An incoming prisoner is designated by the inmates as a “fresh fish.” He
enters the administration building, and, as a rule, if he has the
reputation of being a “slippery chap” is handcuffed to the sheriff or one
of his deputies. Handcuffs, in the vernacular of the underground world,
are called “come‐a‐longs.” He now enters a room known as “between the
gates.” (One of these gates leads to the outer world and the other to the
inside of the prison.) Here the prisoner’s commitment papers are examined,
the deputy warden sent for to receive the new arrival, and slips are
immediately made out notifying the several heads of departments of the
man’s name, county from which he came, the offense for which he was
committed and the time that he shall serve.
Upon the arrival of the deputy warden the prisoner is taken in charge and
marched through the officers’ barber shop and kitchen. Upon leaving the
latter room the “fresh fish” is commanded to “turn to the right,” and a
short distance ahead, about twenty feet, he is told to ’“turn to the
left.” He now enters the large cellhouse—his future home, to remain for
the number of years that His Honor, the Judge of the District Court, has
sentenced him to serve. The cellhouse contains 664 cells (referring to
Minnesota’s institution, which furnishes the nucleus for this article) and
is in charge of an officer known as the Captain of the Cellhouse.
This officer now takes the new arrival in charge and searches his person
thoroughly, empties his pockets of everything they contain, and takes his
coat, hat and vest. Any valuables found on him, such as money, jewelry,
trinkets, tobacco, etc., are immediately tied up into a bundle and sent to
the deputy warden’s office. A duplicate receipt is made out for all
articles of intrinsic value, is signed by the Captain of the Cellhouse and
also by the new arrival so as to insure their safe keeping until the day
of his release.
The next move, and one that is a decisive reminder of his future status in
the world, is to the bath room, where he takes a bath and puts on a
“second‐grade” uniform, there being three grades in all. The first is the
highest. Its garb consists of a neat grey suit and cap. First grade
prisoners are entitled to write one letter each week, to draw a ration
(four ounces) of tobacco weekly, and to receive visitors once in four
weeks. They have a dining room to themselves and are served with a greater
variety of food than are the prisoners in the other grades. They have also
such other privileges granted them from time to time as their general
conduct warrants.
Prisoners in the second grade are clothed in a black and grey check suit
and cap. They are permitted to write one letter a fortnight, to draw a
ration of tobacco weekly and to see visitors once a month. They also have
a dining room of their own, but the food served therein is not as varied
as that served to first grade men. The latter, for example, are served
with butter and other relishes at stated intervals, but such things are
not part of the diet of the second grade prisoners.
[Administration Office ]