The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1882-02-18
MONROE, LOUISIANA, SATURDAY. FEBRUARY IS 1882
A ROGUEs' CONGRESS-.

'A A ROGUES' CONGRESS-.
A. Sketch from Reality by IA Novelist.
George w. Gable, the novelist, in his
latest essay Oh prison reform, in the
New Orleans Times-Democrat, writes :
" In one of our large cities there is
now in session general assembly OF
rogues from all parts of the country,
and from many foreign lands. In this
body may be seen representatives of
every vicious class; counterfeiters,
stage shoppers, town vagrants, murder
ers, poisoners, common lrunks, pick
pockets, burglars, defaulters, ravishers,
embezzlers, wharf-rats, bandits-what
you will.
The excuse for the existence of this
body is-the reduction of crime! Its
meetings are held daily from sunrise to
sunset, in large paved court, shut out
from the public eye on every side by a
Gordon of lofty buildings. The total of
its delegates, in the three or four groups
into which 1t is divided, often exceeds
three hundred. The order is only what
might be expected. There is no little
congeniaiity among its members, and
their deliberations are characterized by
some mirth aud noise, which at certain
intervals rise into concerted howlings
as signals for the Introduction of this
or that business of the day. There are
no desks, chairs or benches. The men,
bers attend en- costume, and the display
Of rags and tatters, and much noticea-
BILE nakedness, is prominent feature.
The stencil of the place is another.
ssWithout that show of method which
deliberative bodies commonly display,
they yet accomplish all the ends of
executive sessions, committees, confer
ences, debates, personalities and con-
tests for the foor-or pavement. The
head of this body is one of it's own
number, chosen for his superlative
strength and ferocity, which qualities
he uses to enforce enlightened ideas of
decency and order. The graduates of
this school, after years of training, vary
ing in length from five days all tho way
up to numerous months, are sent out
with their diplomas written on their
hearts and foreheads. and are scattered
and are scattered broadcasts in the
streets and hiding places of the city,
among the towns and villages of the
State, and far out along the highways
and bypaths of other States, and into
the darkest retreats of vice in other
cities. What business is concocted here
is known to law abiding folk only infer
entially, and each present reader must
be left to his individual guessing pow
ers but it would be shorter work, no
doubt, to name the crimes not devised
here, provided there be at least ono
with which to begin the enumeration.
Like many other bodies, its members
come and go singly or by installments,
the whole number never being all old
or new, and the analogy is continued in
the tact that some of its members go
and come repeatedly.
cit will be seen, then, that this insti-
tuition must be also a school !; q public
school, sustained at the expense of the
city and State, boarded and lodged by
the one, and ofticered and guarded by
the other. AS an establishment for the
acquisition of certain accomplishments,
its efficiency is very near perfection.
But what State or city is it that can
afford to allow itself this hideous lux
ury?
"It is our own city of New Orleans,
which, in its parish prison, combines in
one a rogues' congress and high
school of vice. If our parish prison
were n we'll ordered house of detention
no prisoner would ever see the face of
another. Our rogues' congress would
be prolonged sine die.
"tWhere is your prison yard?' said
the present writer to the jailer in the
central prison Of a distant city.
"sPrison yard!' The man could not
understand. sPrison yard? What, a
place for prisoners to roam round and
talk to each other, to concoct new viii
lainies in, which will be put into effect
directly they are out, to plan escapes,
to stimulate each other with vicious
bragadocio, to communicate each 9TH
er's vices and vicious arts each to all, ,
to make a larger gathering of law
breakers than they would dare attempt
to make in a state of freedom-a fouler
den of vice than any that our police
have ever broken up? No, we have
no prison yard.'"
The visitor from New Orleans was
tempted-but that was not the time and
place to sneak and for the honor of In