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The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, October 11, 1900, Image 3

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 11, 1900.
PRISON OFFICIALS.
MANAGERB.
B. F. NELSON, President - - - Minneapolis
EDWARD W. WING - - - - Breckenrldge
F. W. TEMPLE, ----- Blue Barth City
A. C. WEISS, - -- -- -- -- Duluth
DAVID BRONSON, - Stillwater
REBIDENT OFFIOIALB.
C. McC. REEVE, ------- warden
T. W. ALEXANDER, - - - Deputy Warden
J. W. LAWRENCE, ------- Clerk
B. J. MERRILL, ------- Physician
MISS MARY McKINNEY, - - - - Matron
8. J. KENNEDY, - - - Protestant Chaplain
CHARLES CORCORAN, - Catholic chaplain
PRIBON AGENT.
F. A. WHITTIER, St. Paul.
CHURCH NOTICE.
Services In the Prison Chapel at 9:00 o’clock
every Sunday morning. Protestant and
Catholic services every alternate Sunday.
Rev. S. J. Kennedy, and Rev. Fr. Corcoran
chaplains.
TO INMATES.
For the Information of new arrivals and all
others desiring to send The Mirror to friends
we wish to say that the privilege will be granted
by complying with the following rules: Write
out your own name, register and cell number
and send to this offit e with name and address
of person to whom paper is to be sent. All
papers must be kept clean and folded in the
same manner as it is when you receive it and
placed In your door every Friday night. All in
mates are requested to comply with this order
whether sending out a copy or not.
Total population for the week
ending Oct. 10, 456.
Fifteen minutes have been de
ducted from the working hour.
Our local painters are now em
ployed in retouching the Usher’s
office.
The Board of Managers will
hold a special meeting at the pris
on Saturday.
Four Indians arrived at the in
stitution last Friday. They came
from Leech Lake.
J. S. Grlennon, captain of the
cellhouse, arrived back from his
vacation this morning.
The winter shed back of the
cellhouse has been placed in posi
tion during the past week.
The carpenters are now em
ployed in reshingling the Warden’s
dwelling that stands opposite the
prison.
If there were no mistakes made
in this life, just think what a pre
carious existence the fault-finders
would eke out.
Those apples that were given
out for supper last Friday evening,
were very appetizing and much
enjoyed by the recipients.
We have been unable to publish
Warden Reeve’s speech in this
issue, but we shall endeavor to
give it to our readers next week.
The steam fitters were about the
greenhouse last Friday and Satur
day putting in necessary pipes for
the near approach of cold weather.
Although there are no secret
societies in this select and orderly
community, there are many who
are very proficient in the making
of signs.
Some men who imagine them
selves to be a big boulder on the
beach of human affairs, are usually
nothing but an ordinary pebble
when estimated by others.
The masons have completed the
new foundation in the engine
room. It is said that it is the
best piece of work that was ever
performed inside the prison yard.
Last Saturday’s display of lurid
fireworks was rather grand while
it lasted. Several thunderbolts
must have struck alarmingly near
this place, as they had the genuine
ring.
In telling others your good
qualities, be careful and don’t
speak in supercilious tones, or
else they might imagine that you
were trying to perpetrate a huge
joke.
The secretary of the state board
of correction and charities reports
a decrease in our penal institutions
for the month of September as
compared with the same month a
year ago.
Sinbad says that he needs the
assistance of a good rat catcher.
He says that some of the vermin
around his establishment are
building up a fine constitution on
some of his choice plants and
bulbs.
The state repair shop is some
what rushed with orders just at
present. The near approach of
winter is bringing in requests from
every department of the prison to
have their windows, doors, etc.,
repaired.
One of our Italian friends who
has a flat on printers row, is again
attending night school and is
learning English rapidly. The
other evening, while wandering in
the dells of nod, we could hear
him roar: “You no wanta da banan
you no toucha. You catcha on?”
We present our readers this
week with a story under the
caption of “The Fall of Heathen
dom,” by Jan O’Rurick. The
story is absolutely fiction, and, as
it gradually unfolds itself from
week to week, it will place the
Chinese as conquerors of the world.
Read it.
At the October meeting of the
Board of Managers held at the
prison last Monday, the usual
routine business was transacted.
Five paroles were granted. The
September receipts amounted to
$8,279.28, of which $2,964.60 was
on account of binder twine. The
current expense fund gets $5,314.-
68 of the receipts. After the
members inspected both the yards
and shops, the meeting adjourned.
Our contributors have responded
abundantly to our call for copy.
Just keep this up, boys, as it im
proves the paper wonderfully by
having it almost entirely of origi
nal matter. There also is a strong
demand for sample copies just at
present, which shows that our
efforts are appreciated by the out
side public. Some of these re
quests have even come from Cana
da and other distant places, and if
we continue in keeping it an en
tirely home paper, these requests
will continue to pour in faster than
ever.
The baldheaded apothecary at
the hospital has been under the
weather for more than a week, and
as yet the doctors have been un
able to diagnose his case. It is a
question as to whether his trouble
is grip, blues, too much politics or
an affection of the heart. As to
symptoms, he has been heard
singing: “No one to love and ca
ress, no one to respond to this
heart s tenderness.” And winding
up by muttering: “Any poor man
that votes for McKinley ought to
be sold into slavery.”
The Board of Pardons held their
regular quarterly meeting Monday,
October Bth. There were twenty
one applications up for considera
tion. As Atty. Gen. Douglass was
absent in Washington on impor
tant business, no pardons were
granted. The following persons
were denied: Christ Engel, John
Erkkila, John Burnoz, Andrew
Handel, James M. Proudfoot, Al
bert Ryan, Frank Columbus,
Martin Feldman and Doc Atwater.
All of the other applications
were taken under advisement and
will, probably, be disposed of as
soon as Mr. Douglass returns from
Washington.
BASEBALL..
Standing of the Clubs in the National
League, October 10.
Won. Lost. Per Ct
Brooklyn 81 52 .609
Pittsburg 77 59 .566
Philadelphia 72 62 .538
Boston 65 69 .486
Chicago 64 73 .467
St. Louis 63 75 .456
Cincinnati 62 75 .452
New York 58 77 .459
Written for The Prison Mirror.
BE CONSISTENT.
As an interested member of the
Chautauqua Circle, I wish to ex
press my views through The Mir
ror in regard to the various con
tentions brought out last Sunday
in regard to the nominating speech
made in regard to the secretaryship
at the previous meeting. The ob
jections made to that speech con
sisted of verbose platitudes that
were far from the point at issue.
Let us view the facts in an im
partial and unimpassioned manner
and see if this speech has not been
grossly overestimated. Yes, let
us be consistent and not cry stop
thief when there is no thief. The
speech in question may not have
been delivered in choice Bostonese
language; but did it really contain
one single sentence that reflected
on any one’s character? I believe
not. The speaker did, however,
sound a warning and drew a vivid
picture as to what the circle might
drift aimlessly into if incompetent
officers were elected. He also
stated that one of the candidates
running for the secretaryship was
incompetent to fill the position.
If he knew such was really the
case he had a perfect right to make
known that knowledge to the
circle. To demand an apology for
that statement, is mere childish
prattle. Those who are so vocif
erous in demanding redress should
pause in their impetuous talk and
THE SCIENTIFIC GOD.
Written for The Prison M irror.
There are gods of all descrip
tion. Each nation seems to have
created a god after its own attri
butes and then it cries aloud from
the house tops that it is the only
genuine god, and all others are
base imitations, and bunko stear
ers.
But the two gods I wish to com
pare together, is actually one God
viewed from two different stand
points. I refer to the theological
god, and the scientifical god.
Theology says that its god created
the earth in six days and rested on
the seventh.
Science has proved with cold,
hard facts that the earth was many
millions of years assuming its
present formation. The god of
Theology performed slight of hand
tricks before Pharaoh to convince
him that he was the real thing.
The god of science has followed
certain undeviating laws from the
night of the remotest ages, never
varying a hairs breadth, if we are
to judge of his works. The god
of Theology, if we are to put faith
in the Hebrew myths and tradi
tions, may be classed as follows:
A god who is cruel, sensual, jeal
ous, unreasoning, capricious.
The god of science is just the
reverse of the above. Let it be
understood at the beginning that
we are not disparaging Christian
ity. We believe that the very
foundation of our civilization rests
on the philosophy of the Nazarine,
the great philosopher. It is not
Christianity we wish to disparage;
it is myths and fairy tales.
Do we believe that Lot’s wife
was turned to a pillar of salt? We
do not, because it is a scientific
impossibility. Do we believe that
doing onto others as you would
have them do onto you, will bring
happiness? We do, because it is
an absolute truth. Do we believe
that the human race descended
from two persons, namely, Adam
and Eve? We do not, because it
is a scientific impossibility. Do
we believe that blessed are the
-• iv
examine their own conduct in this
election. I dare say that they will
find abundant food for thought in
their actions—actions not strictly
in accord with the finer instincts
that would govern a thorough
gentleman.
CHAUTAUQUA.
The Pierian Circle held the first
meeting of the current year on
Sunday, October 7th. Good
papers and good music were the
order of the day. The trusts, the
Greeks, the fickle goddess of fame,
and the philosophy of proverbs
each received attention from the
members.
Mock congress voted to seat
Senator Clark by a vote of 24 to 3.
The question to come before the
next session is an invitation to
the Republic of Switzerland to
join the Union. The following
program was rendered:
Chorus Pierian Glee Club
“Vive La Amour,”
Paper—Trusts and the People
Member of Class A
Paper—The Philosophy of Proverbs
Member of Class C
Violin Duet Members of Class A and C
“Charlaton Two Step.”
Paper—Versatility of Fame... Member of Class C
Paper—The Greeks Physically
.. Member of Class B
Vocal Duet Members of Class C and E
“Whispering Hope.”
After a review of the program
by the critic and a few remarks
from members the circle adjourned.
G. W. L., Secretary.
pure in heart? We do, because it
is an absolute scientifical truth.
Do we believe there is a Higher
Intelligence, a Supreme Being?
We do, because the laws and phe
nomena of nature are too orderly
and intelligent to be the work of
chance.
We have merely to look about
us to see the wonderful energies
of a vast creative mind. We be
lieve that prayer will be answered
—if accompanied by effort. The
prayer we mean is not getting on
one’s knees and talking to God.
But actions, “act in the living
present.”
We will illustrate. You plow
the field and sow the wheat, God
will give the crop. You plant the
seed, God will produce the flower.
If you desire ventilation, open the
window, God will do the rest.
But if you do not open the win
dow, and there is no other means
of ventilation, you may pray until
you are hoarse but you will get no
fresh air.
If you swallow carbolic acid
mistaking it for water, praying
will do no good. If prompt med
ical attendance is not forthcoming
death will result as sure as the
sun will rise tomorrow, and all the
prayers in Christiandom could
not stop the inevitable result.
Why? Because this is God’s law
and he never swerves from his
purpose. “He is the same yester
day, today, and forever.” The
quicker all people come to realize
that conforming to God’s law is
the only true road to happiness,
and that those who attempt to
defy them will find those laws a
most terrible engine of destruction,
the quicker this is realized the
quicker will the human race reach
perfection.
But so long as myths, supersti
tion, fairy tales, and hoary old
fables are allowed to dominate just
so long will the human race re
main in a position of subjection
to Nature, instead of being master;
Leo.
Pro Bono Publico.
MAIL BOX.
No. 4784:—The famous French
stronghold, the Bastille, was orig
inally built by Charles Y. as a
chateau, in 1369. The high wall
around it was subsequently erected
by Philippe-Auguste. Louis XI,
first used it as a state prison, and it
was eventually demolished by the
people during the Revolution,
July 14, 1789. The “Man in the
Iron Mask” was imprisoned there
and died in 1703.
o o o
No. 4346: —The Angelus Bell is,
in Catholic churches, a bell rung
at morning, noon and sunset, ta
invite the faithful to recite the
Angelic Salutation. It gives name
to a very famous picture by Millet.
o o o
' No. 5091:—The first musical
notes were used in 1338: they were
first printed in the fifteenth cen
tury.
O O o
No. 4172: —The Mufti is a “doc
tor of the law” in the Mussulman
religion. He interprets both the
text and ideas of the Koran. The
Grand Mufti, called the “Sheik-ul-
Islam,” resides at Constantinople,
and is head of the lawyers and
priests or ulemas. His ordinances,
called fetfas, must be blindly
obeyed. It is the Grand Mufti
who girds on the sultan’s sword at
his coronation. Every town has
its mufti.
o o o
No. 5119:—The Hebrew race is
distributed over the Eastern con
tinent as follows: In Europe
there are 5,400,000; in France,
63,000; Germany, 562,000, of
which Alsace-Loraine contains
39,000; Austria-Hungary, 1,544,000:.
Italy, 40,000; Netherlands, 82,000;.
Roumania, 265,000; Russia, 2,552,-
000; Turkey, 105,000, and in other
countries 35,000, Belgium contain
ing the smallest number, only
3,000. In Asia there are 319,000;
Asiatic Turkey, 47,000, in Palestine
there being 25,000; Asiatic Russia,
47,000; Persia, 18,000; Middle Asia,
14,000; India, 19,000, and China,
1,000. Africa contains 350,000;
Egypt, 8,000; Tunis, 55,000; Al
giers, 35,000; Morocco, 60,000;
Tripoli, 6,000, and Abyssinia, 200,-
000. The entire number of He
brews in the world is nearly 6>-
300,000.
O O O
No. 4991:—The word Gypsy is
a corruption of Egyptian, but is
best understood as applied to a
mysterious vagabond race, scattered
over the whole of Europe and
parts of Asia, Africa, and America.
Whence they originally came is
not definitely known, but India
seems to have been the cradle of
the tribe. For centuries past they
have drifted about over Europe in
small bands, having no permanent
homes: living by begging, fortune
telling, and various tricks. The
first notice of them which occurs
in European literature is em
bodied in a free paraphrase, in
German, of the Book of Genesis,,
written by an Austrian monk
about 1122. On August 17, 1427,
a band of them, coming from
Bohemia, made their appearance
before Paris, which, however, they
were not allowed to enter, but
were lodged at La Chapelle Saint
Denis. Other hordes succeeded
these in the following years,
spreading in rapid succession over
all parts of Germany, over Spain,
England, Russia, Scandinavia, and
indeed, over the remotest parts of
Europe. The account which they
most frequently gave of them
selves was, that they originally
came from “Little Egypt,” that
the King of Hungary had com
pelled about 4,000 of them to be
baptized, had slain the remainder,,
and had condemned the baptized
to seven years’ wandering. In
France, Germany, Scotland, and
other countries the most stringent
laws were formerly enforced;,
against them and they were slain
by thousands. The jargon spoken
by the Gypsies is styled Romany and
contains many Sanscrit words and
corrupted Hebraisms.
If Til 114 li To PATENT Good Idit*
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