All persons entering upon or retaining any position as an officer or employe of this institution, must do so with a full understanding that they are to lend a prompt, willing and positive obedience to the rules of the institution and the instructions of its officers, and devote their best energies and abilities industriously and faithfully, to the performance of the duties to which they may be assigned; and all who cannot do so cheerfully, must neither accept nor expect to retain a position here.

1.   The first and most important duty of guards, at all times, is to maintain a safe custody of the convicts, and to that end the rules of the Penitentiary require, and the laws of the State (vide Section No. 16-17 penitentiary act, session 1876-1877) justify the shooting of convicts attempting to escape, or of any person aiding or abetting the same.

2.   While within the penitentiary grounds the guards, and employes shall refrain from singing, whistling and scuffling, immoderate laughter, boisterous conversation, exciting discussions, and all other acts calculated to disturb the harmony and good order of the penitentiary.

3.   In their intercourse among themselves the officers, guards and employes are at all times to treat each other with that mutual respect and kindness that becomes gentlemen and friends, and are required to avoid all collisions, jealousies, separate and party views and interest among themselves and are strictly forbidden to treat each other with disrespect or use any ungentlemanly epithets.

4.   They shall not, while on duty, hold conversation with each other, nor with contractors or their foremen, except such as may be necessary in the discharge of their duties.

5.   All guards while on duty are strictly prohibited from reading books, papers, letters or communications of any kind, except as the nature of their duties require.

6.   Armed guards must allow no convicts or other persons, except officers of the prison, to approach nearer than ten paces.

7.   They must keep their arms clean and in perfect order, constantly ready for use; and neither cut, mark or deface them in any manner.

8.   They shall not allow any convict to speak to them upon any subject not immediately connected with their duty, employment or wants; and all familiarity between convicts and officers is strictly prohibited.

9.   They shall not allow any convict under their charge to leave their work without permission, nor shall they allow them to speak or gaze at visitors.

10.  They shall not punish or strike a convict unless it be in self-defence, or to quell an insurrection or prevent an escape; nor shall they use any profane or indecent language to them or in their presence, but shall uniformly treat them in a kind and humane manner.

11.  No guard or other employe shall on any pretence whatever receive from any convict any sum of money, emolument or reward whatever, or any article of value as a gift, under penalty of being discharged from the service of the penitentiary and forfeiting all moneys due them from that institution, and being disqualified from ever holding a position in said service (vide Section 30, penitentiary act, session 1876-1877.)

12.  Guards or employes will not be allowed to give convicts papers, books, letters or anything whatever, except such as pass through the office.

13.  They must speak to convicts in a firm, mild tone, using no offensive terms, and at the same time with positive, dignified demeanor, which almost invariably commands obedience without resort to punishment. After giving an order, officers will not bandy words with convicts, but quietly and mildly explain it, so as to be confident, it is understood, and then if the convict does not immediately obey, report him at once to the warden or deputy.

14.  All officers and employes are prohibited from discussing within the limits of the prison, the manner in which any officer or employe performs his duty, and from making any remarks which might tend to reflect upon the character or management of such officer or employe. They are also prohibited from discussing in the presence of convict's matters relating to the discipline or management of this or similar institutions. This rule will be rigidly enforced.

15.  Officers and employes will not be permitted to receive visits of any character while on duty.

16.  All regular guards will wear their uniforms while on duty, and will receive pay only when they do so.

17.  All guards must appear for duty promptly, and when unfit for duty and unable to appear in person, must report by letter.

18.  Guards and employes must not permit convicts to address officers, contractors or foremen by their given names, and the title of Mister must not be applied to a convict. The convict must not be permitted to forget his position, and it is due to the discipline of the institution that officers and employes uphold the dignity of their official stations.

19.  No officer or employe will be permitted to divulge information of an official character to outside parties, or in any manner gossip about the affairs of the penitentiary.

20.  Discipline is the first and highest consideration in a prison, and the officer who maintains it with the lowest number of punishments, will receive the highest commendation from the authorities.

21.  Officers will take special care to secure uniformity in marching their men, and, as far as practicable, should maintain a position at the left and near the foot of the column, that they may have constantly in view the convicts under their charge. The men should be formed in close line, single file, before the order of "march" is given, and care should be taken that the men keep step, and that the column maintain its position of close order during the march. No straggling should be permitted under any circumstances.

22.  All officers and employes lodging at the prison must be within the walls at 10:30 p.m. and the captain of the night watch is hereby ordered to admit no one after that hour, unless they have permission in writing from the warden or deputy.

23.  Guards must never leave the post of duty assigned to them until relieved, and no exchange of duties will be permitted without the permission of the warden or deputy.

1.   No prisoner is allowed to leave his bench or place of work for any purpose; unless by permission of the shop officer. Such permission is obtained by raising the hand and indicating by pointing, where he desires to go.

2.   No communication of any kind between prisoners will be permitted at any time, either by talking, whispering, or by any signs.

3.   Prisoners will not be permitted to pass tools or work from one prisoner to another or instruct each other, unless ordered to do so by the shop officer.

4.   Only one prisoner at a time will be permitted to go to the water closet or to the water bucket.

5.   No prisoner will be permitted to carry anything into or out of the shops, unless he has the permission of the shop officer to do so.

6.   They must at all times be constant at work, do all work well, pay strict attention to any instructions or orders given them by the officers or foremen, and not gaze about the shop out of windows at visitors, or at whatever might be going on in the shop unless they are spoken to by the officer or foremen to pay attention.

7.   All requests or complaints will be made to the officer in charge.

8.   A prisoner may speak to the warden or deputy, if they pass by their bench or place of work, but if it is necessary to leave their bench or place of work, each prisoner must first get the permission of the shop officer by raising the hand.

9.   Loud, or any unusual noises of any kind are positively forbidden.

10.  The tools and benches must at all times be kept in order, and when quitting work at noon or night, all tools must be put in place and benches cleaned up.

11.  At first ring of shop bell each prisoner must wash and get ready to leave shop. At second bell ring they must fall into line, with arms folded across the breast, ready to march. Each one must keep at work until shop bell rings to wash up or by order from the officer.

12.  For instructions about tools or work, application must be made to the foreman by sign to the officer or foreman.

13.  Any prisoner coming into shop must make signal to shop officer by holding up his hand and indicating, by pointing, where he wants to go or what is wanted, or go to the officer's stand and report what may be wanted.

14.  No prisoner will be permitted to give any present of any kind to any officer or foreman, or to receive any present of any kind from them. Nor will prisoners by permitted at any time to tinker, or do any other work than what properly belongs to that which they are set at by foreman or officer.

15.  Prisoners must not engage in any conversation with foreman or superintendents, except what may be absolutely necessary in doing their work properly.

W. B. FELTON, Warden.

1.   Contractors, their agents, foremen and employes, shall hold no intercourse with any convict other than those employed or superintended by them, nor upon any subject whatever other than the business carried on by them.

2.   They are to confine themselves strictly to their business, and are not to leave the shops where their business is carried on, to visit any other part of the prison.

3.   They are to report to the guard, having charge of the convicts in their departments, all violations of the "rules and regulations" of the prison.

4.   They are not to use any harsh or opprobrious epithets to the convicts, or use any profane language in their presence.

5.   They shall not give a convict any newspaper, book, writing-paper, envelopes, postage-stamps, money, or anything whatever; neither shall they deliver or mail any letter or newspaper for a convict; nor shall they purchase from or sell anything to a convict.

6.   No smoking will be allowed inside of shops.

7.   Any contractor, agent, foreman or employe[sic], violating these rules shall be expelled from the penitentiary and not again permitted in it as a contractor, agent, foreman or employe.

It shall be the duty of all guards to report any violation of the above rules.

W. B. FELTON, Warden.

THE FIRST DUTY OF THE CONVICT IS "OBEDIENCE" AND IT WILL BE FOR HIS INTEREST TO OBEY ALL RULES.

1.   All conversation between convicts and familiarity between convict and guards, are strictly prohibited, and all unneccessary [sic] noise must be avoided.

2.   They are not to exchange a word with each other under any pretence nor to communicate any intelligence to each other in writing. They are not to exchange looks, winks, laugh with each other, or make use of any signs, except such as are necessary to convey their wants.

3.   They shall not, at any time or under any pretence, without leave, speak to any person who does not belong to the institution, nor receive from them any letter, paper, tobacco or anything whatever. They are not to leave the place where they are put to work, nor the work which they are set to do, without the special permission or order of the proper officer. They are not to suffer their attention to be taken from their work to look at them when unemployed.

4.   No convict is wilfully or carelessly to injure his work, tools, wearing apparel, bedding or anything belonging to or about the prison, nor will any convict be suffered to mark, injure, or in any way deface the walls or any part of his cell, nor is he to execute his work badly when he has the ability to do it well.

5.   No convict shall receive or transmit any letter or paper, except under the inspection of the warden or deputy.

6.   At the general ring of the bell in the morning they will immediately get up, make their beds neatly, and put every article in their cells in complete order without making any unnecessary noise.

7.   At the ringing of the bell at 9 o'clock p.m. they will immediately (but if they choose, may go previously) go to bed, taking off all clothing except the shirt.

8.   Laziness and inattention to work will be considered a violation of the rules.

9.   Profane, obscene or indecent language or conduct, are at all times strictly forbidden.

10.  When at meals or at work, if anything may be needed, they will signify by holding up the hand or cup.

11.  Convicts will be permitted to subscribe for and receive such papers and magazines as are represented by "Harper's Weekly" and "Monthly," "Leslie's Weekly," "Atlantic Monthly," "Scribner's Monthly," "Scientific American", and all religious papers, but "political" papers will not be permitted in or about the prison.

12.  Books and papers will not be permitted to be carried out of cells or loaned to others without permission.

13.  When sick and unable to work, it must be made known to the warden or deputy on duty.

14.  All wants must be made known to the officer in charge or to the warden or deputy.

15.  Night buckets must at all times be kept covered when in the cell.

16.  The receiving of tobacco, use of library, writing and receiving of letters, will depend upon the conduct of the convict.

17.  No smoking will be allowed outside of cell, and convicts violating this rule will be severely punished and deprived of their tobacco.

18.  No convict will be allowed to approach nearer than fifteen paces to an armed guard, nor nearer than three paces to an unarmed guard or officer, before making his wants known and touching his hat as he approaches.

A faithful compliance of the above rules will merit the many privileges allowed, shorten the sentence, and make prison life comparatively easy.