The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-07-26
PLEASANT AND INVITING JATLS.

1t was source Of great annoyance to the
late Mr.. Thomas Carlyle that there were peo-
pie in the world who would insist, in season
and out Of season. upon making the jails and
penitentiaries pleasant and inviting places Of
abode. He inveighed great deal against the
misguided philanthropists who are continually
scheming to make things comfortable for the
wicked.
1t would have done the soul of Mr.. Carlyle
much good to have known the result Of such
philanthropy over in Pennsylvania. The
people of that State have made their jails so
attractive that there is general stampede for
them. The accommodations are insufficient
for the vast multitude that is seeking them,
and the maintenance of the imprisoned has
become burden to the taxpayers. Instead
of its requiring any special effort to get people
into Jail, the greatest effort is necessary to
keep them out of it. While the people of other
States are seeking the summer resorts at the
seaside and elsewhere, great throngs of Penn
sylvanians are turning their steps toward
their jai(s, Or such was the case until the
other day, when those who still remained
outside the jails and unaffected by this singu-
lar mania, invoked the AID Of Judge Wickham
TO stop the jailward hegira. The situation is
happily described in the opinion Of the Judge:
THE good fortune o. our modern Migrants
a hi
jails and humane jailors when prospecting for
winter quarters, is matter Of common notori-
ETY.. Ii this can be said 10 occur without de-
sign, it is certainly remarkable in
stance OF the wind being tempered
TO the shorn lamb. In former times
Migrants generally wandered through the
land solitary and a!oIe, or else in couples In
these days they are more gregarious, and We
occasionally hear Of them congregating in
gangs numbering over one hundred. Once
the problem was how o got them into prison.
counties, it is often question how
to keep them out of the jails A few years
ago a band Of thirtythree, committed
at their own request, spent the night in our
county prison. In this neighborhcod they
must have run in schools, like fish, last win
ter, as l find from the plaintiffs records that
when one vagrant went to JAIL number of
others usually, or at least frequently, attended
to keep him company. For instance twelve
Migrants were committed on February %,
1885, eight on the 25th of the same month.
eleven OH March II, 1885, twelve on the 10Th,
eleven on the 10Th. fourteen on the DIST and
eleven on the 23d of that month. These
figures, which are perhaps low compared to
some shown by the records in other counties,
| clearly indicate the necessity for terminating
the power OF Migrants to commit themselves
to jail whenever and wherever they please.
If the question as to whether or not
this power has been wiped out by
the repeating act of 1888 comes up for judicial
determination hereafter there are certainly
many good reasons, only some of which are
here suggested, for deciding it in favor of the
tax-paying public. BY preconcerted, or
| even accidental meeting, it is easily possible
for a number of gangs of tramps to unite in
forming q large band, containing one hundred
and fifty OF two hundred. 1t is more easy to
imagine than to describe the CONSERVATION of
our worthy County Commissioners, not to
mention the feelings of the taxpayers gener-
ally, on beholding procession of this kind
headed for the Jail, each vagrant provided
with his thirty or sixty days commitment,
like soldier with his billet, and only too anxi
Gus to resign his liberty in order to better fit
himself by rest and communion with his
brethren, for further and future usefulness. 4"
1t seems that there is Pennsylvania law
which permits one to go before a magistrate
and, upon acknowledging that he is vagrant.
to have quarters assigned him in the jail
The judge has refused to allow one magistrate
any fees for rendering the hospitality of the
public to his customers. and as magistrates do