The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-08-30
Card from Supt. Bridges. Of the
West Va. PenitentIary.
WORTHWHILE, AugusL %, 1s77.

Conversation with MIR. MRrdori, who was
at one time a contractor Of convict labor
In the Allegheny Prison, but ut present IL
connected with tile West Virginia Peni.
Tertiary. This article, in the main, 10
Intended 10 reflect upon the system Of
management and modes Of disciplinary
punishment In vogue 10 the West Viz.
ginia PenitentiAry, which Is calculated 10
do the officers OF that institution gross
injusLice II permitted to pass uncoDira.
dicted, while II displays u pettiness Of
spite scarcely 10 10 expected from the
source from which Il emanated. For the
benefit Of that public who are readers Of
the Leader, and who, having no personal
knowledge Of the mode Of conducting the
West Virginia PenitentiAry, might be
niiSledi thereby, propose very briefly
and concisely to reply to the article In
question. .r..
The mysterious shoo.Fly" referred 10
is an aged institution still in use as q
mode Of punishment in the United States
Navy, and only infiCts pain from the fact
the body and limbs Of the refractory con.
Wet are kept in M immoyable position.
That any prisoners face has ever been
smared with molasSes to attract flies
while undergoing this punishment during
the present SUPPLEMENTARY, extending
through the past four and half years,
is untrue. And that "the most obdurate
criminal Is reduced to tractability in q
very few minutes" under the operations
Of the "ShOo.Fly" Ia alSo untrue, from
the fact that no pain is experienced until
Iheconstrained position becomes irksome.
The "rings" is an authorized mode Of
punishment at this prison, although II
has seldom been necessary 10 use them.
When say seldom" / mean Just what l
say. During the past year they have
been used only two or three times, and
then only in extreme cases.
That cruel punishment IL never inllct.
ed in this prison Is conceded by the
Leader when It states that prisoner un.
dergoing punishment Is promptly releas-
ed upon promise Of future good be-
havior compliment hardly 10 be ex.
pecttd from the general tenor Of It's ar
iiCle. g.
The Leninger shackles, which we're
termed by the Leader reporter, 1.-THE Tea.
kettle" were invented by Mr.. VIM. H.
Leninger, Of Pennsylvania, and patented
quite recently. The December (lS7G)
number Of the chronological Journal, states
that Mr.. Leninger, "in the summer Of rs,
took trip from Salem, Oregon, where
he was then living, up into the gold dig
gings Of the British possessions. On the
ship in which he sailed we're several pris.
oIers who had on their ankles heavy,
clumsy skackles, known as the Gardner
invention. These shIckles were riyited
on by u blacksmith and were not usually
taken off until the final release Of the
prisoner. This plan otkeeping the shackle
on the ankle caused soreness and much
suffering, and excited Mr.. Leningers be-
nevolence, prompting him to think Of an
Improvement on that means OF securing
prisoners. The result is the present
shackle, which while it ia calculated 10
hold the prisoner as safely outside as
within the prison walls, is entirely hu.
manitarian in its application. Being
placed on the leg near the foot the wearer
cannot run with it, while it is 80 adjust
cd upon stirrup or support, that he can
walk about with comfort and do most
kinds Of labor on the farm, in the shop
in the stone quarry, on the railroad, etc
About the 1st Of July last, desiring to test
this newly inventeds hackle, the Snperin.
tendent ordered single set from the
manufacturer in New York, and although
he has not yet been able to give them a
thorough test, they are thought to be EN-.
inently fitted for the purpose for which
they are intended.
We have no convict chaplain, as stated
in this article, but, instead, four minis.
terra OF different denominations, pastors
Ofchurches in Moundsville. are employed
and paid by the State to hold alternating
services in the prison every Sabbath,
thereby consulting the various religious
beliefs and tenets OF the conyicts them.
selves. There are some fifty protested
Christians among the prisoners and one
OF their number, a man conceded by all
who know him TO be an earnest consistent
Christian, leads in class services every
Sabbath morning before the regular ser.
vices. The six conviCts referred to as
being clipped by the convict chaplain
upon profession OF their faith" were bap.
tized by the Rev. Mr.. Wilson, the duly
authorized minister of the Christian
Church at Moundsville, and were regu.
larly received into the prison church,
which under tho efficient administration
OF our Chaplaina, | am glad 10 say ia n
firmly established organization OF this in
sIilution.
The statement that the officers and con.
vicIs get the same food is at least an unin.
territorial compliment to our prison diet.
But the impression intended to be convey.
ed is that the officers, by subsisting on the
prison ration, live at the expense
Of the State. Mr.. Mardorf could not
have created such an impression when it
is well known fact that, except the Su-
perintendent with his immediate family,
and one or two Of the guards who board
with the Superintendent, the officers,
many OF whom have families, live away
from the prison. The Superintendent,
the only officer resident at the prison,
purchases his supplies ut will, separately
from those Of the prison, at his own ex-
pense, and it is presumed exercises his
prerogative OF living in accordance with
his tastes and means. 1t is true that by
strict economy the cost OF the prison RI.
ton has been brought within u fraction
Of eight cents, while it is also fact that
the conviCts are well fed, far better than
in most institutions OF the kind in the
country.
In the disciplinary management Of It's
conyicts, it eau be truthfully. asserted
that the officers OF the West Virginia
Penitentiary have been guided ms well by
principles Of humanity as sense OF their
duty to the State. Although still in its
inception, laboring under disadvantages
and hindrances unknown TO the manage.
ment Of older prisons, they have, by care.
full study as we'll as practical obser-
vationS, perfected system Of discipline
which, in its restraining influences and
retormatory character, as we'll Us the
comforts and conyeniences insured to the
prisoners, is not surpassed by any like
institution in the country.
1t is further asserted that punishment,
beyond the withdrawal Of privileges
granted for good behavior ,is less frequent.
" administered, and when inflicted Is less
severe than that usually found necessary