The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1828-09-03
From the Philadelphia United States Gazette
SOLITARY CONFINEMENT.

IL
We are indebted to an intelligent co-resuon-
dent for the following seasonable article The
names referred to, by initials, are supplied in a
private note:
"Much has been said upon the efficacy
of this mode of punishment in our PRISONS
The simple confession of one s. S., con-
Wet, who was apprehended for second Of
fence horse stealing,) made to one of the
gentlemen who apprehended him, will out
weigh an hundred fine spun arguments
against the system.
"As the gentleman | allude 70, ]. S. B.,
Esq, of Burlington county, was assisting in
pa he fell into familiar conversation with
him,conducting S. to the Jail of Bucks county,
by way oflearning his history for few wears
past. s. after relating many things, came
to the fact of his former apprehension, trial,
conviction and commitment to the Walnut
street prison. He stated that his feelings
were humble and contrite, with determina-
ton of reformation upon entering the pris-
on; but the scene soon changed with him !;
his room associates took every opportunity
to console him and encourage him in their
diabolical society persuasions and threats
were used with him and other new convicts,
to induce item to give up all ideas of refor-
Citations: within the prison, he stated, arson,
burglaries, and other crimes were resolved
upon and planned, and executed in various
parts of the country upon the discharge of
certain cnnuiots ho stated those Fla.sS v-o-e
often laid months and years before perpe-
trated that they thus revenged each 9TH
er's cause, and had the pleasure occasional
" of drinking, in the, to them, delightful
information he said to ]. S. B., ESQ.,, can
in all probability have your buildings burnt
in the course of few months, should | Ie-
turn to prison again, which | can but ex-
pect. Upon the subject of the solitary, or
separate confinement, he expressed his hor-
ror, stating it much to be dreaded by the
prisoners at large and expressed his con-
viction of its salutary effect upon the har-
dened tenants of prisons.
"Having a few minutes leisure | have
given the above hints by way of attracting
ADLER pens to the subject. have noticed it
at this time, as the above case recently &C.
Cured, and from the circumstance of our
Legislature having legislated against the
system of solitary confinement.
g have read but little upon the sub
ject, but think that shorter terms of impris-
onment, and that to be solitary confinement,
would be more beneficial than the present
plan. G. VT.
Burlington County, (N.J.) April 81, 1925"
CARRIER PIGEONS. 1t appears by the
Dutch papers that pigeons are now used to
forward correspondence between different
countries in Europe, and one was lately
found resting on house in Rotterdam. The
carrier pigeon has its name from its re-
markable sagacity in returning to the place
where it was bred and Lightow assures
us that one of these birds would carry a let
from Babylon to Aleppo, which is thirty
days journey, in forty-eight hours. This
pigeon was employed in former times by the
English factory to convey intelligence from
Scanderoon of:he arrival of company's ships
in that port, the name of the ship, the hour
of her arrival, and whatever else could be
comprised in a small compass, being written
on a slip of paper, which was secured in
such manner under the pigeons wing as
not to impede its fight: and her feet were
bathed in vinegar with view to keep them
cool, and prevent her being tempted by the
sight of water to alight, by which the jour-
ney might have been prolonged, or the bill
let lost. The pigeon performed this jour
ney in two hours and half. The messen-
ger had young brood at Aleppo, and was
sent down in an uncovered cage to Scan
deroon, from whence, as soon as set at liber-
ty, she returned with all possible expedition
to her nest. 1t is said that the pigeons
when let fly from ScandeIoon, instead of
bending their course towards the high
mountains surrounding the plain, mounted
at once directly up, soaring still almost per-
pendicular till out of sight, as if to surmount
at once the obstacles intercepting their
view of the place of their destination.
Maillet, in his description de l'Egypt,"
tells US of pigeon despatched from Aleppo
to Scanderoon, which, mistaking its way,
was absent for three days, and in that time
had made an excursion to the island of Cey-
lon; a circumstance then deduced from
finding green cloves in the birds stomach
and credited at Aleppo. In the time of the
holy wars, certain Saracen ambassadors
who came to Godfrey of Antioch from a
neighboring prince, sent intelligence to their
master of the success of their embassy, by
means of pigeons, fixing the billet to the
birds tail. Hirtius and Brutus, at the siege
OF Modena, held correspondence with one
another by means of pigeons. Ovid informs
US that Taurosthenus, by pigeon stained
with purple, gave notice to his father of his
victory at the Olympic games, sending it to
him at Eglna and Anacreon tells us, that
he conveyed bIIIet-dour to his beautiful
Bathyllid, by a dove. Thus, says Bewick,
{" the bird is let loose, and in spite of sur
rounding armies, and every obstacle that
have effectually prevented any other means
OF conveyance, guided by instinct alone, it
returns directly home, where the inteIi-
gence is so much wanted. Sometimes thew
have been the peaceful bearers of glad It'd
ings to the anxious lover, and to the mer-
chant of the no less welcome news of the safe
arrival of his vessel at the desired port"