The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1888-04-25
Il Some Evils of the Present Prison
System.

| UtcUS uOIc VI contemplated, Is SOllCuu6 ana
reflection. Ny experience has taught me
that solitude is as often the mother of evil
as of good thoughts; and under the present
circumstances the evil predominates and
often entirely excludes the good. When
a man is brought to this prison he is debased
or wicked. This being the case, there is
legion of devils in him, and when he first
enters his solitary cell he takes them all in
with him. There they share in most of
his reflections. Should he be impressed
with the necessity of getting rid of them, he
will find it almost impossible to put them
out, for there are so many little ones and
there is nobody to help you. have strug-
gled with some of the big ones, and 1 am
glad to say l OverpOwered them and put
them out. But now the little devils that
were SO insignificant before, seem to be so
much bigger, and there are so many of them,
and l have got to fight them all alone, that
L often feel like letting them have full sway,
by giving up the battle. But then. the big
ones would come back and there are some
big green-eyed. ugly monsters among Them
and l have fought them so hard. and they
dOwned me so often, that | don't want their
company any more. So, 1 am going to
fight it out; but 1 tell you it has been, is
now. and no doubt will continue to be,
hard struggle. Therefore l know how few
there are here solitary and alone, who can
successfully battle with these demons.
Many may be wondering and marveling in
a speculative fashion over the hardening
process that is going on all the time in their
hearts, and rendering them utterly oblivious
to everything but their own mad wishes.
They may now recall the birth hour of a
wish-Only an innocent wish-that they
too, might mount to fortunes glittering
heights. by what was seemingly such easy
steps; they may recall, picture and contrast,
the men OF their early acquaintance, who
started out in life with no more brains, nor
any better showing than they had, who are
now reaping the golden harvest of their
own energy and honest enterprise. This
far in the penitence line the cOmpaniOnable
devils will converse with you; they won't
Overstep the bounds of torment. Then
again there are many here whom these
devils have such hold upon that their pref
erence of thought is the ways and means of
best advancing their own interests at the
expense of others. Many of these are en-
dOwed with bright minds and keen mental
perceptions. Yet what else can you expect?
but little moisture and then never prune it,
and expect it to yield good fruit i'll album
ance, as to place a wicked man between
stone slabs and leave him to bring forth
good works out of his evil material. l tell
you it is a failure.
The present prison system has an over
towering tendency to make a man dull,
mOrOse and Sullen, with loss of confidence
in his own manhood. When human nature
is in this state the devil has fertile field
The moment our work is done in the shops.
we are placed in solitary cells and guards
parade our corridors. This fact is a con-
slant reminder to us. or rather. makes all
impression upon us that we are Williams
ours, or anything but men. When the
guard comes to unlock us there is no recog-
milton, nothing to remind us that we are
men; we are only the brute let out of his stall.
The gufGl only does his duty as required
by the rules laid down to him, and the rules
or laws are formulated by men who have
no direct connection with the prison. There
fore we must not blame our officers here
But how much better it would be if these
laws or rules were differently made. Some
weeks ago an elderly guard connected with
the prison, took the place of the regular
guard who unlOcks my tier OF cells. 1t was
Sunday morning, and when he approached
the cell door he bid cordial ''Good morn
ing" and inquired, How do you feel this
morning." then passed on. That is all he
thought about it. But to myself 1 said,
God bless that old man," and l would do
anything for him now. Do you believe it,
1 felt more like man that day than any
day since l have been in prison, just because
of those few kind words. Did he violate
rule. and if he did. how much damage did
he do?
With no teaching, pleading urging, OF
kind words, or the rubbing of one intellect
against another, wicked and debased ma
ture will become more ignorant, more sui
len. more wicked and debased, when left in
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