St. Paul daily globe., 1888-07-15

control over persons. What sarcasm
on our boaSted civilization of the nine
teenth century, that it can produce no
substitute for these barbarous modes of
punishment, yet at the same time
1t wonders that cOnvicts come out of
state institutions even more hardened
than when they went in. A ''solitary'
is being built adjoining the prison, at
the present time. 1t is costly affair
composed entirely of stone. The mode
of punishment here is to be thus: The
prisoner to be chained and obliged to
stand during the whole day, a low stone
couch raised about six inches from the
floor, where he may rest at night. If
the convict becomes noisy under this
treatment, turn the hose on him until
he becomes quiet. / state the treatment
exactly
AS DEFINED BY THE WARDEN.
1t is claimed that this course will sub
due the most stubborn in short time,
especially as no means of committing
| suicide will be left within his reach. )"
I The building will also be used to con-
| fine those who become insane. I do
not suppose the system in this prison is
more harsh than i'll other similar places,
and perhaps comment is unnecessary: {:
1 but would like to see the same amount
! of money expended in surrounding the
convict with refining and reformat0ry
influences, then see il the proportion of
suicide and lunaticS would not decrease.
In pleasant contrast to the SOLITARY"
| is the library. The books are bought
from the 25-cent fund contributed by
visitors. Formerly there were only a
| few books, but during the stay of the
have been made. Only the works
| of standard authors are allowed.
| The collection includes works of
| fiction, history, travel and science. The
| library is under the charge of two of
| the Younger brothers. The books are
| all covered and numbered. The room
| is neatly furnished, a collection of plants
| in the windows and canaries singing in
their cages add to the cheerfulneSS of
| the place. All convicts can obtain
books under ordinary rules of good
usage. The librarians told me that
| here, as on the outside, the larger por-
| pleasant chat with the Younger BROTH
ers. 1t is surprising to see how we'll
| they are Informed on current events,
| while their discussion OF the leading
| economic questions of the day show
| that they possess an intellect and power
of discrimination much above the aver
| age. While | do not belong to the class
/ who eXalt a man into hero because he
| is behind the bars, yet one can hardly
| help arriving at the conclusion that the
circumstances under which their youth
was passed has much to do with
THE PRESENT RESULT.
After the library visited the print
ing office where the Prison Mirror is
issued. Myrick, a former Minneapolis
printer, has charge of the office. He
has two apprentices to assist him Tho
office is much neater and more orderly
than the average composing room. The
| warden in speaking of the character of
the convicts said that he thought only
about one in twenty-five were hardened
| criminals. Many were evidently ready
| to reform.
l don't care about statistics, but one
| remark of that sort staid by me. Of 21O
| cOnyicts admitted last year seventy-nine
were from Minneapolis. Crime in
creases in proportion to population
Moral Minneapolis has the largest
population of any city in the North
west.