The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1892-06-16

not know of one who advocates or has ever
favored what Mr.. Tallack charges upon
some OF us. He should give names before
he begins to call names. He does in fact
give few names. but with express or i'm.
piled praise. He says that in the United
States Though hardly as yet in Italy, some
influential men are vigorously protesting
against the disasters thus brought upon
their countrymen. There have recently
appeared in the Forum of New York. one
of the leading American reviews, two pa
pers by an experienced New England jurist
and magistrate, Mr.. William p. Andrews.
The latest of these is entitled, 'RefOrmatory
Prisons as Schools of Crime. and is devoted
to the exposure in particular of the mis-
chievous effects produced by the so called
Collegiate and Hotel Prisons at Elmira,
Concord. and other places in the States.
Mr.. Andrews quotes. in his support, many
important official testimonies. including
those of Mr.. F. B. SanbOrn, MI Dudley
Warner. and similar competent authOri-
ties" Would not the reader here infer hat
Mr.. Warner and myself held the same opin-
ion of what Mr. Tallack calls "coleglate
and hotel prisons" that he does? Yet both
he and Mr.. Andrews know that we have
given what authority we had in favor of the
Elmira prison for fifteen years. and in favor
of the Concord prison, so far as that follows
the system of Mr.. BrOckway. Mr.. Andrews
also knows that when he read his last
Forum article to the New England WON
EMS Club. was present and protested, as
strongly as my personal friendship would
permit against his failure to comprehend
and fairly represent the EImira system.
And doubt not Mr.. Warner would have
done the same had he been present. Mr..
Tallack may have visited Elmira, but Mr..
Andrews had not when he wrote the essay
in question. Had he done so he could never
have made the attack upon it which he did.
AS for Mr.. Tallack. he is incapable Of see
ing the truth as it is, else he could not have
blundered as he next proceeds to do. He
says: 1T is the utmost perversiOn of speech
to term such prisons 'reformatories.' On
the contrary, the Ohio State authorities
term them Crime Schools at Public Ex-
pense.' Gen. Brinkerhotf of that State
writes: To establish school for crime re.
Quire teachers skilled ID the theory and
practice of crime; pupils with inclination,
opportunity and leisure to learn. and a
place of meeting together. All these are
provided and paid for by the public in our
country gaols and city prsOns.'" Well,
does Mr.. Tallack suppose that these county
and city prisons are on the Elmira plan? SO
far are they from it that Gen. Brinkerhoff.
who has promoted the building of a reform
atory like that of Elmira in his own town
of Mansfield. o.. used the language quoted
as an argument for sending first offenders
to Mansfield instead OF to the city and
county prisons. He also has stOutly cham
pOned the Elmira system and aided in its
adoption by the State-nOt by the counties
of Ohio. Perhaps the oldest part of this
new epistle of Tallack to the Galatians,
go foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched
you?') is his commentator of Delaware.
He says that Capt. Nicholson of Detroit
and Mr.. Andrews ''plead for the proved
Bible principle of reward for the virtuOus
and mercfully moderated punishment for
the evil doer. They point out that in Eng
land, where the separation of prisoners has
been largely (thOugh not even yet ade-
Quately) carried out, crime has greatly
decreased in consequence; whereas in
America, where there is scarcely any sepa
ration or classification in gaGs, it is rapidly
increasing except in few districts, such as
Delaware. where the lot of the offender
still remains to be less attractive than that
of the virtuous and Industrious. This, l
suppose, because they still whip criminals
in Delaware. But so does Mr.. BrOckway
at Elmira, in extreme cases. And we all
hold to the bible principle" cited The
London ''Times" follows MI. Tallack's lead
in an attack upon the late Col. Tufts and
his methods at Concord, which are thus set
forth by the Thunderer: prison life in the
Concord ReformatOry, as described in the
superintendent's words, is certainly as at
tractive as it can well be made. Mr.. Tai
lack quotes at length. from the official
report, an account of the plan which has
been tried to make things pleasant for the
refOrmatory inmates We hear of games
and entertainments; baseball. football.
wrestling. leaping. and other sports fill the
hours as long as daylight lasts. The even
ing brings fresh joys of its own. With the
help of farce and comedy, niger minstrelsy