St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-01-11

ties were not vlsited) Ramsey county jail
has the excellence of cell room In two stor-
les, permitting good heating and good ven
tilation. Stearns county has probably the
best administered jail in the state, under
Sheriff Matthias Mickey.
FOR WHAT ARE COUNTY JAus UsEDs
The jals are used for two radically distinct
purposes: First, for the detention Of several
classes of persons; second, for the punish
ment of certain classes of convicts. AS
places of detention they receive: First, per-
sons accused of crime-men, women, boys
and girls, of every possible grade of inno-
cence and guilt; second, witnesses in cases
of murder in the first degree, arson, where
human life has been destroyed, and cruel abuse
of children; third, persons against whom in
formation of insanity has been filed, until
the question of their sanity or insanity is de-
termined, often several days.
THE INSANE AND INNOCENT.
The detention of insane persons in jails
appears to be entirely matter of conven-
fence, without any specific warrant of law,
but it is common practice, and, indeed, in
some cases, seems almost unavoidable.
Four cases of witnesses detained have occur
red in Ramsey county alone in little over
year-two of them young women.
Nor are insane persons and witnesses the
only innocent inmates OF our jails. In our
own state in 1880, out Of IA cases prose-
cuted, 271, or SO per cent. resulted in ac-
quttal or nOlle proSeq~i. Doubtless many of
! these persons were innocent, being victims
of crcumstantia evidence or malice. A boy
ten years old was held in Ramsey county Jail
fn-t bsar n nhopfr Of L.,
May, 1884. His cell mate was thief, and,
by day, he had the liberty of the corridor
with eleven men of all sorts. The grand jury
found no evidence that the boy was guilty or
vicious. Certainly innocent prisoners have
right to be kept from association with the
vicious, and to suffer as little hardship as
possible; but in the majority of the jails in
Minnesota there is no provision for and no
attempt to separate these classes. Our law
goes step further, and implies that the
same consideration shall be extended to all
uncontrolled prisoners.
This view seems novel, but on reflection,
its justice is apparent. The statutes of Min
nesota provide (chapter 1870, section 81 that
leach prisoner shall be served three times
each day with wholesome food, which shall
be well cooked and in sufficient quantity"
1t is further provided that, except in few
of the highest crimes, prisoners may give
bail. Two men are arrested for the same
identical offense. One gives bail at no cost
except the credit of friend, and goes free.
He can attend to business, earn money, en-
joy the society of his family; is subject
neither to hardship Tor disgrace. The other,
being unable to furnish bail, is committed to
Jail for one, three or six months, or even
year. He is unavoilably deprived Of liberty,
earnings ana society. At the trial both are
found guilty and sentenced to an equal term
in the state prison. If detention be made
punishment, gross injustice is done to the
man who must lie in jail 1t appears, there
fore, that detained prisoners, whatever their
real character, should be given comfortable
and wholesome quarters, treated with all
leniency consistent with safety, kept from
debasng associations, and have the constitu-
tional privilege of speedy trial.
CoNvIcTs IN JAILs.
On the other hand our iails are used for
the punishment of sentenced criminals
convicts. These sentences vary in duration
from one day to two years. Tue convict, of
course, needs entirely different treatment
from the detained prisoner. He should have
p ain fare, a hard bed, hard work, few privi-
leges, aud be made to feel that the way of the
transgrcssor is hard. There should be sharp
and visible contrast between his treatment
before conviction, while innocent in the eyes
Of the law, and after he is adjudged guilty.
Inmates of Minnesota iails of all classes
are well fed, usually having the same food
with the sherifT's or iailer's family. Com
plants Of lack of quantity come from some
prisoners in Ramsey and Hennepin counties,
probably without just cause.
AN INsoLvABLE PROBLEM.
The question arises. Is il possible to keep
prisoners in the same apartments, on the
same fare and under Identical conditions,
and make the imprisonment a punishment,
terror. and disgrace TO one class, and at the
same time make it to another class com
Portable, humane detention, largely relieved
from hardship! Surprising as it may seem,
this is readily accom- plished in our county
jais; but un fortunately the wrong class Is
affected in each case. The aim is 10 punish
the convict and make comfortable the de-
tanned prisoner. The result is exactly the
opposite. The sentenced prisoner is usually
a tramp drunkard, a bully or petty thief.
Vermin have no tcrrors for him, dirt is his
native elemcnt fresh air is distasteful Given
I a
cards, a pipe Of tobacco and com panious Of
his own sort, and he is perfectly happy. He
lacks only bottle of whisky, and in some
iais be can get that. He will steal TO get
back, If discharged in cold weather. He is
not punished. But take man Of decent
habits, uncOnvicted OF any crime; thrust him
into narrow, foul smelling prison, con
structed exactly like the cage OF wild beast
in ii menager.e; too dark for reading with
com Ori: without q chair, or bic, or bed
linen; without provision for bath: locked
up from dark 10 daylight with from three 10
five other prisoners OF all sort, In cell six
and a half by eight feet, aud seven feet high;
compelled to listen, day and night, 10 an
uucoasing stream OF the vilest language 10
the thieves dialect. Is worse punishment
conceivable for an innocent man this side
Of perditiOni Yet this Is the actual condi-
ton OF the detained prisoners in
large proportion Of the COUNTY jails Of
our state. In some II Is WORSE In Henne-
| pin county Jail, in the fall Of 1888 prisoners
declared they could not keep their persons
! free from lice, and the officers admitted IL.
1 Strong prisoners were accustomed to take the
4 best blankets, leaving the ragged ones 70
weaker men; and the sheriff bad TO 20 In oc-
/ caslonaly aud redislrbute. Ramsey county
/ Jail has swnrmed with vermin; bedbugs in
/ testing the cells, while cockroaches oyerran
1 the prisoners food in the dumb-waiter. At
/ the present. time rats infest the cells and lice
! in fest the prisoners. GoOdhue county Jail Is
( I'm sinking cellar, so damp that fire is
needed the year round, seriously injuring the
| health Of prisoners and Office alike. Douglas
/ county has two dungeons literally under
/ ground, like the coal cellars under city pave
mrnts. The cells in Mower and Big Stone
county jails are untenantab.e in summer for
lack OF ventilation. Illustrations might be
multiplied, but are unnecessary.
1t is absolutely impossible - make sin
| 81. {rs4f.ntfon . of.od houaa ~ Do