The Edwardsville Intelligencer from Edwardsville, Illinois • Page 5

EDWARDSVTLLE INTELLIGENCER. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1937. PAGE FIVE CIVIL WAR Pi AI ALTON Institution Originally Built as First State Prison for Illinois. Is New Constable A fragment of Illinois' first public Institution, a penitentiary at Alton, lands on the side of a hilt at the rear of the office of Sparks Milling Company In that city. Tottering portions two walls and a few stones scattered about the grounds ore the only remains of the once famous prison.

It was erected at Alton because most of the population lived In the southern half of Illinois when the prison was erected more than 100 years ago, It was built on a tract which Is now known as "Uncla Remus Paik," the grounds being named for Joel Chandler Harris, a southern author. In 1823 after the legislature passed law to build a penitentiary "at or near Alton" a plan was discussed to form a "small county" In that community. According to Brink's History of Madison County, "The county Deems either to have promised a bonus of $5,000 as a subvention, or to have pledged the faith and credit of the county for the payment of that amount by others." The amount was paid In 30 Installments which with Interest aggregated Establishment of the new county was not actually attempted although It was discussed to some extent. Residents of Madison County had a part In erection of the institution. Previous to erection of the prison each county retained custody of Its prisoners.

During 1S2C-27 there was more or less agitation for a state prison for Incarceration of the Increasing number of convicts. Illinois lacked funds to finance the institution and finally the federal government was asked for assistance. The state was given permission to sell vaiious lands and the money derived was used for two purposes-erection of the penitentiary and improvements along the Wabash River It was not until 1833 that the first portion of the penitentiary was ready for occupancy. The grounds originally contained ten acres and the first building was designed for 24 cells. A foim of more or less solitary confinement was used by the counties but it was replaced the congregated system.

The whipping post, stocks and pillory were eaily means, of punishment but they wei? being replaced with confinement and hard labor. The state retained control of the piison during the first five years The warden was appointed by the Ceneral Assembly and was paid $600 annually for his services. In June, 1838, otd records reveal, there were 38 prisoners- confined. The plan of "farming out" the prisoners was adopted and used for a number of years. The state virtually lost control under this plan, a lessee using the men for varied employment.

S. A. fcudfmaster was the first lessee. Apparently the plan was satisfactory to the lessee, In 1845 Buckmaster entered into a contract with the state In a lease through which he had control the piisoncrs foi ourrit He paid the state for the piivilen 1 1 Buckmaster also agioed to food, bed, gtuucl and cloctoi the piiboncis. Additional buildings eiccted ns the numbet of piiMincis Incieacd In 1846 i i icllh i in 1857 tho number had been met cuter! to 236.

Eiiin coll designed to accommodate pn oneis but from year to jcar the penitentiary became overciowdcd. During 1S33, the year the prison was opened, Chicago was Incorporated and other noithurn Illinois 'cities were growing. Many of the prisoners were being received fiom that section of the state. In 1857 the flist Joliet prisons with 1000 cells was nu- thoi i iecl by the General Assembly. In May, 1859, the Joliet prison was ready for use and tlin transfer began of jnisoncis fiom Alton.

The men V.PIO taken to Joliet in gioups of BO earn and In 1860 the Alton prison was empty. Then came the Civil War and the need of militaiy prisons The Alton Institution was Ideally located on the nvei, making It possible to bring the Confederate soldiers up the river on steam boats Military au- thoiities at St. Louis made arrangements with state officials for use of the abandoned buildings and the enclosure. During tho four years of war many prlsoncis were released through exchange of soldieis or taking the oath of allegiance to the United States. A number of the Southerners confined at Alton weie men of Importance.

One was Col. Ebonezcr Mngoffln, brother of a Governor of Kentucky. Me was under sentence to be shot for tho minder of a Union Mngoffin and several associates- escaped during July, 1862. The first contingent of prisoners was brought up the Mississippi River by boat imd landed at Alton on Feb- ruaiy 9, 1862. Bctvvpen double line of Union soldiers they were matched the short distance from the river to their prison abodes.

At times during the war as many as 2,000 prisoners were confined at Forty-six ot the Confederate soldiers were participants in an attempted escape from the prison on July 3, 1884. They made an. attack wpon gwnta fight tasted but a short and. whw. the prisoners.

Shaking a sturdy night stick in front of a shiny new badge, Mrs Mary Saffel sternly bids lawbreakers "Beware!" as she assumes job of constable In Clayton Township, Perry County, Ohio. She and her male election opponent each got six write-in votes, flipped! a coin for the job. were subdued seven dead and five otheis wounded. Several Southern women were held as prisoners at Alton during the war. Two of them died while in prison.

Before the war ended an epidemic of smallpox broke out in the prison. Those taken sick were transferred to an Island la the Mississippi River. Eighty of the prisoners and several Union guards died on the island and were buried In unmarked graves. There were 1,354 prisoners who died at Alton during- their confinement. They were buried In a Confederate Cemetery in North Alton.

A granite shaft with bronze plates containing the names of the soldiers stands near the center of the cemetery. When Joliet prison became crowded Alton was again considered ns the site for a second prison. Protests were raised by a number of citizens and Menard, a short distance north of Chester, was selected for the site of a new prison. Some years after the close of the Civil War stones in the buildings and enclosure of the Alton prison, began disappearing. They were used In other construction.

Today the few stones in "Uncle Remus Park," probably three truck loads, are the only remains of the old prison, famous because It was the beginning of the state's penal institutions and secondly for the part It took in the Civil War. Rend the for the news. MYSTERY GOLFER Biggest Crowd in Golf History Upsets Introduction in Exhibition Match. New York, Nov. 15--John Montague remains the mystery man of golf today.

Twelve thousand unruly fans upset his introduction to his future public on the fresh Meadow links yesterday, and forced him to retire after playing nine holes of a scheduled 18-hoIe exhibition match with Babe Ruth, Babe Didrickson and Mrs. Sylva Annenberg one of the east's finest woman golfers. It was probably the biggest crowd in American golfing history and it was the first time a sports event had to be abandoned because of the size of the gallery. The fans literally walked on the heels of the players, swarmed through sand traps, and paraded across greens with utter disregard of anything except a desire to gt a closeup view of the show. So today "Mysterious Montague," friend of Hollywood's golfing celebii- ties and central figure of many a Bunyanesque links story remains an unknown because his public refused to let him play.

Montague was paired with Mrs. An- nenbeig against the two Babes in an exhibition in the name of charity at the rate ol $1 per head. Bill Corum and Grantland Rice, who ran the shaw, reported that tickets were sold. Anybody can. guess at the number who jumped the fences of the Fresh Meadow Club.

The popular estimate was that 12,000 followed the bizarre exhibition. Probably nobody saw more than half a dozen shots by anj one player. Even golf reporters, experienced in finding their way through the mob, were stymied by the oddly assorted gallery. Final decision of Scotty Chisholm, the Los Angeles golf writer who flew here to referee the match, dressed in red kilties, was that the Babes won, 2 up. There were no medal scores because Monty and Mrs.

Annenberg each picked up on two holes and all picked up on the ninth. Monty was four over par for the holes he holed out So was Mrs. Annenberg. Babe Rnth was three and the other Babe who played the best golf of the day, was two over. The exhibition convinced some that Montague Is really a golfer.

He smacked powerful drives and long sec ond shots. He's deadly with his approaches and putts; accurately. That's all any golf star has to do. He might have done more if it hadn't been for the crowd. The crowd will go down in golfing history as one of the most fantastic SPEAKS THE Prophet of Profit THE crystal is clearing.

I see a dark man. A very dark man. You are paying him some money, and he is giving you something. No, I can't see what it is. Sometimes it looks like a thimble.

Sometimes it looks like an automobile. I see by your smile that you think you have a bargain. I know by his smile that you have not. Now he ic leaving his store. He is going to dinner and the theater.

Then he will go to the club. He is doing himself well on your money. The article you bought? Too bad. A blind bargain. But the scene changes.

The dark man is gone. You are reading the advertisements in this paper. You know i the honest prices, the quality brands. You are fine-ing where to buy. You are getting your money's worth and more.

You have discovered that advertisements are your true prophets of profit! ever put together. Probably not more than one out of every srx had ever seen a golf shot made, even from a public driving range. All the news in the If it can be sold, an Intelligencer want ad will sell it. TOBACCOS? means a lot that famous golfers like Gene Sarazen, Helen Hicks, Lawson Little, and Raloh Guldahl, agree in their preference for Camels. They have found that costlier tobaccos do place Camels in a.

class apart. Listen to Ralph Guldahl, National Open Champion: stack to Camels for 10 years," he says. "I smoke lots of Camels and I've never known them to jangle my nerves. That partly explains why so many golfers are loyal Camel smokers." And not only golfers, but people in all walks of life--millions of Americans--prefer Camels day after day after day, making them the LARGEST-SELLING cigarette in the world. SALESGIRL Elsie Schumacher: "When the rush gets me'worn out'--it's me for a Camel, and I get a quick Practically all of us girls in the store prefer Camels." WATCHMAKER I.

C. Gorkun says: "Camels? Soy, every Camel I smoke seems to be milder and tastier than the last one. Camels don't leave me feeling'looked SPORTS WRITER Stuart Cameron: "Ifs mighty impressive bow champions agree on Camels. I'm glad as any athlete that Camels don't get en my nen es," DRAFTSMAN B. T.

often feel used up daring long hours before the drawing board. give me a when Ifeel I need it. They never tin my Uete." BANK TELLER John McMahon: "I'm handling money by the thousands. Jangled nervea just don't fit in that kind of work. So ifs Camels forme." AUTO MECHANIC Patterson: "In the garage business you have to catch your meals on the run.

Camels seem to smooth the way for good digestion." CHIEF SIGNALMAN of N. Y. Central R.R, John Geraghty: "Speed and safety our watchwords--call for healthy nerves. Do Camels jangle my nerves? Wo sirf NEW DOUBLE-FEATURE CAMEL CARAVAN Tiro great shows-- "Jack Oakie College" and Benny Goodman's "Swing one fait, fun-fiUed hour. On the uir every Tuesday night at 9:30 pm E.S.T., 8:30 pmC.S.T.,7:3OpmM.S.T» P.S.T..

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