The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1880-06-16
FAvoRING THE wHIppINc-posr.
The Grand Jury Recommends IL for Ger
tain Criminals, but the Judge Dfsagrees.
philadelphia 1imes.1

The Grand Jury Recommends IL for Ger
tain Criminals, but the Judge Dfsagrees.
philadelphia 1imes.l
The Grand Jury for the May term made
their presentment yesterday, saying that
they had acted on 440 bills of indictme MT, of
which 3lS had been returned as true, aud
10 were ignored. They made the cust mary
visits to the County PRISON, House of Re fugs,
Almshouse, Eastern Penitentiary, Girard
College and House of Correction, and found
them sll in good condition. They were
particularly pleased with the discipline at
the House OF Refuge and House of Correc-
ton. Especially noticeable at the House of
r fuge was the reform called the open. dor
mitory system, which is In every respect
preferable to the old system so far as Ii has
been tried. The system of book keeping
also has been so simphfied that the condi-
ton of the institution can be ascertained in
q very few minutes.
The condition OF the insane patients at
the Almshouse, the jury cay, is pitable in
the extreme ana calls for some amelioration.
There should be a separate and liberal ap-
preparation for this department so that a
more suitable building might be provided
and the inmates supplied with better food
and clothing than the paupers, whose condi-
ton is the consequences OF their own impru-
dence and crime. The Jury speak also of
the crowded condition of the prisons
particularly the County Prison, where prs
Oners are generally sentenced for short
terms. The evil results of this crowding of
two or more criminals in one cell can hardly
be overestimated, and the proper remedy
does not consist in eDlarging the prisons
The jury believe this overcrowding to be
occasioned in great measure by idle per-
sons who voluntarily commit some offending
crime for the purpose of getting comfortable
quarters with nothing to do, while they
should be out earning an honest living for
themselves and those dependent upon them.
The jury are convinced that, while incar-
ceration to sensitive nature may be painful
ana humiliatiDg enough 10 accomplish all
the objects sought 10 be attained by punish
ment of any kind and to prevent repetition
OF the offense, yet in the case of very large
proportion of the persons who form what are
termed the dangerous classes of society,
which include the habitual and professional
thief, the well dressed plckpocket. the adroit
swindler and confidence man, together with
those OF a more brutal nature, a short term
OF imprisonment in comfortable quarters
with wholesome food is not adequate to OBJ
tain the end required, as is shown by the
repeated commitments of the same criminal.
Punishment should be severe, short and
decisive. Then the capacities of the prison
would be sufficient TO meet the require
7 ments.
The Jury therefore suggest the enactment
of a law by the State Legislature which
would allow a mode of punishment, subject
! to the will of the Judges, to criminals for q
second and subsequent offense, similar to
that now in vogue in the State of Delaware,
as the best mode of overcoming the present
evil of overcrowded prisons. Attention ID
called also TO the number of trivial cases
returned by the Magistrates that should have
been finally decided by them. 1t was a mat
ter of regret with the jury that they had moi
/ the power TO make the Magistrates pay the
costs in a number OF cases.
In reply, Judge Biddle said he did not be
+ lieve in the whIppingpost and he did not
think that it would be for the welfare of ths
community to revive such brutal mode o.
punishment. 1t was against the spirit of hu-
manIty OF the age and had been abolished
years ego in Pennsylvania. The severes
punishment that could be inflicted upon tn,
class of offenders to whom the Grand Jury
referred would be to make them work, apC
that could be far better accomplished by tb,
adoption at the prisons of the system OF the
Eastern Penitentiary than by any oihe
prison discipline.