Daily Yellowstone journal., 1888-04-19
CUSTOMS IN ENGLISH PRISONS.
The Difference Between the Treatment of
the Convict There and In America.

the Convict There and I'm America.
An interesting and instructive descrip-
ton of the English prisons, as they are
today, has been given by Mr.. c. X. Fay,
an American, who has recently visited
them, and has been officially connected
with our " prison system.
According to this authority, not only
do better methods prevail in English
prisons than formerly, but crime in Eng
land has been gradually decreasing in re-
cent years. English prisons are divided
into two kinds-''convict prisons and
.local prisons" Convict prisons are
used for combining persons who have been
sentenced to a term Of five years or
more; local prisons for those whose sem
tence is shorter. OF convict prisons there
are now ten in Great Britain, and of local
prisons iifty-five.
In all these places there are two feat
ures which do not exist in the American
prisons. These are the treadmill aud the
flogging of prisoners.
The treadmill is a curious surviving
relic of old fashioned English methods Of
prison discipline. 1.-The large wheels Of
the treadmill," SAYS our authority, 'are
surrounded by wooden steps running the
length of the wheel. The men are sep
aratel from each other by partitions, and
each one catches hold of n horizontal bar
and continues a slow tread from one step
To another; all, of course, stepping to-
gether. and. rs il Were, kicking away the
steps from under their feet BY this
process wheat is made into flour, which
in due time is baked into the bread which
is used in the prisons.
Flogging is reSortcd t. in the English
prisons whch il forms part of the SEN
tcncc Of the Judge. or when il is applied
TO n prisoner who has proved obstinate,
or who has tlagrantly disobeyed the
prison rules. The crimes for which men
are usually sentenced TO be ilogged, as
well as confined, are assaults upon an
officer while in discharge Of his duty,
and robbery with personal violence COM
mittcd by Carroters or highwaymenl.
Such criminals receive from twenty 10
fifty lsshes. half at the beginning and
half at the end of the term of imprison-
ment.
A careful account is kept of the pris-
oner's conduct and industry throughout
his term. For the first nine months of
lis Imprisonment he is kept in solitary
confinement, working by himself, and
not allowed To speak to any M After
hal he works with his fellow prisoners,
and under certain restrictions is per-
mitted to talk and associate with them.
If the prisoner gets 22i good marks
for a month for two years he is placed in
what is called the third grade; and if his
record is equally good for the next two
wears he reaches the second and then the
first grade. lie then becomes entitled 10
a shortening Of his term aud is set free
on what Is called Il ticket Of leave. by
which il meant that. while he is mt large.
he is under the eve Of the police and
must behave himself, and report himself
regularly at stated times until the ex-
piratiOn of lis ticket of leave.
The cells in the English prisons, y
saws Mr.. Fgs. ''are constructed on quite
did rent principles from ours. They are
much larger, are r"ulcd with a brick
arch and are well lighted and ventilated.
The light comes from a window seven OF
eight feet from the floor, which is three
feet wide 10y thirteen inches high. The
doors are solid and about two inches
thick. instead Of being grated like ours,
80 that M who walks along the corridor
outside can only view the interior Of the
cell by moving Il slide and looking
through q small peep hole"
The English prisons are far nor
strictly guarded from the intrusion of
the public than our own. 1t is hard for
any one, who has not some special bust
ness in them. to gain udmiituncc. So
stringent, indeed. is the rule that even
the governor Of the male department If
n prison is not allowed 10 put II fnut in
the female department of his " iusti-
tuition, Over all tie british prison, Il
single official is placed. called the
surveyor general. Not being governed.
Us uur prisons are, hg a multituleofcom
~ ionurs and other officials. greater
unity aud consistency is preserved in tile
management OF criminals. - Youths
Companion.