Inmate Ray Stephen White to Rev. Newton Nesmith 1947-1949--Malaria Guinea Pig24 Letters from Illinois State Prison (Joliet, Illinois)

Joliet, Illinois, 1949. Collection of 24 Letters from Illinois State Prison (Joliet, Illinois) Inmate Ray Stephen White (Inmate #24588) to Rev. Newton Nesmith, Poplar Grove, Illinois 1947-1949.

Letters in very good condition except for the oldest letter which has edge wear and small tears with minimal content loss. All letters on lined prison stationary plus decorative sheets for Thanksgiving and Mother's Day. All letters legible. Letters are marked as 'Censored' yet we find no redactions. Very good condition.

Interesting and intriguing set of letters from an inmate in the Illinois State Prison at Joliet to his Reverend, 1947-1949.

Ray Stephen Winter was serving 2-4 years for "assault with attempt to rob". The letters are all to the Reverend Newton Nesmith of Poplar Grove, Illinois and later Sandwich, Illinois. Winter left behind a wife and at least one child and with another on the way. We find that Winters grew up on a dairy farm, wants to get baptized and spends much energy trying to make parole. He spends a lot of time at Bible study and even wonders what the word "Amen" means. He also frets over his wife, "I honestly don't think she will ever consider on taking me back...." "I sure hope I can get back with her because I do love her and the children very much."

A curious line appears in his March 25th letter, "Yes, I am going to take the Malaria test...it may even save the lives of my children in years to come." His letter of May 9th, 1947 contains these enigmatic sentences, "...I haven't been bit by the bug yet, but I think from what I hear, I'll get bite on the 19th of this month, and I'll be sick by the first of July I suppose. But I am doing this because I think it is my duty to do so for the sake of my children and your children, and all the children of the world." And in his August 1947 letter, "...I sure was sick for a week! the Malaria got me & I had a fever of 106 for two days. I have lost 11 lbs....I was very nervous and have a headache all the time."

Research finds this 1945 headline in the St. Louis-Globe Democrat, "400 Joliet Prisoners Aid Army in Greatest Human Guinea Pig Test Ever Devised." and a January 1945 New York Times article, " 400 in Prison Risk Malaria to Aid Troops; Test Drugs Never Before Used on Humans." This test, part of the war effort, was to find alternate medicines for Malaria other than quinine. The U.S. Army had tested various drugs on animals and now were looking for human test subjects. No further mention was made after the August 1947 letter of the tests.

Much was made of his first parole hearing including a count-down of the days (he was refused parole) and a count-down to a second hearing which also went poorly for Winter. After the second parole disappointment he writes, "I am really down in the dumps, in until March 6th, 1950" which would complete his 4-year sentence. He was baptized in prison on Mother's Day 1948. In July 1948 the prison doctor diagnosed Winter with three kidneys. In September he complains that no one is visiting him, "they don't want me around when I get out of this place."

The last letter in the collection reports the tragic news that his brother-in-law is in jail for rape or attempted rape of Winter's 9- and 13-year-old nieces. "I am afraid if I get my hands on him, I am liable to punch him in the face.