In October of 1976 I found myself back at Terrace dorm 4 contemplating how I would get back to the free world faster than what my caseworker’s plans were. I decided to go out the cloths room window during shower time. That night Booboo, a floater was our dorm man and it was movie night for the level 3’s so they would be off the dorm. I can’t remember Booboo’s real name, he didn’t like being called Booboo and would put some hurt on you if he caught you. While Booboo was in the bunk room shuckin and jivin under the guise of coordinating showers, I used a pillow to muffle the sound and broke the window in the clothes room. When I had as clear a jiggers as it was going to get I was out the window and gone.
I had trash bags for my feet to throw off my scent to the dogs. I started feeling pretty good about my run that it would be a success as the sound of the dogs faded. There was a full moon that night and it was getting a little chilly as the night wore on.
I began to hear sounds that sounded like a Boy Scout camp out. I saw what appeared to be a campfire with several boys dressed in blue jeans and white T shirts shooting marbles. As I got closer I thought they were on a run from another school and felt safe enough to light a fire. When I got closer and called out, they were gone, just like that.
Needless to say the run wasn’t a success and my caseworker Jenson had his usual cunt attitude about the whole thing and left me in CIC, lockup, until January. I thought the ghost stories told by those people down there were to keep us from running. They were real, I saw them. Mayberry, who used to hold Terrace dorm 5 was now working CIC. He knew all about the ghost and other weird shit like the goat man. The jeans and t-shirt style was the state issue of an earlier time. A 60’s era Gatesville. And marbles, who would have thought.
Every October when the moon is full I think about those boys, the ones who never went home. One day, God willing, their bones will be discovered and their souls can get closure.
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ReplyDeleteIM ONE OF THOSE KIDS THAT GOT FUCKED SENT UNJUSTLY BACK IN 1966 AUG 12 TH ..AND I SUFERED THERE,FOR THREE AND A HAIF YEARS , I FEEL AS THOUGH I WAS KIDNAPED AND SENT JUST HERE FOR THE SAME REASON THERE JUST ANOTHER HEAD FOR COUNT FOR THEIR COFFERS THATS WHY ,THE STAFF WE"LL SEE YA LATER YOU TWO TIMER STAY WITH US AGAIN.... SWINN STUPID COLORED BOY I.D SAY MICHAEL SCHWINN #A36525
ReplyDeleteDid you know a johnny yates?
DeleteDies the name Merritt Tucker ring a bell
DeleteI was locked up from 2006-2009 at Sycamore unit across frm the little old grave. I had my feet tickled, my pant legs tugged & my comb thrown frm my cubicle table. This all happened after lights out. I went frm unit to unit & Sycamore is the only place I experienced that.
ReplyDeleteANONYMOS above were you a prisoner there , I was too back in 1966- 1970 . please tell us about your recent trip why were you there !
DeleteThese are stories from the ladies who are locked up there. The place was turned over to tdc to keep it from being sold to real a state developer who could potentially dig up some teen bones.
DeleteI was at Hill top..SSI. Never could keep fuacettes and showers, toilets from constantly running..Yurn off, they would turn back on.. Been. locked in,, Akarms going off .all night.. Ive been touched, grabbed.and layed beside.. I felt always someone close..Saw reflections in those pitiful nirrors.. The guards experienced just as much and more...Good!
ReplyDeleteI substituted for a class at Hilltop today. We were in a t shaped brick building. There were cubicles that one inmate said had been outdoor shower stalls.
ReplyDeleteThe inmates talked a little about ghosts.
I WAS AT SYCAMORE 2013 TO 2015. BUT I WENT TO SEG. DEC. 11TH, 2013 TILL JAN. 9TH, 2014 AND ON CHRISTMAS EVE AROUND 3:00 A.M. I WAS AWAKEN BY THE SOUND OF CHILDREN LAUGHING, GIGGLING, UP AND DOWN THE WALKWAY. I JUST SAID A PRAYER FOR THEM, SMILED AND WENT BACK TO SLEEP. IT WAS COMFORTING TO KNOW THEY "could" LAUGH AT ALL IN THIS PLACE. I ALSO HAD LONG TIMERS TELL ME ABOUT THE BOYS TOUCHING YOUR BACK OR FEET WHEN IT WAS YOUR TIME TO LEAVE SOON - EVEN THOUGH SHE FELT THE TOUCH SEVERAL TIMES, SHE'S STILL THERE TODAY JAN.2016.
ReplyDeleteI was at Gatesville in the early 60's. My caseworker was Jack Painter, one of the sorriest bastards that ever walked the streets of Gatesville. He beat me with leather gloves on and when he got me down on the floor he started kicking me until my blood ran. Jack Painter and another bastard named Jimmy Christian put me in the middle of the chapel and made me stand at attention while they threw a hardball at my head. They didn't quit until my eyes were swollen shut. Many years later shattered bone fragments in my jaw worked through and I had to see an oral surgeon...thanks to them. My shins always stayed in a solid scab. There was a bitch named Mrs. Wimberly that was my clothes room mother. When she read my mail and she saw something she didn't like she would call in her husband Mr. Wimberly....he was a bastard too and I would get a beating. My boots were stolen by someone that I didn't know and when my parents came to visit I made the mistake of telling them. Later my sister wrote a letter and said that she was sorry that the boots were stolen....that got me a beating by that bastard Mr. Wimberly. All the boys there called Jack Painter "Wracking Jack" ! I was lucky in that I had a friend in "a" police department that knew I did not belong there. He was responsible for getting me out of there and I hope that I can hold some responsibility for shutting that awful place down.
ReplyDeleteDid you know a johnny yates while you were in there? He died back in April but I'd love to hear of stories good or bad
DeleteIf anyone knew a johnny yates email me @ jaque.yates@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteNo bad intentions intended. That was my dad and I'd just like to hear stories good or bad. Even if you hated him email me
I was in gatesville four times.. escaped from the recpection center ..got caught in San Antonio and sent back.then escaped again from Riverside..caught again..I was in and out from 69-75..never forget the old bastet Mr.Nathum.in valley.use to pour water on your back and slap you as hard as he could..
ReplyDeleteI was there in 71 and I remember Mr Lathum very well. He punch you in the stomach as hard as he could , slap you in the back and kick you if you were on the floor. I was in dorm 2.
DeleteI did 3 years on sycamore unit and those little boys ghost are still there. Also was at mountain view unit and one dorm has a room sealed off every one says the room is haunted
ReplyDelete