Rensselaer Republican, Volume 17, Number 33, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 April 1885 — From Behind the Prison Bars. [ARTICLE]

From Behind the Prison Bars.

A Letter From Will Sears. Canon State Prison, April .sth, ’Bs.^ Editcjr Republican If you will allow space in your paper and think this letter worthy of publication, I will be very thankful to you. I have received many, letters from enquiring friends and am unable to answer them, as we were only allowed to write once every other week, until our new Warden took his seat, whiqh was on the 20th of last month, and he has made a great change in everything, and one is that he allows us to write every Sunday instead of every other, and, as you know, it becomes my duty to write my wife and little ones, wno are .so dear to me, and that is Why 1 afu not able to answer my dear friends. Our Warden’s namo is Gen. R. A. Cameron, and it may be that some of you are acquainted with him, as he is from your state. He is a good man and is willing to do anything he can to make it pleasant for us and there is no reason, what iver, of any one provoking punishment ,if they will try to obey the rules of the prison. He has delivered two lectures to us, one last Sunday morhing aud one this morning. We also have ing every Sunday afternoon. We have a line cliapel that will seat close to one thousand people. There are a great many citizens and visiting friends who attend our meetings, whjcli makes it very pleasant for us. 1 am enjoying myselt very well under the circumstances and my health is fair. It seems very strange to me, when I think about my case, that I, who have so many times refused to wring a chicken’s neck, when asked by my dear mother or wife, have been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter, and all on account of one juryman, who was prejudiced against me, and to whom I objected, but my attorneys had exhausted- their. right of challenge and the Judge would not throw him off. He is now under arrest to appear for perjury. 1 receive your paper regularly ana you have no idea the comfort I take ’in reading the news in it fjrom my old home. It is very hard for me to write an interesting letter for I am not altogether at Lome here, and don’t get to see or hear anything, except what occurs in here. “The best letters sent out from this prison are written by tiic worst hum”, said an official of the penitentiary. They are the plausible men, the kind that can make black appear white, the hypocrites. Ho cued one who led Mrs. St. John into a long epistolary discussion on theoretical Christianity',* meantime professing a desire to get hold qf the practical kind,_ while he was simply amusing himself and puzzling her, While be planned a wider range of rascalities when his term should be out. We have no chaj>lain at the present time, a resident; chaplain would come to know worthy from spurious seekers after better thiugs. and could give expression to the sympathy whibh one who is thrown in contact with these prisoners, must often feel; A sympathetic, wise, self forgetful, chaplain in whom these men might confide, may God send through the present Legislature and Governor Eaton, for they have now a chance to think ot everything—how it all happened and what a disgrace they have brought upon themselves and others. One mam lam told died here without ever having told his real name, “Its too good a name’’ he said. “I have dishonored it and no one shall know it”. One mother came two thousand

miles to her son and then ber heart ! 7 ■ ’ ir » tailed her,' “I can never look at him in this place and in a convict’s uniform'’, she s«4d and turned homeward with at broken heart. I skid nothing of the women here, there are eight in the building, which shelters fifty times as many men. A official says ho would rather manage a thousand men than these eight women", each man has his cell. Some of them are furnished comfortably while others are bare except what furniture is furnished to them by the Siato which is as follows: Bed, two blankets, pillow, sheet and pillow case, stool, water bucket, cup, wash pan, broom, stand lamp, and spittoon, which is enough to be comfortable, besides plenty pf good things to eat and three meats a day, except Sunday. I would like to write more but my time for. writing is up aud I believe I have answered all questions I can that are propeP, aud not against our rules. * 1 Respectfully Yours, W. E; Sears. Cauon City, ,CoL