Hell Holes and Hangings"The Territorial prisons and penitentiaries were meant to be just a little tougher than the meanest outlaw the devil ever made -- and they were. This is the story of a selected few of these prisons, and of the taut, life-and-death dramas often played out within the shadows of their brooding walls. In some ways, it is a story of shame, of sadistic guards, corupt officials and a justice which was often impulsive and vengeful. But it is also a story of magnificence in the massive battle between right and wrong during America's most lawless period." -- p. VIII. |
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adobe Arizona Attorney Axtell Bergmann Boise Boley building Canon City cell house charge Chinaman citizens Colfax County Colorado Colorado Territory confined constructed County court crime criminals death Deer Lodge Dennis Denver deputy door Dunn erection escape execution feet floor Fort Smith frontier gate Governor guards guilty hanged head Hell Hole Henry rifle horse Idaho City Indian Ingalls inmates institution iron jail jailers James John Tunstall Judge Parker jury killed Kurtz labor Legislature McSween Mexico miles Mitten Montana months murder named never night officers once outlaws pardon Pauly Pearl Hart penitentiary Photo courtesy pistol posse prison break prison officials promptly punishment rifle robbery Salt Lake City San Quentin Santa Fe sentence served sheriff shooting shot Smith soon superintendent Territorial Prison took trial U. S. Marshal United States marshal Utah Utah Territory victs Villegos walls warden Witherell Womankiller Yuma