The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1872-02-17
ENGLISH PRlsoNs-No. 4.
PAa1s, France, January IL. 1877.

PARIS, France. January II. 1871.
Correspondence OF the indianapolis Journal.
We left England day before yesterday,
and contrary to ordinary experience had
a smooth and pleasant passage across the
channel. being two hours in crossing
from FoIksAons to Boulogne. The rsil-
way ride from the latter city to this-l58
miles-oecupied near Eve hours. through
an ucinteresting country, mostly level
and having much sameness 10 the scenery
Here we are amongst people Of strange
language, and everything looks quite
different from Eng!and or America. We
have to day been looking about this large
and beautiful city, and this evening sit
down to close my report on English
prisons. @
THE CITY ParoS-HoLLowAY, LONDON.
This is what is known - . "House
Of Correction" or PRISON for those who
have not more than two years to serve.
It also has connected xith it 4 sdsttsss
prison" Through the kindness Of John
Weatherhead. the Governor-or Warden
rs we should style him - having pre-
viously o. tanned an order from the
"Home Ofice''-which is re luired inc ve-
ry instancei n this country before visi-
tors are admitted to ths prisons we were
shown through the prison in oil its parts
and the working of the institution fully
explained to us. The Governor has
been fourteen years ct the head Of this
prison, WAS four previously ct Newgate,
and also had twenty-five years service
in the army. He retains many Of the
habits learned in the army; but is q
gentleman of great benevolence, united
to firmness anu decision, thorough
knowledge Of human character, and pos
sessing to an eminent degree the power
Of 6 'vernment l have rarely met with
one who is more efficient prison officer,
or one who seems to comprehend more
fully the principles which underlie the
questions Of crime and punishment. The
building is Of stone, cost about. fl20, 900
S6OO'OOO-and is very perfect in its con.
struction, and kept so neat and clean as
to prevent any unpleasant odor. 1t has
two large boilers which warm the
building and cook the food. When we
visited the prison there were confined in
it 267 prisoners, Of whom 35 were wo-
men and 35 debtors-more than 1000
f6.btors pass through the prison in year
many Of these being for failures to pay
fines, etc. In al 1900 prisoners have
passed through this prison during the
past year. There are three acres Of
ground attached to the prisou, ant en-
closed by walls, which is 90 carefully
cultivated IS to produce vegetables
enough for the prison, and also afford
ground for the making of brick. The
prisoners are classified. All boys under
16 years are sent to reformatories. The
"habitual criminals" or persons who
have before been in prison, are placed in
wing to themselves, and arc not per-
mitsed even to see the other prisoners,
and thus to form acqusintances, which
may be renewed after their discharge.
They arc also divided into classes-one
, those who are in for short sentences
, and the other for long sentences, some
sentences being for three days only. The
, younger and less criminal pr isoners arr
| also selected and placed in one wing
| and the older and more hardened in ano
. ther. This is ono of the most valua-
BILE features Of the prison. The labor
in prison IS BY law divided into "har1
and light" The "hard labor in thi.
. prison, instead of being in unprofitabl.
r and degrading employments. is mostly
9 directed IN useful channel, so as t
be productive. A part Of tho coavicts
! however, IS a punishment for disobe
a dienca and infraction of the rules, art
: put upon the tread-wheel and pumy
the water fer the institution. The pc
cuniary results in this prison are better
than in any other which We have Wis
t tied in England. Through the excel
}. lent management Of ire Governor it i
:, made nearly to pay expenses.
u ''MrDDLEsEx HOUSE OF coRaEcrroN"-
; COLI BATH FIELDS, LONDON.
g This prison is under the mans gemen
K of Thomas H. Colvilie governor Of man,
:. years experience. It is for the count
b Of M;ddlesex, which includes . part
e London; and last year thirteen thousan
+ prisoners passed through it. Many
!, these were forsvery short sentences, IN
- one third of them were recommittal
> not . few being Of that miserable clal
who float between the prison and Ii
o streets. When We visited the prise
I, there we're $50 prisoners, and $50 off
d GERS. 1t is an immense building and h,
n 1912 separate cells. The great curiosi,
is Of the concern is an immense tread mi
: where from 700 to 800 can be works
at one time-575 were actually thus en-
ployed on the day We were ther
Their lator is totally unproductive-
though the mill pumps the water al
grinds the -four for the prison, it say,
: 70 experse-and is merely used as
y punishment. The Governor was empha
r. ic in his condemnation Of this punishme
n. which is required BY law and mention,
.e many cases where good carpenter !.
mechanic, whose services were neede
IN and could be profitably used, was tn,
h employed. The Governor, who bas hi
20 II years experience, has no conAden
:. in the deterrent" effect Of such punisl
g nett, as the crimes which bring men
- prison are not usually committed urd
-e rcums.ances which allow time for r
Re fec,ion. This prison affords anoth
30 evidence of the great outlay of mon,
a. made BY the English Government up
lv its prisons-more than one million do
tn lars having beenrecently expended up,
70 the enlargement and alterations Of ii
- building. AL of the old cells are now
ing transformed to make them confor
L. to the present law.
T. Whilst We admired energy Of the Go
ut ernor-the perfection of discipline, a
S. the general neatness and order Of Il
tn prison, We saw much to condemn in
id enormous expense and the utter wa
an Of labor. That at which they We
,o employed being only calculated to d
Is grade instead ofimprovs the prison n.
G. F. G.
~ A gentleman the other evenil