will agree with me, that the book
has the proper title. That this volume may prove an "eye-opener" to the
boys who may read it, and prove interesting and instructive to those of
mature years, is the earnest wish of the author.

A KANSAS HELL

CHAPTER I. MY INITIATION AND CRIME

Guilty! This word, so replete with sadness and sorrow, fell on my ear on
that blackest of all black Fridays, October 14, 1887.

Penitentiary lightning struck me in the city of Leavenworth, Kansas. I
was tried in the United States District Court; hence, a United States
prisoner.

The offense for which I was tried and convicted was that of using the
mails for fraudulent purposes. My sentence was eighteen months in
the penitentiary, and a fine of two hundred dollars. I served sixteen
months, at the end of which time I was given my liberty. During the
period I was in prison I dug coal six months in the penitentiary coal
mines, and was one of the clerks of the institution the remainder of the
term. Getting permission to have writing material in my cell, I first
mastered short-hand writing, or phonography, and then wrote my book: "A
Kansas Hell; or, Life in the Kansas Penitentiary." My manuscript being
in short-hand, none of the prison officials were able to read it, and
did not know what I was doing until I obtained my liberty and had my
book published.

This, no doubt, will be the proper place to give some of my antecedents,
as well as a few of the details of the crime for which I was sent to
the penitentiary. I spent my youth and early manhood at Indianola, Iowa,
from which place I removed to Nebraska. After residing for some time in
Columbus, of that State, I was appointed by the governor to assist in
organizing the Pawnee Indian Reservation into a county. When organized
it was called Nance County, being named for Hon. Albinus Nance, then
governor of the State. I held the position of county clerk of that
county for four consecutive years. During this time I organized
the Citizens' Bank. I was its cashier at first, and, later on, its
president. I had a lucrative business and was doing well. My wife's
health failed her; she became consumptive. My family physician advised a
removal to the South. I closed out my business at a great sacrifice, and
came to Atchison, Kansas. Here I located, and made it my future home.
Soon after my arrival I commenced the publication of a daily newspaper,
known as the "Times." In the county in which I