Daily Republican., 1889-04-23
NEW CASTLE PRISON.



prisoners confined here by employing
them In various ways beneficial to the
public welfare, not only In your popular |
organ, but also In other papers, it would |
no doubt interest some of your many
readers to know what elect the idea |
would have upon the pritoner, were 1t
contaminated.
There 10 among them, as Is readily
understood, men of all grades OF intellect
and Judgment, thus making the express
sion oil ideas as diversified as their opin-
ions. But an interview with them will
soon reveal the fact that the major por-
ton decidedly favor the proposition.
There are some who are naturally indus
trious and have no shame or care for the
publicity obtained by It, hut favor II with
the idea that their appetites would be
thereby increased, as well as the prison
rations, and health to enjoy the same,
while there arc few who oppose It upon
the Pround Of shame alone.
They are q unit upon the idea that the
scheme would tend greatly to increase
their chances Of escape, the latter being
u Q principal incentive In favor Of its
speedy practical adoption, Some, of
course, are q mere automatic device, sub
servient to the commands Of the officials,
and have no mind to form an opinion,
much less express one, and are satisfied
so long as hunger is avsrted.
When prisoner Of the latter class has
been once initiated at the whipping post
and pillory, and learns from this expert
ence that the physical torture is an exa;-
gerated idea, he at once loses all fear of
the law so far as this punishment lie con
cerned, and so far as observation goes for
fxyaiVl N ffaatn " ra haSlr In Ia thts
given q license to participate In these
public exhibitions ut every opportunity
thereafter, in which he seems to take
pride. The greater the prominence at.
tached thereto the more he seems to relish
II. On the other hand, the effect Is pre-.
cisely the reverse. A prisoner with the
least sense of shame looks upon the lashes
with the same sense Of humiliation and
degradation as he would the gallows.
In conversation with one who acted an
amateur part In the last exhibition, be
says his feelings were mentally demoral-
izlng to extremes. He did not know who
were present, and could not tell who was
getting the lashes, as the crowd OF curl
ositg-5eekers was so dense around him
that he would have felt 1t Just as much
had one OF the audience been receiving
the lashes 10 place of him. He mechani-
cally followed the dictates OF the officials
in his efforts to get to the scene of action,
and after the excitement was over he
could form no idea as to the appearance
oil the instruments of torture. This was
no doubt the effect desired and believed
to be created by the orginators of this
antiquated and unciyilized part of the old
English code.
A close inquiry into the facts will
disclose The truth that seven-eighths of
the inmates incareerated here for larceny
are veterans at the whipping. post, thus
practically refutlng the OFT expressed idea
that the post aud pillory are instrumental
In moral reformation, but the effect is
precisely the reverse. A man once pub
licly whipped looks upon himself as an
outcast from society, and conducts him
self accordingly.
Various are the means resorted to by
the prisoners TO relieve the monOtony OF
the routine of everyday life here. Gard
| playing, games OF any and every conceiv-
able device that an idle Imagination can
conceive, reading, promenading mp aud
down the limited space In the cell, while
others sleep most Of the time when their
cell mates will permit them. There are
men here who could and would sleep for
months were they not disturbed by the
| daily serving of the allowance of food as
1t passes around. Some are engaged in
making ornaments of various kinds for
sale TO the visitors, by which means thee
obtain tobacco and various other necessi-
ties so much coveted.
Some are natural mechanics and artists
and the many Ingenious devices invented
by them would do credit 10 an experf,
Many Of the cells are very tasteiully
ornsmented by pictures and other articles
OF decoration, giving them q cheerful
rather than gloomy appearance. But
this is confined to the long term prisoners,
who have more time to utilize in this
manner, and, accepting their positions as
inevitable, endeavor 10 make their SO.
journ here as pleasant as possible.
The prevailing propensity of those serv-
ing only few months, aud who are kept
continually In the cell, is to walk up AID
down the fourteen by eight feet enclosure
with curiosity to know how many miles
they could cover in q stated number of
hours, which by adding up the number OF
''ups and downs" they make, aud reduc-
ing the whole number OF feet to miles,
they can readily ascertain.
The right side OF the upper tier, or
gallery, is Inhabited entirely by colored
prisoners, who are undoubtedly the most
contented and happiest, as class, of all
the inmates. No apparent impeachment
10 mar their jollity and characteristic
happiness presenting itself except the
scant supply Of food afforded by the Jail
authorities, which causes them to keep
up traffic with their wearing apparel,
and in fact any article that will be re-
ceiyed 10 exchange for bread. Those
having money charging their wardrobe
to their taste by this means, they evincc
no uneasiness from their confinement.
Quite museum would be presented
were the numerous bits OF cell furniture,
in the way OF lamps, kn!yo6. forks, seats,
beds and other conytniencts and orna-
mentp, collected together and placed on
exhibition, which would excite the cur
iosity OF slght-seers as well as practically
illustrate the truth OF the ancient adage
of NECESSITY is the mother OF invention. "
"Man's inhumanity to man" Is also
yivldedly portrayed In this institution. A
talk with them will disclose the fact that
nine-ienths of the prisoners are incar-
csrated unjustly, aud are, to use their
own Ideas, martyrs of injustice. Occa-
s,onally you can find one who is guilty of
the crime with which he is charged, but
they are rare; and the more humanely
inclined visitor fails to see the propriety
OF keeping so many virtuous and Ill
treated beings In euch close companion
ship and subject TO the contamination Of
the evil influences OF the few immoral
ones. But talk with them will leave
this impression.
Not wishing to iutrude upon your time
and space will here bring my letter to
close with the promise of commuuica-
A Al. II 49,