the twin hells(两个地狱)-第19节
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and preaches a discourse。 Several of these women are here for murder。
When a woman falls she generally descends to the lowest plane。
A few days before I was discharged； there came to the prison a little
old grandmother； seventy years of age。 She had lived with her husband
fifty…two years； was the mother of ten children； and had fifteen grand…
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children。 She and her aged husband owned a very beautiful farm and were
in good circumstances； probably worth 50；000。 Her husband died very
suddenly。 She was accused of administering poison。 After the funeral； she
went over into Missouri to make her home with one of her married
daughters。 She had not been there but a short time when her eldest son
secured a requisition； and had his aged mother brought back to Kansas and
placed on trial for murder。 She was convicted。 The sentence imposed； was
one year in the penitentiary； and at the end of which time she was to be
hung by the neck until dead； which in Kansas is equivalent to a life
sentence。 The old woman will do well if she lives out one year in prison。
She claims that her eldest son desires her property； and that was the motive
which induced him to drag her before the tribunal of justice to swear her
life away； During her long life of three score and ten years； this was the
only charge against her character for anything whatever。 She always bore a
good name and was highly esteemed in the neighborhood in which she
lived。
Another important female prisoner is Mary J。 Scales。 She is sixty…five
years of age； and is called Aunt Mary in the prison。 She is also a
murderess。 She took the life of her husband； and was sentenced to be hung
April 16； 1871。 Her sentence was commuted to a life imprisonment。 For
eighteen years this old woman has been an inmate of the Kansas
penitentiary。 While she is very popular inside the prison； as all the officers
and their families are very fond of Aunt Mary； it seems that she has but
few； if any； friends on the outside。 Several old men have been pardoned
since this old woman was put into prison； and if any more murderers are to
be set at liberty； it is my opinion that it will soon be Aunt Mary's turn to go
out into the world to be free once more。
MRS。 HENRIETTA COOK
This woman was twenty…five years of age when she came to the
Kansas penitentiary to serve out a life's sentence。 She was charged with
having poisoned her husband。 For fifteen years she remained in close
confinement； at the end of which time she received a pardon； it being
discovered that she was innocent。 When Mrs。 Cook entered the prison she
was young and beautiful； but when she took her departure she had the
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appearance of an old； broken…down woman。 Fifteen years of imprisonment
are sufficient to bring wrinkles to the face； and change the color of the hair
to gray。 This prisoner made the mistake of her life in getting married。 She；
a young woman； married an old man of seventy。 She was poor； he was rich。
After they had been married a short time she awoke one morning to find
her aged husband a corpse at her side。 During the night he had breathed
his last。 The tongue of gossip soon had it reported that the young and
beautiful wife had poisoned her husband to obtain his wealth； that she
might spend the rest of her days with a younger and handsomer man； After
burial the body was exhumed and examined。 The stomach showed the
presence of arsenic in sufficient quantity to produce death。 The home of
the deceased was searched and a package of the deadly poison found。 She
was tried； and sufficient circumstantial evidence produced to secure her
conviction； and she was sent to prison for life。 A short time before this sad
event happened； a young drug clerk took his departure from the town
where the Cook family resided； where he had been employed in a drug
store； and took up his abode in California。 After fifteen years of absence
he returned。 Learning of the Cook murder； he went before the board of
pardons and made affidavit that the old gentleman was in the habit of
using arsenic； and that while a clerk in the drug store he had sold him the
identical package found in the house。
Other evidence was adduced supporting this testimony； and the board
of pardons decided that the husband had died from an overdose of arsenic
taken by himself and of his own accord。 The wife was immediately
pardoned。 How is she ever to obtain satisfaction for her fifteen years of
intense suffering。 The great State of Kansas should pension this poor
woman； who now is scarcely able to work； and juries in the future should
not be so fast in sending people to the penitentiary on flimsy；
circumstantial evidence。
The other female prisoners are nearly all in for short terms； and the
crime laid to their charge is that of stealing。
INDIANS IN THE PENITENTIARY
John Washington and Simmons Wolf are two young Indians tried and
convicted in the U。 S。 District Court on the charge of rape。 They were
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sentenced to be hung。 After conviction these Indians were taken to the
penitentiary to await the day set for their execution。 In the meantime an
application was made to the President to change the sentence of death to
that of life imprisonment。 The change was made。 These two Indians were
placed in the coal mines on their arrival； where they are at the present time
getting out their daily task of coal。 They both attend the school of the
prison； and are learning very rapidly。 Prior to this； Washington served out
a one…year sentence in the Detroit house of correction for stealing。 He is a
bad Indian。
At present there are fourteen Indians incarcerated in the Kansas
penitentiary。 The Indian pines for his liberty more than the white man or
negro。 The burdens of imprisonment are therefore greater for him to bear。
One young Indian was sent to the penitentiary whose history is indeed
touching。 Ten Indians had been arrested in the Territory by U。 S。 marshals
for horse…stealing。 They were tried and convicted in the U。 S。 District
Court。 Their sentence was one year in the State's prison。 On their arrival at
the penitentiary they were sent to the mines to dig coal。 This was a
different business from being supported by the government and stealing
horses as a diversion。 The Indians soon wanted to go home。 One of them
was unable to get out his task of coal。 The officer in charge thought he was
trying to shirk his work and reported him to the deputy warden。 The young
Indian was placed in the dungeon。 He remained there several days and
nights。 He begged piteously to get out of that hole of torture。 Finally the
officers released him and sent him back to the mines。 While in the
dungeon he contracted a severe cold。 He had not been in the mines more
than a couple of days； after being punished； when he gave suddenly out
and was sent to the hospital； where in a few days he died。 That young
Indian was murdered； either in that dungeon or in the mines。 A few weeks
before； he came to the penitentiary from roaming over the prairies； a
picture of health。 It did not take long for the Kansas penitentiary to 〃box
him up〃 for all time to come。 He now sleeps 〃in the valley；〃 as the prison
graveyard is called。
Another one of the same group did not fare quite so badly as his
associate。 The one I am now describing was sent with the rest of his
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