members were clad in snow-white uniforms during
the summer months, and cadet blue uniforms trimmed with broad
black braid, during the winter months. During the State Fair
week, when over thirteen thousand people visited the prison,
it attracted much attention. Many favorable comments were passed,
and small coins, to the amount of three hundred and twenty-five
dollars, were dropped into the contribution box. From this fund
the debts of the band were paid and many new instruments and
music purchased.
Now came another surprise for the inmates. As they walked into
the dining room one evening, there was the band to play for them
during the evening meal. The boys were delighted, and indeed
they had reason to be, for no other hotel in Lincoln furnished
such splendid table music. From that day on, and all during Warden
Melick's administration, the band played during the evening meal.
The warden codsidered (sic) music one of
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the foremost factors in maintaining prison discipline,
a factor more beneficial than anything else. During his tenure,
music became one of the most predominating features of the life
at Lancaster.
Following the outbreak, all newspapers
containing any news about the murder were confiscated and not sent
inside to the prisoners. The inmates are great readers and subscribe
for the dailies and weeklies published in Lincoln. In addition, they
received by every mail about one hundred and fifty metropolitan
and county newspapers, and many magazines. The boys were longing
for news from the outside world and were delighted when Warden
Melick raised the ban upon the papers. There are prisons where
newspapers are contraband at any time and are as carefully excluded
as are opium and morphine. Warden Melick was not in favor of
this system. On the contrary, he felt that the newspapers were
of benefit to him, and he thought that what
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