Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1880-12-02

hENRY BERGH.
He Entirely Upsets Prison Reform Confer
ence by saeEestinE whipping
Scamps BY Steam.
Carrying HIS Audience With Him-Applause
tor the Orator and Very Little
Money for the Cause.
A meeting was held in Cooper institute,
New York, on Tuesday evening, under
the direction of ''The Gilbert Library and
Prisoners Aid society,"" to further prison
| reform measures and projects tending to a
diminution of crime. The attendance was
not large, and the Rev. G. w. Mackie,
chaplain of the board of managers of the
| society, in calling the meeting to order,
said he could not account for the fact that
of the clergymen announced to speak only
one. the Rev. Dr.. Armitage, was present.
All the others had promised to be there.
Mr.. Charles A. Bunting, manager of the
Christian Home for Incorporate Men, was
made chairman, and soon afterwards the
Rev. DR.. Gottheil, Mr.. Sinclair Tousey
and Mr.. Peter Cooper came in.
Mr.. Mackie was the first speaker. He
briefly presented the objects and claims of
the society. It had been organized in May,
1877, and its leading objects were to have
libraries put in all penal institutions to
give incentive to all prisoners to reform
to obtain legislation separating young GRIM
inals from those older; to institute even
ing schools in all penal institutions, and to
help prisoners, after they arc released, to
obtain employment. OF over 63, 600 GRIM
inals imprisoned in the United States 40
per cent. were illiterate, while AZ per cent.
were between twenty or thirty years ofage.
These facts showed the necessity Of edu-
cation. Almost all discharged prisoners
were poor, and they needed a helping hand
to prevent them from again falling into
criminal courses. The work Of the society
which has been so we'll begun by Miss Linda
Gilbert, its founder, had grown to such
proportions that 4 large permanent endOw
ment of nearly millicn Of dollars was
needed to carry out its objects.
Dr. Armitage said he did not wonder
that SO few of the doctors Of divinity were
present, because only five minutes were to
be allowed to each speaker. He thought
that more radical beneficial measures than
the establishment Of libraries were neces
sary to accomplish the ends aimed at.
DR.. Gcttheil made plea for fair play
for convicts, and favored the kind aud leni-
ent treatment of prisoners. A man disor-
dered in his conscience should not be treat
ed like a demon, but should be given
helping hand to lift him up to \ higher
plane than he occupied.
Mr.. Henry Bergh was called from the
audience and surprised ard electrified all
J present by differing radically from the SEN
timents expressed by the previous speak
ers, and vehemently and punsently an
nouncing himself in favor of whipping men
into reform. He said : SO l had no more
idea of speaking when came to this meet
ing tonight than had of dancing a pas
seul-Qaughter). But you have called Oh
me to speak and you must take the conSc-
quences. All shall say will be in direct
opposition to the sentiments that have
been here expressed. (ScnsatiOn.) No
man should commit crime. Ifa man can
) not exist among us without committing
murder, kill him get him out of the way
as soon as possible (Grcat applause.)
What did we recently see III the Tcmbs ,
A man who was imprisoned for most
atrocious murder, whose heart was
as black as his skim applause j.
was fairly bcsiesed by beautiful
women, who begged the favor of his
autograph, fed him on luxurcs, made his
cell bower Of flowers and fruit, and did
all in their power to make him imagine
|
maudlin nonsense should stop. (Tumul-
tuous applause.) Why, kind-hearted,
honest poor men were starving while this
vile miscrealE was being pampered in
luxury. (Applause.) | have been six
teen years in the criminal courts looking
after the welfare Of what are called the
lower animals, but l have a greater re-
spect for them than | ever had before
had an opportunity of comparing them
with some of the base and miserable sam
pies Of humanity that have met in those
courts. Animals never commit such acts
as some Of these horrible miscreants COM
nit. (Applausc) A great deal has been
said about special institutions being re-
formed. / would abolish all of them except
the higher grade of prisons for the incar-
ceratiOn Of the worst criminals, and
l would set up whipping posts everywhere
to scourge the minor offenders. (Grcat ap
plause and auyhter.) And to make sure
that the lash would be put on fcelingly, SO
that politics could not creep in to help the
offender, would offer prize Or reward
for steam machine that would have no
mercy and could not be bribcd. Gap
plause.) Criminals arc pampered in such
a manner and given such comfortable
quarters in the TOmbs and ON the Island
and have SO much better food and are SO
much better lodged than thousands
of poor working people are, that
they commit all the minor crimes
in order to be sent to these comfortable
public hotels. (Applause.) When will
this nonsense stop? (Applause.) We
should have the bastinado here. 1t is y
charming style of whipping and makes the
recipient cry out Justify that he will not do
SO any more and he generally keeps his
word. daughter and appiause.) When
l was in the East l asked my dragoman if
these men kept their promises not to do SO
any more, and he looked at me with
almost indescribabe surprise, as he re-
sponded, "Oh, yes, they always keep
their word: they are quite contented.
daughter and applause.) We want
good deal Of that contentment here.
Uaughter.) The idea of whipping low
ering a man in his own estimation is 4
farcical one. How much estimation has
pan for himself when he preys on society:
No; q whipping is the best kind of moral
suasion you can give 4 criminal. Uaugh-
ter.) Some want to take the confirmed
criminal by the hand as soon rs he comes
out of prison and do something for him
perhaps give him an Office, perhaps send
him to Congress; but they should not do
that. For many bad men are already in
Office. daughter and applause) The
best thing you can do to man who has
served term in prison is to get him sent
| off he &c o,,I lokl,