San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-04-03
WHIPPING A FAILURE.
AN EX.WAROEN ON CORPORAL PUN
ISHMENT OF CONWCTS.

Cruel Punishments Do Not Accomplish
Good Results-A Suggestion as to State
Reformatories.
"In the light of an experience of nearly
twelve years as one of the lessees and as war
den of the Missouri penitentiary, am pre-
pared to state in the most unqualified manner
that believe corporal punishment of con-
victs is a mistake, that whipping and kindred
tortures should be abolished and humane
system of discipline substituted. Since | re-
tired from the control of the Missouri peni-
tertiary | have visited the leading penal in
situations of the eastern cities, and state as
my conviction that more work and better
work can be got out of the men where the cat
O. nine tails is banished"
The speaker was exWarden Willis, now a
resident of St. Louis, and the listener a
Globe-Democrat reporter
You are, then, believer in the power of
the state to reform It's criminalsF'
BELIEVER IN REFORM.
"Emphatically am. am glad you asked
the question, for l want to explain myself
1t is difficult, would almost say impossible
to secure the best results under the present
system in the Missouri penitentiary Ny
idea is to build branch, but to let it be
known as a reformatory, and send to it such
prisoners as there are hopes of reforming
Such an institution has just been opened up
at Huntington, Pa. 1t was intended to be
called pemtentiary No. 3, but the legisla-
ture changed its scope. Col. McClaughrey,
who, in a long term of years, had made
the Joliet Qlls.) penitentiary the model
of all prisons in this country, is in
charge of the Huntington institution,
being engaged by the state for life
at 5000 per annum. The prison must
not be COMPOUNDED with a reform school The
inmates are required to work at trades as in
other penitentiaries, but they are given ad.
vantageS, such as night schools, books, oppor,
tunities to converse with each other in assem-
bly,, etc. Prisoners are assigned to Hunting
ton after the manner followed in New York.
In that state all prisoners are sent first to
Sing Sing. There they are examined by
board which sits daily, and if hardened or
habtual criminals, or of what is called
strictly the criminal class, they are put to
work at once in Sing Sing, but otherwise
they are sent to Elmira, or some ono of the
other branch penitentiaries, which are much
to be preferred. There is in prison life an
existence of caste that is as closely drawn as
among the natives of India.
81 remember that a negro was brought to
Jefferson City one day. recognized him at
a glance as former prisoner, and | said:
You have been here before, sir
with a clear voice, in which there was
the slightest tinge of pride, he replied Yes,
sab, but it was for cuttin', sab
land what is it nowH Iagain asked
"He hung his head sheepishly as he mum.
bled out, Burglary and larceny
And that brings me back to the reforma-
tory. A man who in a moment of passion
has shot or otherwise injured another, and
who has always been an honest and, we will
say, law abiding citizen, must not be made to
think that his incarceration puts him on a
moral level with the burglars, thieves and
cut threats who are his prison mates Such
a man is most likely, in the bitterness of his
spirit, to become unruly, and become a sub
ject for discipline. Towhip man of that
class is to make him worse. He would feel
no contrition for his offense, but while recog-
ni1ng that he was subjected to the lash he
would only cherish bitter feelings.
MODEL PRISONERS.
professional criminals make the best pris-
oners, from keepers standpoint A secand
or third termer is always eagerly sought for
by contractor. Such man knows that he
has nothing to gain by rebelious behavior,
and he sets to work to make life as pleasant
as possible"
The idea of life being made pleasant in
penitentiary is rather perverted use of the
term
"Oh, no; some people could be contented,
believe in The middle of the burning lake. |
Negroes are particularly light hearted lot |
often think of an incident illustrating this |
phase of character. 1t was on very bright, |
but particularly cold December day that |
couple of well fed, lusty colored men con-
lected with the kitchen were lounging about |
the yard, when there was brought to the !
round house a particularly forlorn specimen. |
He was a white man, and had been arrested |
,or hog stealing down in the country some |
where, some time during the previous sum-
ner. He had lain in Jail during the summer, |
all and early winter with no other Clothlrt~ |
han that which he wore when arrested. The |
ict was not over liberal 7 SUPPOSE. and tie