The Sun.
London, England, 1834-10-10 00:00:00

AMERICAN PRISON DISCIPLINE.

It is upon the firm conviction of the inefficacy of
incarceration in itself as a punishment, that the mo-
dern' system of prison discipline in some of the States
of America is founded. The first principle, the es-
sence of this system, is the complete isolation of the
culprit. To produce this effect is the object of the
distinct modes of proceeding, which pursue this end
by different means. At Auburn and Sing-Sing in the
State of New York, and in the other prisons founded

upon these as models, the culprits are separated from
each other in distinct cells during the night, and labour
together during the day. The most rigid silence is
enforced by immediate punishment ; not a word nor a
sign of communication is permitted. To such perfec-
tion is this system carried at Sing-Sing, that 900 cul-
prits are to be seen at work in the quarries without
the walls of the prison, guarded by not more than 30
persons. Each culprit, isolated from his neighbour
by silence, certain of immediate punishment for the
slightest attempt to infringe it, ignorant of what are
the feelings of those around him, is as powerless to
create disturbance as if he were confined in a dungeon.
In most of the prisons this discipline is enforced by
the summary application of the lash, the certain and
immediate infliction of which has the effect, which
ever results from certain and immediate punishment,
of producing sufficient terror to deter, and to render
the infliction of the pain rare. At Auburn weeks and
months sometimes elapse without punishment of this
kind. At Wethersfield, in Connecticut, solitary con-
finement, without work, without a diminution of food,
are the means by which discipline is enforced ; the
lash is only resorted to in the last extremity ; three
years have been known to elapse without its being
used. Another system is adopted in Pennsylvania,
which obviates the necessity of any punishment in
order to preserve discipline in the prison. The cul-
prits are separated from each other both by day and
night—they labour alone in their cells. This system,
which is approved of by the highest authorities in
America on this subject, is objectionable chiefly on
the score of expense. As the culprit never leaves the cell
in which he is confined till the end of the period of
incarcation, the cells require to be much larger, to have
open courts attached to them for the prisoner to walk
in and breathe the air, and various other accommoda-
tions which are not requisite for prisons constructed
for the system adopted at Auburn. According to the
report of the French Commissioners who were sent to
America to examine the penitentiary system, the ex-
pense of prisons constructed on the Auburn system
need not be greater than that of the prisons constructed
in the ordinary manner. We therefore consider that a
complete isolation of the culprits with hard labour is
essential to a good system. A sum of money has been
granted to Parliament for the purpose of converting
the barracks on Dartmoor into a penitentiary. There,
we trust, the effects of isolation with hard labour will
be tried, and a series of experiments commenced, which
may ultimately tend to a complete reformation of the
prisons in this country. The mission of a person to
America to examine the penitentiaries, seems to testify
that we are beginning to feel the defects of our prison
discipline, and the necessity of improving it.

EDINBURGH CITY REGIS TRA TION.—The Sit-
tings of the Appeal Court have now ended, and we have as-
certained that the following is the final result :—Total claims,
,549. Liberals admitted, 855; Tories admitted, 324;
• i:.;cs unknown admitted, 172; Total admitted, 1,351.-
-ted, 131 ; Tories rejected, 56 ; Politics un-
Total rejected, 198.

Liberals rep,
known rejected, 21. 5,

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

GUILDHALL.

Yesterday Mr. Glenny, one of the stewards of the New
Benevolent Whip Club, attended before Aldermen KELLY
and HARMER to answer the complaint of Francis Vickers,
for excluding him from that Society without just cause.
The City Solicitor pro. tem.) attended to support the
complaint ; and Mr. ADOLPHUS and Mr. HUMPHREYS ap-
peared on behalf of the Club.
The complainant was admitted a member in 1824, and.
expelled in March, 1833, for not paying his subscription in
due time, the articles requiring that he should pay between
the hours of nine and twelve in the forenoon, while he,
having to travel from Brighton, did not reach town till
twenty minutes past twelve. His money was then refused.
George Mentz, the Secretary, proved • that the com-
plainant was expelled for bringing his money twenty mi-
nutes too late. He tendered 51. 35., being a whole year's
subscription, and fines then due. The rule had not been
relaxed in favour of particular individuals.

Mr. Alderman KELLY asked if the complainant bad been
a burthensome member of the Society ? •
The Secretary believed he had drawn from twenty to
thirty guineas in the whole.
Mr. Alderman HARMER asked if the officers of the So-
ciety had concluded their business before the complainant
arrived ?

Mr. Mentz said, " No. They were all there casting up
their money."

Mr. ADOLPHUS urged that the rules ought to be strictly
abided by. The first article said the money should be paid
before twelve at noon, and that none should be taken after
that time, nor at any other time. With this rule to guide
them the- stewards could not legally receive the com-
plainant's money.
Mr. JAMES, the City Solicitor, maintained that the Le-
gislature would not have given a resort to the Magistrates
if it had not intended that they should interfere in cases of
hardship like this.
Mr. Alderman HARMER said Mr. Alderman KELLY
thought, with him, that, as the 3d Article, which said a
member should be expelled if he did not pay up all arrears
on the fourth quarterly meeting, had no restriction as to
hours, it was to be understood that the money might be paid
at any time during that meeting ; and, as the stewards had
not on this occasion concluded their business they ought to
have received the complainant's subscription, and he had
been improperly excluded.
The Magistrates, therefore, ordered him to be re-instated.
A young man, named Dakin, was brought up by Herds-
field, the Guildhall officer, charged with having robbed Mr.
Waithman, the linen-draper, at the corner of Fleet-street,
by whom he was employed as a shopman, of property to a
considerable amount.

The prisoner declined making any defence, and he was
committed for trial.

BO W-STREET.

Mr. HALLS, the sitting magistrate at this office, was en-
gaged until a late hour on Wednesday night, and again
yesterday afternoon for several hours in the investigation of
an alleged charge of murder, made against a young man,
respectable in appearance, named George Holland. The
examination excited a strong degree of interest, and the
office was greatly crowded.
Mr. HALLS had paid most anxious attention-to the case;
but, taking the whole of the evidence, he did not think
sufficient had been made out to warrant him in interfering
with the decision of the Coroner's Jury. It appeared to
him, however, that the evidence was not sufficiently con-
clusive, and the defendant must therefore be discharged.
The sister of the deceased was greatly excited at the de-
cision, and said justice had not been done. She left the
office cryinc, bitterly.
The defendant went away with his solicitor. He was
perfectly cool, and evinced great indifference during the in-
vestigation.