New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-05-19


blessings upon the aYil and the good alike,
provided only that they have families or de-
pendents But probably ne great reform is
perfect at its inception. II is much to have
entered upon the right path: experience Will
correct errOrs and time set right what IL
wrong.
Indiana has also taken great step in prison
reform, though in different direction. Up to
January, 1869, discipline had been enforced
in the Southern State Prison of Indiana, at
Jacksonville mainly by the use OF the
"cats.n The most trivial as well as the most
fragrant prison offenses were punished by the
use of that cruel and degrading instrument
without stint In 1868, 908 punishments by the
cats"-an average of nearly three day, de-
Quoting Sundays-were inflicted in that prison.
On the first day of January, 1859, Col. Laurence
8. Shuer assumed the wardcnshp OF the
prison, and at once substituted moral agencies
for brute force. He was opposed by nearly all
connected with the institution, and large
number of officers preferred formal charges
against Col Shuler, to the effect that he was IN
competent that he encouraged insubordlnation'
and that he imperiled the safety OF the prison.
An examination of these allegations by the Board
resulted in the dismissal of the compliments
and the retention of the warden; and the d.
rectors, in their report just issued, say that, IL
the new re0ime is an experiment, 40 Tar 1t mas
proved an eminent success. On the Fourth OF
,July. after cOmmemoratiOn of the day by
suitable speeches and an extra dinner, Col.
Shuler feeling that he had reached point
where it would be safe to do 80, gave the con-
yicts the freedom of the yard for two hours,
during which he himself was the sole officer
present, beside the Chaplain, in the midst OF
400 imprisoned felOns. Yet not one prOfane or
vulgar word was heard, nor disOrderly or i'm
proper act seen, during those two hours of I'M
restrained liberty. At their close, on given
signal, each man returned to his cell with
quietness and decorum that could not have
been surpassed by any equal number OF per-
sons; and it is said that the good effect of that
indulgence is felt to the present time.
Other privileges granted to the prisoners
are such as these All the men on two ranges,
whose conduct entities them to the privilege,
are permitted to have free use Of the cell
house every night for week and the whole
of Sunday, and the following week the same
indulgence is granted to the other two ranges.
" The absence of noise and disturbance, so
" common heretofore" (such is the testimony
of the report, "gives evidence of the wisdom
" of the arrangement" The warden gives per-
sonal attention to the sick visits the hospital
drops kind word; watches by the bedside of
the patient whose life is ebbing away; receives
the last messages of affection; closes the eyes
when the breath has departed; and has the
corpse decently buried "all (says the report
6 g, cfu1 70 tyhat IA bppD
"known in the prison before, and having an
" influence for good, the extent OF which never
4" can be known"
Such is the new system of management In
troduced by Col. Shuler. And what are its
recorded results Better discipline, greater
cOntentment, increased quietness and order,
punshments brought down almost to zero,
cheerful industry, and-what is perhaps most
remarkable, and what will certainly, in the
view of some, commend it most strongly to
public apprOval-an amount of work done by
diminished number of prisoners, exceeding
by twenty per cent that turned out the pre-
ceding year. The greatest desperate in the
prison, who had been torment and terror
to the officers, has become perfectly dOcile and
obedent, and colOred convict who, on his
committal, nearly twenty years ago, buried
hundred dollars in gold in the prison yard, has
lately dug it up, and given it in charge to the
warden, saying that, while he had always here
tofore been afraid to trust the keeping of his
treasure to Others, he "believes, fore God,
" that Col. Shuler is an honest man." With
such facts as these before him, who will ven
ture to deny that moral forces and the exhibit
ton of genuine love and kindness are instinct
with a power over even the fallen and depraved
which the whole array of inquisitOrial tOrtures
never can commando