The Underground Prison Ring
Warden Catron uncovers a secret society of convicts at the Walla Walla prison, suspected of plotting to smuggle in opium.
Walla Walla, March 1.—Warden Catron has been in the city in consultation with the police authorities, and said that he has taken precautions, as he suspected that Leonard Harrison, a convict released Friday, would attempt to smuggle opium into the prison. Mr. Catron has for some time known that there existed at the prison a secret society among the convicts, each member of which is pledged to aid the others when opportunity offers. Although the strictest discipline is maintained at all times, the men are able to communicate with each other in a manner which is mysterious. Leonard Harrison was seen visiting many of the cribs in Chinatown, and, coupling this with the well-known fact that a great many of the prisoners have been addicted to the use of the drug, it led to the suspicion that Harrison would attempt to help out the incarcerated men.
“Although the strictest discipline is maintained at all times the men are able to communicate with each other in a manner which is mysterious.”
This report highlights the long-standing, often ignored history of prison labor and systemic drug issues within the state's penal system. The 'secret society' narrative reflects the era's anxiety regarding prison discipline and the moral panic surrounding opium usage in the late 19th-century Pacific Northwest.
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