The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-11-22
FROM DUNGEONS GRIM
THE WORLDS FAIa Will FURNISH
IT'S CHAMBER OF HORRORS.


Torture or Of II lder Discipline, With
Models OF Famous Prisons and Their
Cells, the Dungeons of the Inouisi-
ton and the Workshops OF sing
SPECIALIZATION and BarbarIsm, the
Cd and the New. VIII Meet in This
Wonderful Display.
CCopyrighf)
NEW York, Nov. 2l.-An element Of the
weird and terrible will not be wanting in
the worlds fair. No great show could sue
coed without it, for there are many people
who would rather be shocked and Mortified
than be entertained in any other manner.
And this somber display at the fair will be
one Of the most instructive of them all, for
it will show the progress which humanity
has madein the quality Of mercy.
The exhibit TO which ! refer is now in
preparation under the direction OF the Ma
tional Prison Association, which recently
held its convention in Pittsburg 1t is the
purpose of the association TO show more
completely than was ever done Ia the world
before the development OF appliances and
methods for the treatment Of criminals.
Ex-President Hayes will officially open
to the public this remarkable exhibit, ana
by this act will at the same time inaugurate
the first session OF the international prison
congress ever held in America. The most
distinguished men in this field Of endeayor
throughout the world will be present, and
the facilities afforded them for observation
and study will reflect credit upon the coun-
try which invites them.
The idea of adding this remarkable ex-
hibit to the attraction OF the fair was first
suggested to the commissioners by the Rev.
Francis Milligan, now secretary of the Ma
tional Pricon Association. Mr.. Milligan
was known during the late unpeasantness
as the Zig lting parson of Pennsylvania. ~
Most Of his energies since that time have
been devoted to effecting improvement in
the reforInatory treatment of criminals
and he is an authority upon all departments
of the subject. His idea was favorably re-
ceived by the worlds fair commissioners,
and they Immediately appointed commit
tee. of which Oscar Craig of the New York
State Charities Aid Association is chairman.
to devise means of placing a complete ex-
hi6it before the millions who come 20 see the
fair.
The first step was to secure the co-opera-
Gion OF the national and state prison asso-
Citations. and through them, of their cor
respondents in ell parts of the world. in
GLIDING the men who have been most
prominent in the sessions of the inter-
huOAOudl PRISON COuRfeSS uDTOhQ. Inc
oldest of these organizations is the New
York State Prison Association, of which
tho head is w. NJ. f. Round. From the New
York state association sprung the national,
and from that in turn the international
congress. In 1882, when the in
terest in the national association
languished, and it seemed to be on the
verge of dissolution. Mr.. Round went to
work TO rejuvenate it in a way that resulted
in FNrNfc IL Il
was succeeded by the Rev. Mr.. Milligan.
They were both delegates to the interna-
tional congress in Rome in 1885, and Will o
there saw one OF the completest exhibits Of
prison cells, ancient and modern, with the
appliances OF punishment and torture. that
had been made up to that time A large
part OF this collection will probably come
to America.
have had long conversation with Mr..
Round, in which he told me what was
heing done in the way of research and col
lection.
"Gentlemen representing the comrniss. on
ers are now making arrangements to secure
exhibits and model from every country on
the face of the earth, said he. "The en-
deavor is to make the search< Absolutely
exhaustive, and there is no doubt that the
result will be commensurate with the great
diligence that is being employed. A build
ing especially adopted to the needs of
this display will be set apart by the
worlds fair commissioners. Around its
walls will stand rows of cells of every size
and variety of arrangement. Many of
them will be reproductions of those which
have held prisoners whose names are known
to every reader of history. The CELLS of the
Mamertine prison where st. Paul was con-
fined, the dismal dungeons of the lnquisi-
ton, the living tombs uf the Bastile, the
strange torture chambers of Oriental bar.
barism, all will be reproduced with the
utmost fidelity possible.
"In each cell will be life sizs wax figure
showing the type Of man who once suffered
therein. These figures will be clothed in
perfect accord with the prison garb of the
country aud the time-as the cap and mask
of the Belgians, or the stripes which are
worn by prisoners in this country. The re-
production will be made exact even to the
drinking cups and the plates in which food
and water were offered to the prisoners.
There will be large models of ali the
famous prisons, showing the varying STYLES
of architecture, and the devices for defense
against attack from without and security
from instruction within. Every variety
of lock and bolt will be shown, from the
massive bars and chains of old days, to the
nice mechanical devices of the present time.
The exact duplication of these places of de-
tention will give the observer a chance to
judge not only the degree of physical COM
fort possible under such conditions, but
tie effect likely to be produced upon the
mind. The tortures of the inquisition de-
pended not only upon the persuasive power
of physical suffering, but upon the terrify-
ing surroundings and the sense of helpless
ness.
1.-THE milder punishment used in modern
prisons will be shown with perfect fidelity to
the facts. The appliances of capital punish
ment, the rope. the ak and the electric
chair, will be there for the contemplation of
the visitor"
What will be done with these models
after the fairl" asked. "Will they go back
to the sendersT
mot all of them,n he replied. "Of
course many countries will contribute col
must be returned but the others will form
Foreign nations will in most cases furnish
their collections free Of cost. For the rest
the expense will be from $3.50, 600 to $780,
600. 1 feel certain that this display will be
OF great value. The subject of the treat
ment of the criminal classes is one of the
most pressing that now engage the public
attention. In this exhibit will be vast
store of information and food for reflection
for any thoughtful person. | venture to
say that it will be much visited and that it
will do vast deal of good"
1t is proposed to frame in wax for this
exhibit some Of the men who are notable in
the history of prison work. The famous
wardens of American and foreign prisons
and the detectives who have helped to fill
Al 4. ~