o write short-hand. He called on
Warden Smith, and got his consent. He told the warden that if I would
master this useful art while in prison, on my release, he would appoint
me his district court reporter, at a salary Of $2,500 a year. The scheme
was a success. I sent and got my short-hand books and writing material.
I mastered short-hand, and can now write as fast as one would care to
dictate. It was not long before I began writing my book in short-hand.
The officials, as was their custom, would examine my cell daily to see
if anything had crept in that did not belong there. They could not read
short-hand. They did not know what so many little straight marks and
curves indicated. I persevered, and one month before my time expired
I had my book completed, and sent it out by a friend who visited the
prison, who kept it for me until I secured my liberty. As before stated,
I lectured until I got money sufficient, and then I published my first
book on prisons, giving it the impressive title of "A Kansas Hell." This
book sold rapidly, and soon the first edition was disposed of. I made
enough money out of this book to place me on my feet, financially. But,
to return to my cell the first afternoon. I remained alone until time
for the prisoners to come in from their work, when I found that I was to
have a "life man" for my cell-mate, whose name was Woodward R. Lopeman.
I have given his history in a subsequent chapter. I remained in my cell
during the evening, until the prison bell rang for retiring. Strange to
say, after going to bed, I soon fell asleep, and did not awake until the
prison bell rang on the following morning. When I did awake, it was to
find myself, not in my own pleasant little home in the city of Atchison,
Kansas, but in a felon's cell. I arose and dressed, and then waited and
wondered what would be the next thing on the programme.

CHAPTER II. THE COAL MINES

I was next taken to the coal mines. These mines are located just outside
of the prison enclosure, and are surrounded by high stone walls and
stone buildings, which, by their location, take the place of walls. The
coal yards are separated from the prison campus by a partition wall,
which constitutes the south wall of the coal department and the north
wall of the prison.

Passing from one of these departments to the other, through a large
gateway, the gate being kept by a convict, an old man who murdered his
son, and who has a life sentence. Reader,