OCR Text |
Show Penitentiary Amusements. Those confined in the Penitentiary donotpaBssuch a dreary time ai many suppose. They Beldom have to work, and are at liberty to read, write and amuse themselves generally when not employed. They have cards, vinlina, banjoa, etc, and after being locked up at night sometimes institute a oou-oert, oou-oert, and while away tbe wenry hours in tuia innocent occupation. Sometimes Some-times the amusement is diversified, and one of the niott approved methods of oocupying the time is in holding courts. Thus a judge is ohosen, who is known as Boreman, Emerson or Hunter, according to tbe notion of the boys. A jury is empaneled and the lawyers seleoted, who ' represent one or another of ! tho well-known members ol , bar. The evidence is taken at length, the counsel argue the case, the jury retire aud return a verdict of guilty, and tho judge solemnly passeB sentence, always giving tbe defendant a good heulthy term. Sometimea partiea are arraigned for contempt, and are adjudged guilty; while mem-bers mem-bers of the bar are frequently tried for fellowship, and always disbarred. I A case of acquittal in this court waB ! never known, no matter bow favor-: favor-: able tbe testimony might bo to the accused, which is a quietearcasm; aud i the fact that the sentences are un-i un-i variably heavy is equally significant. One lawyer waa disbarred because he bad a broken leg, and other equally aggravated oauBes are deemed sufficient suffi-cient to disgrace any member. Some of the trials are highly ludicrous. |