Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-11-11
PUNISHMENTS IN PRISONS
THE LASH DECLARED INDIs-
PENSABLE AT TIMES.


Capt. Nicholson Atilrms That 1t Is Not
As Barbarous AS the Outside World
ImaGnes-A Plea for Religious Liber-
ality Amopgtha Cells-A Diversity of
Opinion as to the Percentage of Con
vlct> Reformed
ATLANTA, GA, Nov. 1O.-The National
Prison Congress devoted it's morning ses-
sion to-day to reformatory institutions
and methods. Col. Gardner TUFTS, Super
Intendent of the Concord Retormatory,
presided and read an interesting paper
on Tho Philosophy of Retormatory
Prisons" after which he gave q descrip
tion OF the prison under his direction.
In general discussion OF the methods
ofpunlshment and reform which followed
remarks were made by Brother JUS
tin, Director of the Christian Brothers,
DR.. Byers, of Ohio, Miss Ella G. johnson,
Superintendent of the MASSACHUSETTS,
Prison for Women, Bishop Becker, of
Georgia, and Warden Watkins, OF the
Michigan State Prison. There was con-
siderable diversity OF opinion as to the
percentage OF prisoners usually reformed
and as to the methods of punishment.
PRISON CHAPLAINs.
AT the afternoon session Gen. Brincker-
hOH presided, and the subject for discus
sion was prison Chaplains."
Addresses were made by Mr.. Spalding,
OF Massachusetts, Rev. George Hickox,
Chaplain OF the Michigan State Prison.
and Mrs. j. X. Barney, of Rhode Island.
Rev. f. H. Wines made an appeal tor
religious llberality, and SAID that in all
prisons Catholic priests should have the
same privileges with Catholic c0nvlcts
which are permitted to Protestant cler-
gymen in wishing Protestant prisoners.
James M0y!an, OF Canada, thanked Mr..
Wines for this suggestion, and said that
it was in the direction of true prison re-
form.
James Massie, of Toronto, invited the
association to meet in that city next year.
The invitation was referred to the EX-
eCutiye Committee.
PRISON PUNISHMENTS.
Prison punishments were then dis
cussed. VIM. ID. Patterson, Superinten
dent OF the Cleveland House OF Correction.
| thought punishments should never be too
severe, but should be administered with a
| firm band and should be graded accord
ing to circumstances. He described the
methods of punIsaments in his prison.
Capt. Nicholson, Of the Detroit House
! of Correction, said patience and kindness
| are RI6db pOW6Ib. DuL AUbT0 are LiHibb
when they b0tn fail and the lash is in
dispensable. 1t is not bRrbarous, though
| it seems so to the sentimental world out
| side. Instances when the strap should
be used are rare, but it cannot be dis
pensed with.
THE INCORRIGIBLE.
At the night session Prof. Wayland, OF
the Yale Law School, read paper on
"The Incorrigible." The following is an
extract from Prof. Wayland's paper:
The existence in the community of an ee-
ment, growing steadily in numbers and IN
capacity for mischief, generally known as the
:" criminal class" or as = habitual criminals"
or as " incorri gibles," is one OF the most pal
pabe as il is one of the most painful features
of modern civilization. Year after year con-
VlCts are liberated from our prisons by eXpira-
tion of sentence, of whom IL may be predicte
with almost absolute certainty that they will
seize the hrsC opportunity to commit some
| crime OF violence or raplne or fraud. They
do not desire or design to earn an honest llv-
| ing. They return at once TO their old haun s
and their former associations, and re-
| commence criminal career with wits sharp
! ened by experience and added caution born of
previous detection and punishment. n many
| cases their purpose is not even masked by
| promises of reformation They call them
| selves professionals. They are member Of
| guild. They are Robin Hoods or Rob Rows
| under altered conditions. They are brothers
| IN arms. They do not attempt TO conceal a
| loyal to their chosen profession. They revel
| in the fierce delight Of dangerous enterprise.
| They are intoxicated with the excitement of
their varying fortunes, One of them eX-
| claimed when urged to turn his talents into
| some useful and profitable channel. ~ would
rather die with n jimmy iu my hand than be
the possessor of the finest property in
America"
THEIR ONLY AMBITION.
They desire nothing better or more con-
al e. roll "A
nh, steal, with the policeman or the dett ctive.
Their ing nuity ana trained skill often enable
them TO overcome every precautiOn which
| honest invention has devised for their dis
! comfture, and they study with jealous perse-
| yerance worthy Of a much better cause TO
keep pace with the progress OF the mcchani-
| cal arts when arrayed aga their schemes Of
! pdlage. recent number of the Inter-
| natona al Record of Charities and Corrections
supplies us with an excellent illustrative an
! ecdote on this point: "a party or bank rob
! bers arrested in Pennsylvania were advised
| by their counsel TO plead guilty, in the hope
| OF recelvnga light sentence, bat the court,
| instead Of fulfilling their expectations, gave
| them the longest sentence the law would al
| lOw--tWcnty years. Wbereupon one OF them
| turned pale and cried out: My God! in that
! time ali the safes will get away with u.s."
| believe that there IS but one cure for this
| great aud growing evil, and that this is tO he
| found in the imprisonment for life Of the
| criminal once pronounced 'incorrigible "
! This IS simply saying that such man has
fOfIelteu HIS IlRub 10 He hb ldfEes bHdb mccain
| not any onger be permitted to prey upon the
property or 10 endanger the peace and per-
| sonal security oil the public. am well aware
| that this treatment is heroic; but. on the
! other hand. the mdlady IL one which threat
! ems To undermine the very constitution OF So
/ ciety--to lead by prpce by no means Iilogi-
/ cal to lynch law and mob violence.
w. f.. McCOriggle, eX-ouperintendent
! Of the Chicago police, read paper on
"The Policeman and the Criminal"
! Brother Justin, Dlrectorof the Brothers
/ of Christian schools, delivered an address
| on "Kindness as Factor in keforma-
| ton"
The Congress then adjourned until 10
! o'clock tomorrow morning.