Telegram-herald., 1891-07-27
IHE prison DISCIPLINE
a Great Change Hss Taken Place
Since Hatch Left.
xEy FED on ONLY SIX CENTS PER DAY
And tsabie 90 Esaars the nArd lAssr
OF the shoP--Ihs strap, the Dss-
see". the rhans b. Losy aaa the
Rack Once More ia ts~

JACKSON. Mich, July s6.--The Jack
con State Prison 10 greatly changed
from what lt was IA former times when
under the competent supervision OF
Warden III. +. Hatch When that m
eunibent took possession of Mchigan's
largest penal institution, the discipline
was bad and the cost OF maintaining
the PRISON far IN excess OF the receipts.
The first thing Hatch did was TO make
- sweeping study of human nature, in
sugurate strict rules which were To he
obeyed, cut down the expenses and III
crease TIE proceeds. THIS Was only ac-
nipilshed by an outlay OF consider
able labor and time. After his hrst
YEAR notable change fer the good VI
The penitentiary mad taken place. The
PRISON was self-snpportIng, and 10y amt
OF the application ,f true Humanitarian
principles, the eonylcls were coedient
and thrifty. Instead of their minds
being debased by the infilction OF severe
corporal punishment, the warden
handled the men by touching the
softest spot IN their makeup, and after
they understood his methods there
vas no such tnlng as dis
orderly conduct within the walls
Of the Jackson prison. The men were
directed TO higher life and their best
instincts awakened. The cost OF pro-
vidng the men with food was reduced
10 the exceedingly small sum OF 10
cents per day--lt was impossible TO
make II lower and give the men enough
TO eat TO sustain lille. The contractors
-. ~ b,
walls were well satisfied and all was
ferene III. r. Hatch wished 10 carry
this policy still further. and attempted
20 have law enacted which would
allow the indetermlnate sentence
theory TO be carried out. Literary
clubs were organized and the men were
better physically and mentally for 1t.
When Warden DAVIS took charge he
lost no time in asserting that all this
would lie altered. and he has kept his
word TO u certain extent. The MEN are
now
Fed for six Cents Per Day
three meals Tor cents. Just think of
il. From robust, healthy men the con-
victs are emaciated and fast departing
with that muscle and braun which IS
an essential to them in performing the
hard work which Is required OF them IN
the shops. To sucn an extent ~ tins
true that short tlEe ago Aidrich 4
Phillips, the broom contractors, ~
formed Warden Davis that unless the
men were better fed they would not
allow them TO return to work
In their factory. The Fargo
shop contract expires IN January,
and the firm will refuse to
make another. They will move TO
ElgIn, III. Corporal punishment Is
again IN vogue and instead of being
controlled by their better instinct the
convicts are now terrified into submis-
son by the horror Of the strap, the
dungeon. the thumb-loop and the rack.
About week ago negro under SEN
tence, ~nlle observing one OF tine sani-
tary rules. instead of returning to his
cell, broke through window In tue
Wilmington 4 Cooley shops. took
sledge hammer, smashed two valuable
machines and then went into the Fargo
snoe shop, where another was mutt
lated. Warden DAVIS and a deputy
captured the African at the point OF a
revolver and II 10 reported that the
darky will not break machines for some
time. Under Hatch indicative
tDOuRUtc NtIt but INV
Malicious aud Revengefu. spirits
lurk in the breasts of all the inmates.
There are several things, however,
which have not been eliminated, in
spite of tn avowed intentions of the
present incumbent. Base ball is freely
INDUCED 10. and not long since an out
slde organization played with nine
picked from among the prisoners. Irv-
ing Latlmcr Kept score. There were
many of the men VINO had never seen a
bicycle, and the warden prevailed upon
the owners of severAl TO ride them
around the inside for the pleasure OF
his men. This was not TO be tolerated,
hut Warden DAVIS has discovered that
the seed Gown by Hatch bore such good
fruit that 1t was advantageous for him
90 follow the good example of his pre-
decessor. Newspaper men are not
allowed within a guns shot of the PEN
itentiary and inform ION regarding
the manner in which tho PRISON is con-
dgcted comes hard.