just as well have
read "life imprisonment" as forty-nine years, for she cannot live but a
few years longer in confinement. Nannie Stair is another interesting
prisoner. She came from Vernon County. An old and crippled man was
driving through the country. Night coming on found him near the house of
the Stair family. He stopped and asked for a night's lodging. His
request was granted. That was the old man's last night of earth. During
the hours of the night Stair and his wife made their way into the
bed-chamber where the helpless traveler lay asleep unconscious of his
doom. It was not long until the husband sent an axe crushing through his
brain, his wife standing by, a witness to the fearful deed. During the
same night they dug his grave in the garden back of the house, and
buried him. Next day the husband drove the murdered man's team to a
town not far distant, and sold it. In a couple of weeks friends began to
institute search for the missing man. He was
traced to the home of the Stair family. The husband and wife being
separated, and the officers telling the wife that she would be let out
of the scrape without much punishment in case she would tell all she
knew, she informed them of all the details of the bloody deed, where the
victim lay buried, and what disposition was made of the murdered man's
team and money. The two were arrested, tried and convicted. The husband
was hung, and the wife sent to the penitentiary for six years. Her time
will now soon be served out, and she will once more be a free woman. The
desire of this family to obtain filthy lucre was too great. Of the
fifty-six female inmates of of the Missouri penitentiary, fifteen of
them were sent for murder. Kansas City has several female
representatives. It is stated, on good authority, that the sentences
imposed by the judges of the Kansas City district are far more excessive
than in any other portion of the State. I was told that a number of
these female convicts were very desperate characters, while others of
them, driven to deeds of desperation on account of poverty, committed
acts that for a time placed them behind prison bolts and bars. Something
should be done to
aid these poor women, when their terms expire, to get a start in life.
If something is not done for them, it will be but a short time when they
will drift back again into crime and prison.
The author of this book believes that it is all right to send
money to India and other remote countries to aid the heathen, but
instead of sending it all away to lands beyond the seas, he thinks a
portion of it, at least, could be well expended this side the briny deep
in helping some of these poor unfortunate convicts to get another start
in life, and thus lift them out of a life of crime.
1. WHISKY AND CARDS.
Felix Bagan's history shows the career of many a boy, when thrown
into bad company. At an early age Felix was left an orphan. When his
parents both died he had not a relative living that cared anything for
him. Taken from the grave of his mother, who died shortly after the
death and burial of her husband, the unfortunate lad was placed in the
orphan's home in St. Louis. Here he remained for several years, and
acquired all the education that he possessed. After becoming old enough
to do some work, he was given to a farmer, who took him to his home in
the country.
Possessed of a genial disposition, he soon made many friends. He was
highly esteemed by the lady and gentleman who adopted him. He was honest
and industrious. It was on election day that his down-fall took place.
In company with several young men, who resided on neighboring farms, he
went to a small town near by to pass the day. Being invited to
participate in a game of cards, he and several of his companions found
their way into the back part of a saloon, where the day was spent in
drinking and gambling. Toward evening a dispute arose about the cards, a
drunken fight was the result. Bagan, half crazed with drink, drew his
knife and stabbed to the death one of his companions. The young man whom
he murdered, prior to this had been one of his best friends. When he saw
the life-blood of his companion ebb away, he came to his senses, and was
soon sober. He wept like a child when he saw his friend sinking away
into, the arms of death. The awful deed was done, and nothing was left
to the unfortunate youth but to be led away to prison, with the blood of
a human being upon his garments. In due time he had his trial, and was
sent to the penitentiary for thirty years. He was twenty-two
years of age when he received the sentence. He has now been in the
prison thirteen years. For seven years he worked in the saddle-tree
shop for Sullivan, Hayes & Co., prison contractors. At the end of that
time his health failing, he refused to work. The prison authorities
thought he was trying to shirk his work. After being severely flogged,
he was placed in the dungeon and kept there in solitary confinement for
three months. Half dead, he was taken to the hospital and left in the
hands of the prison physician. For a time it was thought he would die.
After a while he began to recover; large patches of hair fell from his
scalp, leaving his head thickly covered with bald spots. When he entered
the prison he was a fine-appearing young man, but thirteen years of
imprisonment have converted him into a broken-down old man and physical
wreck. That was a sad day for that unfortunate youth when he entered the
saloon to take part in the game of cards. He will not live to the end of
his sentence, but will die in the penitentiary, and find his last, long
home in the prison grave-yard. Young man, as you read the history of
this convict, can you not
persuade yourself to let whisky and cards alone for the future?
2. BILL RYAN.
Passing through the cell houses, I was shown the room occupied by the
notorious Bill Ryan for seven years. He was a member of the James boys'
gang. Being convicted of highway robbery he was sent to the prison for
twenty years. After Jesse James had been killed by young Ford, and
Frank's crimes had been pardoned, Ryan's sentence was commuted to ten
years, and after serving seven he regained his liberty.
Ryan was accredited with being one of the best prisoners in the
penitentiary. On the outside, if reports be true, he was one of the most
desperate men in Missouri. His time was spent in drinking, gambling,
quarreling, fighting and killing. He is charged with killing a number of
men. He was twice tried for murder, but proving an alibi, the jury
brought in a verdict of "not guilty." The prison officials speak in the
highest terms of his conduct while an inmate of the penitentiary. He
was an obedient and hard-working convict. Now that he is once more a
free man it is to
be hoped that he will show himself as good a citizen on the outside, as
he was on the inside, of prison walls.
3. WILLIE HILDRUM.
This youthful convict is but sixteen years of age. He is the youngest
prisoner in the penitentiary. He was formely{sic} a boot-black on the
streets of St. Louis. Getting into a fight one day with one of his
boot-black companions over a nickel that they had jointly earned
"shining up" a patron's boots, young Hildrum drew an old knife from his
pocket, which he had found a few days before, and sent the rusty blade
into the heart of the street Arab. The youthful murderer was tried and
convicted of manslaughter, and on account of his youth was given but two
years in the penitentiary.
4. S. D. HENSON.
This convict was at one time county judge of Stoddard County, and
highly respected. He is one of the finest appearing men I ever saw. His
finely shaped head bespeaks intelligence. It is sad to see such grand
looking specimens dressed in the garb of disgrace. Judge Henson became
involved in a quarrel with one of his neighbors over some trivial
matter, and killed him. His sentence is for twenty years, which for him
at this advanced age means death in the prison. Great efforts are being
put forth for his pardon, but it is a question left entirely with the
governor, and no one can tell how he may act.
Judge Henson is not at heart a criminal. On that open
countenance there is no mark of Cain. Thinking of his sad case, more
than ever am I convinced that we are creatures of circumstances. How
many of my readers, had they in the past, been surrounded by the same
circumstances, subject to the same temptations, would not have acted in
the same manner, and like judge Henson found a home in a convict's
cell.
5. FORTY-EIGHT YEARS A PRISONER.
John Hicks is the veteran penitentiary convict of the United States.
Under an alias he served one term in the Missouri penitentiary. Most of
his time has been spent in prisons further east. He is now eighty-four
years of age, and quite recently was released from the Michigan City
penitentiary. Prison authorities have compared notes and find that he
has actually served forty-eight years of prison life. He
is the oldest living criminal in this country. He has served ten terms,
the greater portion of them being in Indiana. His first crime was
committed in 1839. In some way he learned that a man named Bearder had
$360 in his house. While the family were at church Hicks rifled the
house and stole their money. A marked coin led to his conviction, and he
got a three years' sentence. He was never, afterward, out six months at
a time, and was sent up successively for burglary, criminal assault,
robbery, larceny, cattle-stealing and horse-stealing. At the expiration
of his fifth term, at Michigan City, he made his way to the office,
where the directors were in session. He begged them to allow him to
build a shanty in a part of the prison in which he could sleep and call
his home. All that he asked was that the scraps from the table be given
him for food. The board refused to allow him this, and Hicks bade them
good-by. He walked to a small town near by, where he soon was arrested
for thieving, and was taken to prison to serve what he declared to be
his last term. His head is as white as snow, and in keeping with his
long, flowing beard, and he looks like a patriarch, yet is not stooped a
particle. His
desire now is to secure honest work, that will guarantee him a home. He
wishes to spend the rest of his days a free man. Had this man been
assisted just a little at the expiration of his first term, he might
have become a useful citizen, but as it was, his life was spent behind
the bars. When once the feet find themselves walking in the pathway of
crime, it is very difficult for them ever to walk in paths of honesty
and uprightness thereafter.
6. NINE TIMES.
As I was walking through the penitentiary, in company with Deputy
Warden Bradbury, he pointed out an old convict, and said, "There is a
fellow that has seen prison life. He is here this time under the name of
Gus Loman. He is now serving his ninth term in this prison. At
the expiration of one of his sentences he went away and was gone over a
year, and when he came back I asked him where he had been so long. His
reply was, `Simply rusticating at Joliet, Ill., with some friends.'
Every time he is sent to prison he gives in a new and different name
and, of course, no one but himself knows what his real name is." When
asked why he comes to the prison so often, he
remarked that, when once in prison it is impossible to get work to do on
the outside, and he had made up his mind to spend the rest of his days
in prison. He claimed that the fates were against him and he could not
make a living on the outside, as no one would employ him; that he had
tried it several times and failed, and now he had given up all hope. He
is a bold, bad and natural thief. As soon as his term is out he goes a
little distance from the prison, gets on a spree, gets into trouble,
steals something, and soon finds himself back again in the penitentiary.
He is now over seventy years of age, and is both a physical and moral
wreck. What an awful warning for the young is the history of such a
wasted life.
7. DESPERADO JOHNSON.
This convict is the most daring and desperate criminal in the
Missouri penitentiary. The prison authorities have had more trouble
with him than with any other man who ever found a home behind the walls
of this great institution. He was sent up from Jackson County, and was
charged with murdering two men before he was finally convicted of crime.
On trial for these two murders be was successful
in proving an alibi. The last time be was not so successful, and
received a sentence of twelve years. Soon after his arrival at the
prison he was set to work in one of the shops. When he became a little
acquainted, his innate cussedness induced him to raise a riot in the
prison. It was a desperate undertaking, but he was equal to the
emergency. For days and weeks he was on the alert, and when a guard was
not on the watch he would communicate with a convict, and enlist his
services, and give him his instructions as to what part he should
perform when the signal should be given.
At last the day came when all was ready for the plans so well
laid to be carried into execution. Each of the convicts who were to act
in concert with him piled up a lot of kindling in their respective shops
and saturated it with kerosene. When the prisoners were being marched
out to supper, they threw matches into the piles of kindling-wood, and
soon several buildings were on fire. Intense excitement now prevailed
among the two thousand convicts. The ranks were quickly broken, and all
was confusion. Some of the better disposed convicts tried to assist the
officers in
putting out the fires, and were in turn knocked down and trampled upon
by those who were in favor of the riot. In the midst of this great
excitement Johnson, the leader, with four of his associates, knocked
down one of the guards and stripped him of his clothing. Johnson put on
this suit of blue and started to one of the towers. Reaching the same,
he asked permission of the officer on duty to let down the ladder and
allow him to ascend and assist him in "holding the fort," as this was
Captain Bradbury's orders. Johnson's intentions were to get on top of
the wall and into the tower, where the guard opened the large gate below
by the use of a lever. The convict, once inside the tower, would knock
the officer down, seize his gun, raise the lever, throw open the large
gate in the wall, and permit the prisoners all to rush out. This was a
bold scheme, and it is a wonder, during the great excitement that
prevailed, that it was not successful. The officer on duty, when
requested by the convict to allow him to ascend the ladder, coolly drew
his gun, and told him if he dared to ascend he would send buckshot into
his body.
Foiled in this, the desperado returns to
where the officials are fighting the flames, and began cutting the hose
so as to stop the supply of water. The fire raged furiously. A strong
wind sprung up adding intensity to the flames. Over $200,000 worth of
property was soon swept away in this direful storm of fire. After a
fearful conflict the prisoners were overpowered and driven into their
cells.
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.
8. 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
loose on the excited throng. The result was a stampede, one negro killed
and two wounded. For this brave deed he was arrested, tried and sent to
prison
for life. In solitude for fifteen years, Henry has had the privilege of
thinking of his illicit love, none of his former neighbors daring to
molest him or make him afraid.
The case of a prisoner who was in the Missouri prison under the
name of
9. GEORGE ELLIS
is very remarkable. Over in Kansas a cold-blooded murder had been
committed. It seemed impossible for the authorities to discover any
trace of the murderer. Shortly after this murder had been committed,
Ellis was arrested and tried in Missouri on a charge of horse-stealing,
and got a two years' sentence. He heard of this murder having been
committed in Kansas, and, for some reason best known to himself, he went
to Deputy Warden Bradbury and confidentially told him that he had
committed the offense, and asked him to notify the authorities of
Kansas. This was done and a pardon was granted Ellis that he might be
taken to Kansas and tried for murder. No doubt, Ellis' motive in stating
that he was guilty of this offense was to get out of the penitentiary.
He supposed that after getting pardoned out of the Missouri
prison, he would have no trouble in proving an alibi in the Kansas
murder case, and in this way go free. He was taken to Kansas, tried, and
failed to establish his alibi, and was found guilty of murder and
sentenced to the penitentiary for life. If Ellis was guilty of murder,
he surely would not have told on himself and exchanged a two years'
sentence in the Missouri prison for a life sentence in the Kansas
penitentiary. He is, no doubt, innocent of this crime, but should serve
a few years in the Kansas institution because of his smartness.
10. THE SUICIDE.
A young man by the name of John Welch was sent from Stoddard County
for an heinous offense, under a sentence of ten years. His family were
among the best people of that county, and highly respected. John proved
to be a black lamb of the flock. He had not been in prison but a few
weeks when he got enough of that kind of living, and, being unable to
have his resignation accepted, he concluded to end his career by
committing suicide. It was on a beautiful Sunday morning, and the
prisoners having been to religious services, were on their way back to
their cells to spend
the rest of the day in solitude. The chapel where the services were held
is in the third story of a large brick structure. An iron stairway is
attached to the wall on the outside of the building. It was down this
stairway the convicts were marching, one behind the other, when John,
stepping out of the door on to the stairway, instead of following his
comrades down and into his cell, as he had done on former occasions,
leaped out into space and fell to the ground. When he was picked up,
life was extinct. He received his pardon that day, but gave his life as
the ransom. No one can imagine how much this youth suffered before he
brought himself to that point when he decided to make that leap into
eternity.
