Anamosa Eureka May 1873

Arrival of Convicts

Last Tuesday afternoon twenty convicts from the Ft. Madison penitentiary, in charge of Warden Craig, arrived at Anamosa and were immediately transferred to their new quarters. It having been noised about that the prisoners were expected, quite a number of people gathered on the grounds. The prisoners, as will be seen below, were mostly young men and, with a few exceptions, wore countenances not by any means altogether vicious or dejected. We could not help thinking, as the manacled couples filed in behind the iron doors, that some of them were probably better men, so far as their average impulses and sober desires were concerned, and had committed less crime against humanity and caused less misery, than some who will look coldly upon them in their prison garb; - better men than many whose naturally mean and cowardly spirit, or whose fear of the punishment which the law constantly holds up before them, restrains them from committing the same or worse acts than those for which these convicts are now paying the bitter penalty.

Arrangements are now in progress for setting the prisoners at work, and a few days more will probably see them all occupied.

Those in charge of the men are:
Chas Jewett, Ft. Madison, night guard.
Jos. Huff, Ft. Madison, night guard.
C. C. Hamilton, Benton Co., day guard.
___ Jones, Cass tp., Jones Co, day guard.
S. P. Southwick, Jones Co., day guard.
Andrew Patternoe, Anamosa, day guard.

By the courtesy of Mr. Lew Kinsey, Clerk for the Commissioners, we extract some particulars found in THE DESCRIPTIVE LIST:

#1 John Barlow; from Clinton Co.; crime, larceny; committed to penitentiary March 28, 1872, for two years; nativity, Iowa; age, 22; occupation, sawyer; habits, temperate; married.
#2 Andrew Costa; Clayton; larceny; committed May 29, 1872, for 2 1/2 years; nativity, Poland; age, 26, occupation, candy maker; temperate; married.
#3 Morgan Holmes; Buchanan ; larceny; committed Nov 19, 1872, for 2 years; nativity, N. Y.; age, 52; occupation, painter; intemperate; married.
#4 C. C. Hardin; Warren; (no offense registered;) committed Jan 15, 1873, for seven years; nativity, Missouri; age, 23; farmer; temperate; single.
#5 Geo. Williams; Muscatine; larceny; committed Jan 20, 1873, for three years; nativity, Arkansas; age, 28; teamster; intemperate; single. (ed.note: Williams died at the prison Dec. 11, 1873, and is buried in the prison cemetery. He was Anamosa's first prison death).
#6 Joseph London; Muscatine; larceny; committed Jan 20, 1873, for one year; nativity, Pennsylvania; age, 18; cabinet maker; intemperate; single.
#7 David J. Van Wie; Johnson; robbery; committed Jan. 22, 1873, for eight years; nativity, Indian Ter.; age, 26; laborer; intemperate; single.
#8 John Nelson; Des Moines; breaking and entering store and larceny; committed Jan 28, 1873, for five years; nativity, Ohio; age, 40 years; laborer; intemperate; widower.
#9 John Thompson; Clayton; assault with intent to commit murder; committed Jan. 29, 1873, for 1 1/2 years; nativity, Louisiana; age, 17; laborer; temperate; single.
#10 Wm. Wilmering; Muscatine; murder of father; committed Jan. 31, 1873, for fifteen years; nativity, Iowa; age, 21; laborer; temperate; single.
#11 Geo. Anderson; Muscatine; burglary and larceny; committed April 15, 1873, for two years; nativity, Ky.; age, 17; plasterer; temperate; single.
#12 John A. Allen; Muscatine; burglary and larceny; committed April 15, 1873, for 2 1/2 years; nativity, Canada; age, 24; stone-cutter; intemperate; single.
#13 James Smith; Muscatine; burglary and larceny; committed April 15, 1873, for two years and five months; nativity, Ill.; age, 18; stone cutter; temperate; single.
#14 Ed. Sheridan; Marshall; robbery with intent to use deadly weapons; committed May 6, 1873, for ten years; nativity, N. Y.; age, 19; laborer; temperate; single.
#15 E. W. Ford; Marshall; robbery; committed May 6, 1873, for five years; nativity, Iowa; age, 19; laborer; temperate; single.
#16 Joseph Good; Marshall; larceny; committed May 6, 1873, for six months; nativity, Ohio; age, 27; laborer; intemperate; single.
#17 Wesley Good; Marshall. larceny. committed May 6, 1873, for six months; nativity, Ohio; age, 24; laborer; temperate; single.
#18 Wm. F. Kerr; Jones; larceny; committed May 7, 1873, for eighteen months; nativity, Virginia; age, 26; laborer; intemperate; single.
#19 Wm. Anderson; Pottawattamie; robbery, committed June 20, 1872, for two years; nativity, England; age, 21; hotel waiter; intemperate; single.
#20 Chas. Hatfield; Lee; burglary; committed Dec 12, 1872, for two years; nativity, Indiana; age, 22, laborer; intemperate; single.

Under the head of " religious education" we find that two report themselves as Catholic, two as Christians, three as Baptist, one as Methodist, one as Presbyterian, and eleven as having "none."

In "mental culture" sixteen are reported as "common;" three as "poor," and one without any whatever.

We are requested by Mr. Heisey to say - and we take pleasure in making the announcement - that books, magazines, papers, &c., contributed by our citizens, for the benefit of the prisoners, will be gratefully received by the officers in charge.

Preaching by our ministers and the organizations of a Sabbath School are also contemplated, and suitable arrangements will be effected for this purpose as soon as possible.