THE WOMEN PRISONERS OF SAN QUENTIN.
The present kind wardens (Hoyle and Reilly) of the two penitentiaries
of California have granted me many more opportunities to enjoy
heart-to-heart talks with the prisoners than I am able to relate. In
but one of these places (San Quentin) are the women incarcerated. In
this department let me endeavor to awaken your interest.
It is situated in a remote corner, inside the prison walls, and is
accessible only through the passage-way underneath the central building
seen in the illustration on next page. It is built two stories high
around a hollow cemented square, with windows looking into the same. It
affords no view, excepting barely the tops of the hills, the sky, and
the matron's house. Truly these poor women are shut in. Not so with the
men, as will be seen in the same picture. It shows a portion of the
beautiful garden into which many a cell door opens. One corner of these
quarters may be seen on the right, the women's being inside of the
building near the tree on the left. Frequently have I, attended by the
matron, Mrs. G. G. Smith, a very warm friend of mine, come through that
iron gateway in the wall, always to be greeted with smiles and warm
words, of welcome by my less fortunate sisters. These meetings were,
without doubt, profitable to all concerned. I enjoyed their orchestra
(some are very musical), and they enjoyed the songs to my autoharp
accompaniment.
As I have previously mentioned, the present matron, after much
intercession and with the warden's aid, succeeded, a few months
following her accession to the matronal office, in prevailing upon the
board of prison directors to grant the women prisoners a monthly walk
on God's beautiful green hills. In order to prove their appreciation of
her kindness, the women banded together to give her an entertainment on
the first anniversary of her matronship. To this day they believe the
affair to have been a complete surprise, though she was aware of their
preparations from the beginning.
The day broke warm and beautiful. Immediately after dinner Matron Smith
was escorted to a seat of honor in the yard and the program was opened
by an excellent address of welcome (of which _I_ have an exact copy) by
E----, whose offense was--well, we won't say what nor how long her
term of imprisonment. She is a bright young woman, as the following
well-worded and _touching_ speech amply verifies:
Trusting in your graciousness, and with your approval, we, the inmates
of the female department of this institution, have taken the liberty of
arranging a program for an entertainment to be given in the honor of,
and to celebrate this, your official natal day.
Just a year ago today you came to us. To you it means just the passing
of time in a sphere of action hitherto unknown to you; but to us a year
filled with memories of all things good--easier times, warmer clothing,
and privileges until then unknown.
We have enjoyed, through your kind intercession, and the courtesy of
our noble Warden, the delight of walking forth into the outer world,
even if only for a short time; of seeing once more green fields and
hills clothed in nature's gown of green and flowers; of viewing the
waters of the bay and inhaling the salt sea air; and of being
entertained in your own sweet way, in your own sweet home. At last, but
not least, to have the intense satisfaction of gazing at the outside of
our prison wall, anticipating the time when we will always be outside
of that old wall. And in our daily life together, you, in the discharge
of your duties, have been a kind and gentle matron, listening always
with patience to our tales of woe. And through all the past year you
have been to us our guide, friend, and comrade. We one and all pray
that life will give you health, happiness, and prosperity, and all of
heaven's good gifts.
Then followed an enjoyable program.
Who could not be touched by such tender sentiment from those whom the
world at large regard as well-nigh, if not quite, hopeless cases.
Because of this and also because of the receipt of a recent letter
(Sept. 14, 1911), I humbly and heartily thank God that I am able to
prove that kindness, coupled with good judgment, is very effectual.
Enclosed in this lengthy, newsy letter from the matron are some
excellent up-to-date photos of the San Quentin prison, two of which you
will find between these covers, and also a clipping from one of San
Francisco's daily papers, as follows:
2,000 LEAVE PRISON WALLS.
WARDEN HOYLE GIVES SAN QUENTIN CHARGES AN UNUSUAL PRIVILEGE.
Nearly two thousand convicts at San Quentin prison walked outside the
walls on Admission Day and spent more than three hours in God's
out-of-doors, while they rooted for rival hall teams playing on a
diamond beneath the blue Marin County skies.
No extra guards or precautions marked the first time in the history of
a California State prison that convicts have been permitted to leave
the walls.
JOKE AND LAUGH.
In orderly procession the men filed out from the prison yard between
the great stone gate-posts, laughing and joking like schoolboys in
their joy at seeing once more an unobstructed sweep of smiling, open
country.
From three o'clock until six fifteen every man in the institution
except the sick and incorrigibles, stood or sat on the ground or
perched on adjoining sheds while the "Whites" and "Blacks" played ball
that would do credit to a fast bush league.
Over at one side sat a row of condemned prisoners, watching their last
ball game and forgetting for a few blessed moments that the shadow of
the scaffold hung over them.
WOMAN FANS, TOO.
From other seats, the women prisoners saw the game.
For four innings neither side scored. Then the "Blacks" pitcher lost
his control, and the two thousand frenzied rooters cheered as man after
man slid home. The score at the close stood 7 to 2 in favor of the
"Whites."
"It's only part of the new policy of trusting the prisoners and
treating them like human beings," said Warden Hoyle today. Hoyle is the
man who is responsible for the innovation. "We have no fear for a break
for liberty, and the men showed that they appreciate decent treatment.
I can't say that we will take the men outside every holiday, but the
experiment was a success and will be tried again."
What the glimpse of a world outside the prison walls meant for the
prisoners can be appreciated by readers of "The Bulletin" who have read
Donald Lowrie's narrative of life within the prison walls.
The Admission Day game marked a new epoch in the history of California
prisons.
What an innovation compared with former policies! Surely practical
demonstration of these experiments in other parts of the country will
have a tendency to reduce criminality. If not, pray tell me what will?
Time and again have I heard prisoners and others comment upon the
impractical Christianity portrayed, with seldom any exception. They
weary of being only preached to. The actions of such men as Warden
Hoyle and of such women as Matron Smith will probably have more to do
with helping these convicted ones to lead upright lives in the future
than will all the preaching of celebrated divines from now to doomsday,
and I, a Christian, do not hesitate for one moment to say so frankly.
In the name of the dear Lord, let us endeavor to practise what we
preach, and thus win numberless blessings from the throne of grace for
ourselves and others.