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                                    THE PRISONERS 

     Thinking that it may be interesting to some of my readers; I will now 

give; in brief form as possible; a history of some of the most noted inmates 

of the penitentiary。 

                                   FEMALE CONVICTS 

     He must be of a very unsympathizing nature who does not feel for his 

brother;   who;   though   sinful   and   deserving;   is   imprisoned;   and   excluded 

from     the  society   of  friends。   While    we   are   sad   when    we   behold    our 

fellowmen in chains and bondage; how much sadder do we become when; 

passing   through   the   prisons;   we   behold   those   of   the   same   sex   with   our 

sisters;   wives   and   mothers。   In   this   land;   blessed   with   the   most   exalted 

civilization; woman receives our highest regard; affection and admiration。 

While she occupies her true sphere of sister; wife or mother; she is the true 

man's ideal of love; purity and devotion。 When; overcome by temptation; 

she falls from her exalted sphere; not only do men feel the keenest sorrow 

and regret; but; if it is possible; the angels of God weep。 

     In   the  Kansas     penitentiary;    just  outside   the   high   stone   wall;   but 

surrounded by a tight board fence some fifteen   feet high; stands a   stone 

structurethe female prison。 In this lonely place; the stone building; shut 

out   from   society;   there   are   thirteen   female   prisoners。   During   the   week 

these women spend their time in sewing; patching and washing。 But very 

few visitors are allowed to enter this department; so that the occupants are 

permitted to see very few people。 Their keepers are a couple of Christian 

ladies; who endeavor to surround them with all the sunshine possible。 For 

these inmates the week consists of one continual round of labor。 It is wash; 

patch and sew from one year's end to the other。 The Sabbath is spent in 

reading and religious exercises。 In the afternoon the chaplain visits them 

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 piteousl

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