Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1880-11-12
A MODEL PRISON.
oBsrISAcr Is CRUSHED OUT OF EKLoSs.

the unvarying rule for all convicted Of
tenders who are mentally and physical
~ sound. Short terms are endured in
one or other of the many compact and
weQ-planned maisons darret throughout
the country; but for the longer periods,
varying from three and four to six, seven,
eight, and even ten years, the Maison
Centrale of Louvain is that set aside.
Let us follow the condemned criminal
into his living tomb. The steps taken
on reception are much the same as else
where. His name is entered upon the
books, he declares his religious belief,
he hands over his private property, he
is bathed, his hair and beard are cut
close, he is clothed in the gray cloth
prison dress, and conducted to the cell
which will constitute his home for so
many dreary years to come.
At first he is left to his own rehec-
tons; permission to work is only con-
oeded when he himself petitions for it.
This soon comes to pass, for a nervous,
feverish eagerness for employment is
marked Characteristic in the solitary
prisoner. 1t is even alleged that most
of the suicides which have happened
have been early upon Monday morning,
and following the long Sundays idle
ness, which seemingly greatly aggra-
Yates depression of spirits. From the
moment he has entered his cell he has
been studied psychologically by his GUS
todians, Director, priest, school-master,
contre-maitre, and trade intructor-all
these have visited him, and have endeav-
ored to become thoroughly acquainted
with his character. These officials will
now be his sole companions and friends.
At intervals of every two months he will
be permitted to converse with his rela-
tives if they choose to visit him, but on
ly in the parloir, or visiting cell, and in
the presence of q warder. Intercourse
with his oomrade felops is absolutely de-
MED him. When he issues from his
cell, whether to shuttle over the smooth
corridor in his list slippers to his private
box in the prison chapel, or to clatter
down the passage in his wooden-soled
sabots to the exercising yard, he invari-
ably covers his head with his capuchon,
or mask-a hideous continuance in blue
cotton with holes, through which his
eyes glitter balefully. Communication
by word or sign is vigorously forbidden,
and is nearly impossible. At exercise
each prisoner has high-walled segment
of circle all to himself, one of several
radiating from a common center, in
which stands a watchful warder. As the
prisoner ranges slowly up and down it
he might but for the pipe he is smok-
ing, be mistaken for some Gagged wild
beast. Tobacco to smoke at exercise,
or take as snuff in the cell, is one of the
few luxuries greatly coveted and deeply
appreciated at Louvain. Fresh air and
exercise are limited to strict require
ments; the rest of the day is passed by
every prisoner in assiduous toll in his
own private retreat. There is but little
tendency to idleness OF misconduct, yet
reports" are frequent, and for the
slightest infraction of the rules Abso-
Lutte submission of will the surrender of
all volition, OF all independence, is scru-
pulously exacted, but it is generally ac-
complished without the infiction of fire.
quent punishments. Nor are these of
penal character; handouts, irons Of all
kinds, dark cells, strait jackets, have no
place among Belgian disciplinary re-
straints. Reduction of diet, bread and
water fare, the loss of privileges, of wages
earned toward the purchase of better al
ticles OF food at the canteen-these are
sufficient to keep Belgian prisoners we'll
behaved. Indeed, but for the one terri
BILE infiction of continuous cellular sep
aration, the rule is essentially mild. The
warders are on friendly, almost familiar,
terms with their captives. GLOW goes
it" is the morning greeting. "Have
you all you require? Do not hesitate to
speak if We can do anything for YOU"
The poor prisoner thus cheerily address
ed will look up mournfully and merely
shake his head. He cannot be very diff
cult to manage All opposition, all OBJ
stinacy, is pretty we'll crushed out of
him. You enter the cell of notorious
malefactor, a quintuple murderer, one of
whose victims was his own brother,
whom he robbed, then poisoned, and
you find quiet, gentle creature, with
shy manners and downcast eyes, who
can hardly be prevailed upon to speak.
The only life and movement seemingly
left in him in the nervous twitching of
his hands-white, attenuated, but sup
pie hands, which have dropped the nee
die he Was so dexterously plying upon
pair of gray uniform overalls. This man
has been about eight years in cell.
Next door is another, soldier, an artil-
Iery -man, who murdered his wife and
cut her up into small pieces. He is
equally quiet, but when spoken to will
converse freely enough. He has been
four years in this cell, and has appar-
emily suffered no evil effects. Further
on is another interesting case. A MUIR
derer who having completed a long term
OF solitary imprisonment, was removed
to Client, and permitted to associate
with others like him, presently had o
murderous affray with one of them, and
killed his man. He was relegated again
to separate confinement, and processes
to prefer it greatly. He will tell you
that he is now safe from the interference
OF others, that he can pray when he
pleases, that if he is out of temper he
cannot give his evil passions play, as he
has done once too often already. He is
very garrulous, and in this, as in his fee
bic manner and his somewhat wandering
eye, betrays that he is perhaps q little
weak in his mind. The impression is
strengthed by the permission accorded
to him, seemingly, to amuse himself as
best he can. He has number of toys
in his cell; clocks made of bits of card
board, affixed to the wall near the win
dow, and long pendulums which the
wind turns. One cell, occupied by a
soldier who attempted to murder an Of
ticer OF the corps de discipline to which
he was attached, is full of them. There
are cages each containing a paper bird,