The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1872-1881, 1880-03-12
10 lie about The Peaifenfiarv.

FRANKFORT, NY, Mare h 10, lssu.
Eia0F Iaierior JoHraai,-
Having thoroughly examined
the Penitentiary, and oonversed with many Ofthe
convicts, good many Of whom knew, and eight
or ten Of whom prosecuted In the Courts Of the
country for the ofenses for which they were con-
ylcted, desire to give your readers true state
meni Of the condition Of that Institution and the
treatment OF the prisoners. Tho condition Is ex-
eelleni and Its sanitary management slmost per.
feet the treatment Of the prisoners humane, al
most 10 FAULT their diet Is bacon, eorHbread,
wheathread, potatoes, turnips, cabbagr, sweet po-
taiocs, green's coffee, molasscs, beans, apples and
almost everything that an appetite. not viiiaied.
could crave their clothing is god. and suitable to
the season. the bciding nice and clean; the cells
we'll vcntlatel, 50 much so that sOme o. the con-
vcis have either closed or partially closed, the
yeutilatins nues, the draught Of air being too
great. The hospital b as neat and clean as any
parlor in The State, and the kitchen cleaner and
nicer than any other kitchen IN the United states
saw and convers-d with sworl Oaks, s~ccn
Morgan, Fount Young, sam Holmes, willis Evahs.
and many Others, all Of whom said their treatment
vas good and humane and that they had plenty 10
eat. was In the Kitchen and saw the preparation.
for dinner-baking bread, cooking meat, pselinr |
potatoes, parching coffee Sc., aud was a-ionishe,
to such order, such preparations Tor their COM
fort, such cleanliness. All this talk about their
had treatment Is positively untrue, rs any man
can sec by trip to Frankfort and an inspection OF
the Penientiary.
When the conviois get their tasks done, which is
scarcely over full days work. they can ST down
under their own swine and hg tree and make
irinkeis to sell TO the visitors and "none 10 modest
them or make them afraid" They have bathing
facilities, able physicians to look aer their health,
and library Of ave hundred volumes to read. Col
South, the lessee, Is OF the kindes, nobest and
most humane men have ever met-ono Of natures
true nohlemen; and his son. samuel South, his as
sisiahi, is polite, afable aud courteous gentle
man. | was also introduced to and oonyersed for
some time with the so-called monster, Robert Al
len. who Is a gentleman Of anabliiy and Gne per-
sOual appearance, and remarked 10 him that al
though he might he the demon represented, yet I
was constrained to say that he was "as mild
hammered man a. ever -eutiled a ship or cut a
throat"
Those who call the Pcniicniiary "the Black Hole
Of Calcutta" don't know what the words meal. OF
are writing aud talking In the interest Of SOME
body or some locality, and advocating a branch
Pententiary to get some friend, or friends "fatr
neeks Of the people To show you that the Peni-
Tertiary Is sufficiently ventilated, aad that not
single death has been caused from deficiency in !
that respect, will go into figures. In 1873 there
were 1000 oonylcs, and only 81 deaths during the
year In 1879 there were 915 c0nvicts, and there
were IS deaths, being a more deaths and 2l con-
Victs less Then insufficient ventilation or over I
crowding could not have hecn the cause; nor was
Al. - -.
books show that there have always been plenty Of
vegetables used there In the summer season, es-
peeIslly for the last several Yeas, when as many
As IS, i6s heads Of cabbage used. And farther
there were 30 female eOnvlets during the year 1872
when the scurvy was 80 bad and the mortality -
great, and not withsianding these female conyicis
ate the same iood, cooked at the same place and by
The same persons, yet they they either did not
have the seurvy at all, or II was 10 slight they
never quit work, nor not one OF them died during
the whole year Of that or any other disease. The
Doctors themselves can not agree to the cause OF
'eursy, except as TO remorse, anxiety, mental de-
preston, humidity, &c. We need no lev Penl-
eniiary, nor no branch thereof, and I am opposed
o taxing tax-burdened people Tor any such pur-
'ose. All this cutlery against tho Peniientiary has
,oen made to excuse the inexeusable wholesale
policy OF the Nofefnor, or iof some 9th
y sinister motive, and intend 10 discuss this
question and pardoning policy In es-
ny county seat la the state, and show Il up 10 the
'eople Ia lis true light. one oolored man, who
las been In the Penltentiary for ~ years told me
hat they had more 10 throw away under Colonel
'outh than they had TO eat under Mr.. Todd.
do moi see how crime can ever be lessened BY
living oonyicis better Shelter better clothing he-
or food and better treatment than % out OF 100
ave at home When was at Crab Orchard last
eek, after my drst visit here, aud was describing
he lcniieniiary and the fiod aud treatment OF
he prisoners, an old negro man said II thought (
,meihing wrong about the reriienilary, and
hat they got too much 10 eat, when saw many j
ding there" The only element Of disoord that
,e In the Peniienliory has been created by the
oyernOrs rulnons Iaidoning policy, which has
reated qai rire excliemeni among the consicis-
Kind ofoxpeclaiion OF heing turned out any day.
nd Ia the eouniry among wicked men, Who de- 4
re 10 commit oriias, hat ato restrained by the I;
ar Of punishmeni this kind cd a melton and pro-
IS Of reasoning "weli, ~ I eoianii this deed, Y
fhaIn viii noi le delrcied and n I am, per-
~ 1 will MOI he convicted " an, hlack burn
ia h. orialn 10 pardon me-" 'ris the certainly,
II the severity, Of pnni,hlaeni that resirains men
lra the commission Of crime