New-York tribune., 1872-07-19
PRISON ARISES.

We observe that the investigation maGe
this week into the alleged abuses in the House
of Refuge, at St. Louis, have resulted in
the proof of most of the charges "Boys
"have not only been cruelty whipped, but
" have been forced to stand on a post, about
" six inches square on top in the sun at mid
/" day, without hat or shoes and otherwise
" are subjected to inhuman punishment"
1t seems almost impossible to bring our jais
or houses of correction under the influence of
humanity, much less of justice The days of
claiming the insane in pens like wild beasts
are over, but the treatment of convicts at tho
present time is but little in advance of this
old regimen, looked at in the light of ciyiliza-
ton or religion. Wardens, jailers, managers
of reformatory schools start in their work
with the presumption that paddock aud hand
cuffs are emblems of arbitrary power in their
hands, and that in lieu of any effort at reform
with their charges their business is to compress
or dilute punishment at their own pleasure.
over the whole term of imprisonment. We have
no intention of becoming the c0nyicts cham
piOn, but it is high time in behalf of common
humanity that some effort be made in
his favor. Such efforts are ordinarily fruitess.
To overturn or alter the system III one whit
of penal discipline is, in the minds of tho
the public, to tear down one of the pillars of
the temple, and. like Samson, bury ourselves
with evil-doers in the ruins. The public listens
with an incredible apathy to the recital of any
abuses by long established power. How
many years, and what violent protests were
needed to induce examination into the man
agement of insane asylums There is
k.ol,
Surgeon General Mayer assures us three war.
dens have been killed, owing to cruel treat
ment and insufficient food. Yet what has been
done beyond the sending in of report after re-
port for its improvement What notice be-
yOnd that of reporters eager for a sensational
paragraph did the death of Wilson year ago
attract, who, whatever were his crimes,
actually died to bring the system of starvation
and barbarous cruelty practiced by these
wardens into public sightP So fragrant were
the abuses of management, not only in jais
and houses of refuge, but i'll insane and
other asylums in Pennsylvania, that a Board
of Public Charities was appointed, whose
business was to visit examine thoroughly and
report accurately every such institution. The
undertaking failed The Visiting Board found
the managers, the wardens, the trustees of
each establishment pleasant, well-mannered
gentlemen, behind whom. at would be as inn
possible to suspect cruelty or injustice as
underneath Mr.. Casbys white hair and ven
cradle poll. The report was made over;
vague glittering, and general. And that was
the end
There is, as our readers know, in this coun-
try, Board of Prison Reform, at present
occupied in holding an International COnyen-
ton in London. We hope for future good,
efficient service from this body. if it does not
degenerate, like 50 many other Boards ana
Associations, into speech-making, report
writing embodiment of respectability. Large
salaries, travelling fees. and high reputation
for philanthropy serve as cataracts TO obscure
many a mans clearness of vision and weights
20 keep him down in the battles he under
takes To fight with Giant Despair OF his un-
derlings.