The Twin Hells; A Thrilling Narrative of Life in the Kansas and Missouri
Penitentiaries, by John N. Reynolds

Published: Atchison, Kansas, The Bee Publishing Co., about 1890.
           and Chicago, M. A. Donahue & Co.

Note: Includes many male and female convict-biographries

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                              THE TWIN HELLS

                     A Thrilling Narrative of Life in
                         the Kansas and Missouri
                              Penitentiaries

                                    by

                             JOHN N. REYNOLDS
                             ATCHISON, KANSAS


         Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1890,
                           By JOHN N. REYNOLDS,
        In the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington


                             Atchison, Kansas
                          The Bee Publishing Co.


                          TO MY DEAR OLD MOTHER
                                   AND
                    TO THE MEMORY OF MY SAINTED WIFE
                                THIS BOOK
                     IS AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED BY
                               THE AUTHOR. 




CONTENTS:

PREFACE

A KANSAS HELL
CHAPTER I. MY INITIATION AND CRIME
CHAPTER II. THE COAL MINES
CHAPTER III. THE COAL MINES (Continued)
CHAPTER IV. THE PUNISHMENTS OF THE PRISON 
CHAPTER V. SUNDAY IN THE PRISON 
CHAPTER VI. SCENES IN THE HOSPITAL 
CHAPTER VII. ESCAPES FROM PRISON 
CHAPTER VIII. THE PRISONERS 
CHAPTER IX. FORTY-EIGHT HOURS IN HELL 
CHAPTER X. STOLEN HORSES 
CHAPTER XI. CANDIDATE FOR THE STATE SENATE 
CHAPTER XII. A DARK HOUR 
CHAPTER XIII. FREEDOM 

A MISSOURI HELL 
CHAPTER XIV. THE CONVICT'S HOME 
CHAPTER XV. THE WORK OF THE CONVICT 
CHAPTER XVI. THE MISSOURI PRISONERS 
CHAPTER XVII. THE MISSOURI PRISONERS (Continued) 
CHAPTER XVIII. PRISON DISCIPLINE 
CHAPTER XIX. NOTED CONVICTS 
CHAPTER XX. THE EX-CONVICT 



PREFACE

The following pages treat of hell--A Kansas hell and a Missouri hell. 
Those who desire to peruse works that tell about Heaven only, are urged to 
drop this book and run. I was an inmate of the Kansas penitentiary for 
sixteen months, and make mention of what came under my own observation in 
connection with what I experienced. While an inmate of this prison I 
occupied cells at various times with convicts who had served terms in the 
Missouri prison. From these persons I gathered much useful material for my 
book. After my release I visited the Missouri penitentiary, and verified 
the statements of those criminals, and gathered additional material from 
the prison records and the officials. I have written chiefly for the youth 
of the country, but all ages will be deeply interested in the following 
pages. A large majority of the convicts are young men from sixteen to 
twenty-five years of age. They had no idea of the terrible sufferings of a 
convict life, or they surely would have resisted temptation and kept out 
of crime. The following pages will impart to the reader some idea of what 
he may expect to endure in case he becomes entangled in the meshes of the 
law, and is compelled to do service for the State without any 
remuneration. Every penitentiary is a veritable hell. Deprive a person of 
his liberty, punish and maltreat him, and you fill his life with misery 
akin to those who wander in the darkness of "eternal night," I think, when 
the reader has perused the following pages, he will agree with me, that 
the book has the proper title. That this volume may prove an "eye-opener" 
to the boys who may read it, and prove interesting and instructive to 
those of mature years, is the earnest wish of the author.