- Item
- 1900
Part of Richards Studio Photographs
ca. 1900. Early day chain gang at McNeil Island Prison. Prisoners at this time were mainly "squaw-men" and white men convicted of selling liquor to Indians whose sentences ranged from a few months to a year. Some men served time for murder, mutiny, and other crimes. A few women prisoners were also housed at McNeil, but not in the cellhouse. They were incarcerated in the guards quarters. When prisoners were not in cells, they worked in the fields, clearing and preparing land for gardens to feed the occupants at McNeil. Prisoners wore their own clothes while working in the fields or the striped wool uniforms issued to them. Copy photograph for Mr. Short, T. Times. (Price, Lester K. "McNeil, History of a Federal Prison", McNeil Island, Washington, July 1970).
Prisons--Washington; McNeil Island Federal Prison (McNeil Island); Prisoners;