A GUARD'S RECOLLECTIONS
1907
B.G. REES


The first 50 that went to Fort Madison from Anamosa--Mr Rees put the shackles on them. That was in 1907.

In 1907 and 1908 there were 296 inmates

Old man Taylor was low number. His number was 637.

Went from Penitentiary to a Reformatory July 1st, 1907.

At that time the guards pay was $50 per month.

You worked 12 hours a day. Every Sunday you worked from 7:30 AM to 9:30 AM and from 2 PM to 4 PM.

Every 4th Sunday you worked 12 hours - 7:30 AM to 7:30 PM.

No meals furnished. You would be fined if caught eating anything.

The inmates were not paid anything for any job.

On leaving the institution the inmate got $5.

1st grade man got 10 cents of tobacco a week.

2nd grade man got 5 cents of tobacco a week.

3rd grade man, if found with any tobacco, went to "the hole."

Guards had to buy own uniforms and keep them up.

GRADE SYSTEM

When you came in you were in 2nd grade.
You got 9 credit marks a month. You had to have 50 credit marks out of a possible 54 before going to 1st grade.
3 demerit points in any 30 days -- you would go back a grade.
It took 6 years and 3 months to do a 10 year sentence.
Before 1907 the only parole you could get was a pardon from the governor.

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