When you co-author a book there are a three ways to do it.
One, you can write every chapter together sitting side by side at the computer, each contributing a line or two, each taking turns typing – which is good when you are doing sitcom writing.

Two, one person can write all first draft of chapters and the second person goes in, adds their own touches, fixes up other things and refines what the first person did...(as I do with 90 percent of my team work writings...I write the first draft, partner makes it pretty.)

Or, three you each can literally divide the work..."you take 15 chapters, I'll take 15 chapters" and then you submit it to the editor and your partner at the same time...as I did with my latest book, "It Happened in Pennsylvania."

With that being said, I obviously did not write the prison chapter...but since I was in PA I thought it would be cool to visit it, besides I was curious what on earth would make a prisoner want to come back to jail, unless he had too.

We arrived at the prison located on 22nd Street and Fairmount Avenue just five blocks from the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

It was a huge, imposing fortress like building with massive iron gates and castle like stone lookout towers built back in 1829. It was built on an old Cherry Orchard, but nothing about this building was "cherry" like. This fortress with its 30 feet high walls and 12 feet thick concrete, was the brainchild of the Quakers...you know Ben Franklin and his buddies...

The prison of 1829 was way different than the "country club" prisons of today. The prisoners were brought to their cells with hoods on, so they could not orient themselves. Each and every prisoner was in solitary confinement from day one. They were not allowed to talk, or communicate with anyone (not even themselves!). They could only respond to a guard when permitted. His meals were served to him in his jail cell, he would eat alone. He was permitted no books or papers except a Bible. †here was no singing, no whistling, no games. The prisoner was to be penitent...thus the name...Penitentiary.

We walked into the building, paid our admission, got audio headsets and began our tour. The kids immediately bolted ahead, somehow listening to the audio tour at double speed.

Wanda and I laid back taking it all in. We got a cold, closed, creepy feeling from the first hallway. Let's face it, it wasn't party city.

The jail cells were tiny, with doorways about five feet high – a good Fran Capo or munchkin height, but not good if you are a six- foot man.

All the cell doors were bolted closed...except one... so Wanda and I stuck our arms inside with our cameras and snapped some pictures – hoping that we didn't get caught by a guard...yeah that's what you want to get in trouble on a prison tour. Talk about making it easy on the police!

Later on down the hall they had a sample cell you could go in.
The rooms had the bare minimums; a bed, toilet and running water (which was a luxury at that time.) We sat inside, I on the bed, Wanda on the toilet. The thought of ever being in a place like this for even a night did not sit well.

There were no windows in the cells, but they did have a skylight in each room for the prisoners, not for decorative sake, but so that they could commune with God – probably praying for a better decorator!

Looking at the prison, though, you never would have known it was one of the modern architectural wonders of it's time – it was touted as the most expensive building coming in at a whopping cost of $772,600 to build.

The architect, John Haviland got a $100 prize for his hub and spoke design...a central rotunda from which the seven original cellblocks would radiate out of, allowing one guard to be able to monitor the every hall simultaneously. There were 250 solitary confinement cells...the Quakers believed that solitude and penance would reform the man...but often the solitude made them wilder, and soon strait jackets, the water bath, the mad chair and the iron gag became methods to subdue prisoners.

Eventually the prison system changed, and prisoners were allowed interaction. As it grew, a second story was added in some wings,
making the cells seem even more imposing.

The hallways of the different cellblocks were dank looking. Some had not been refurbished.

Some sections though were furbished to its original form so you could see what it looked like to the prisoners when it first opened.

We walked down halls trying to imagine prison life, where they worshipped, slept and even got a haircut. Although I gotta admit this lone barber chair looked like a place that you get a lot more cut, than just your hair.

As we made our way around the prison, we walked down a kind of celebrity row...an exact section of the prison were some stars stood while shooting movies...movies such as 12 Monkeys (Brad Pitt and Bruce Willis), Return to Paradise and where singer Sting posed between cellblocks 1 & 8 for his album, All This Time. Since it was kind of hard to imagine the exact scene, they had a television set playing the scene from the movie that was shot in the same section where you were standing. They say a picture is worth a thousand words.

After the famous section of the prison, we entered the infamous section, where notorious gangsters of the time that were imprisoned.
The two most famous being bank robber extraordinaire, Willie Sutton (you can read more about him and his "career" in my It Happened in New York book) and the most infamous criminal of that era, Alfonso Capone. Capone's position as Capo di Tutti – The head of the mob –obviously got him special treatment even inside prison. He cell was the only one lavish furnishings – expensive paintings, victrola, and the likes. BTW as some have asked me over the years, my last name was not shortened from Capone to Capo. No relation. Remember my dad was Almost a Wise Guy, not a wise guy.

From Capone's room we took a tour of death row and the updated solitary confinement rooms, known affectionately as the hole.

As we strolled around the prison we noticed statues of white cats all over the place. Our audio tour indicated that after the prison closed stray cats moved in. Some local man fed them until an animal shelter found out and removed them. However it was said that their spirits lingered on, and so they became known as the ghost cats of the prison.

It was now time for the big event...the inmate and staff reunion.

Prior to it being open to the public, they had their own mini- picnic, complete with tents, bar-b-que and drinks. We got there early and took some food from the picnic...afterwards we were nervous because we weren't sure we were supposed to be taking food from there. Again we looked around suspiciously to see if any guards were looking at us shaking their heads...with the "I saw what you did, attitude." But the coast was clear so we enjoyed the food.

While we were waiting for the event to begin...of course we were front row and center...Wanda decided to call a friend and say she was in prison. She left a message, and he immediately called back worried. Apparently he did not find the play on words amusing, and Wanda apologized profusely.

At 2 p.m. the speakers assembled on stage. They introduced themselves to us and said a little about why they were there.

Two of them were former inmates, three were former guards, one (the woman) was a bookkeeper, one was a rabbi, and one was a teacher.

Each told stories of their first experiences of the prison, the best day there, and what every day life was about.

Three things stuck out in my mind the most. The first prisoner that spoke said he was there because he had taken a joy ride in the car and the judge thought this would teach him a lesson. He said,
"When that door slams behind you...you realize..."Oh man I am in prison, and once you see things around you...you realize that you have to survive in here...and also do whatever it takes to get out".

He said, he got out relatively soon, but unfortunately was angrier afterwards, and became a career criminal.

The second story that stuck out was from a guard who said, "The first day I came here a prisoner walked up to me in my office and said, "Open your desk." He was startled that the guy was even in his office, but he complied. The guy stuck a bloody knife in his desk and said, "I just killed a man, please escort me to my cell." The guard did. He never forgot his first day at work. He said, "Prisoners had a respect for guards back then".

The last comment that stuck out was another prisoner who said, 'The happiest day of my prison life was the day I walked out, and said, "To Hell with you all, I ain't never coming back."

We could have stayed there for hours listening to all the stories. The kids were fascinated and I believe if people heard these tales, they would think twice about coming to prison. The last comment we heard before we had to sneak out was, "If you are in high school and ever wonder about a kid that suddenly disappears and is not heard from again, don't be surprised if the kid is in jail." That thought echoed through our heads as we headed to our car.

We drove home in silence for a while having experienced a world within a world that we normally don't see. There is a lot of history behind those walls, as the prison remained functional for 142 years. It closed in 1971. Now if you wish you can visit it on a daily basis, with the benefit that you can come home...and hopefully for all of you...that's the way it will always be.

Note: If you are interested in fascinating and unusual stories about Pennsylvania history, pick up a copy of my new book, It Happened in Pennsylvania. If you'd like an autographed copy of my book, go to the bookstore on my website www.francapo.com and I'll be happy to send you one.

If you wish to visit the prison find out more at www.EasternState.org or call (215) 236-3300 and say Fran Capo the fast talker sent ya.