The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1893-05-18

which would practically paralyze their
operations, but as regard my office as
a public trust to be administered for the
general benefit and welfare of the COM
munity, and not as subsidiary agency
for the promotion of crime, gave them
the cold shoulder and took the neceS-
sary steps to inaugurate the branding
system. There was some opposition to
the plan in the city council but the op-
posing aldermen soon gave way when
they saw that the best sentiment of the
community was arraigned against them.
Well, we have tried the system for two
years with the most gratifying results.
For the first Offense, where the former
penalty would be from one to five years
in the penitentiary, we brand the letter
T on the criminals neck on the right
side. That letter will remain for the
term he would have to remain in prison,
the branding being conducted ON the
most approved French method, which
provides that the marks shall disappear
almost to the day of release. The proc
cess is a secret one and only communi-
Gated to the chiefs of police of Cities
After branding we set the man at liber-
ty. While the mark is not in full view,
it cOmpelS the rascal to wear very
high collar, and everyone knows that
he is dangerous individual and must
be treated with the utmost caution. If
during his period of probation he COM
mitS another OffenSe, he is branded on
the left cheek for period cOmmensu-
rate with what he would have to serve
in prison under the former plan. When
the marks wear out the men appear as
ordinary individuals and can proceed
on reformed lines if they so incline.
There is penalty for Obliterating the
marks-that of being branded on the
cheek for five years more. What are
the advantages of the system? Why,
they are manifold. Our worst Grim
inals are men who move openly about
in society and take their victims una
wares. A branded man cannot do that.
He is constantly under the surveillance
of the police. He must behave himself.
The fact that everybody knows he is a
scoundrel as soon as they see him has
soothing effect on his criminal prOpensi-
ties. No one wants to be branded y GU
should see the poor devils squirm when
the iron is heated. Hurt them? Not
physically. The injury is mental. The
iron sears their conscience, about the
only thing the penitentiary does not
reach, as well as their skins. AS [ stat
ed in my report, crime has appreciably
diminished since the plan went into
effect. My correspondence with other
cities shows me that it works we'll wher-
ever it is adopted. The law department.
in conjunction with Mr. Kern, the states
attorney, is drawing up bill for pres
entatiOn ut the next session of the
legislature extending the system to
other Offenses against society. 1t is be-
lieved that if the confidence man, the
dishonest trustee, the betrayer of wOm
EN-, and offenders who generally con-
trive to conceal their crimes in some
way, can be marked for the benefit Of
the community, we shall soon have
city as near the millennial type as is
possible on this tough old earth. At
any rate, the experiment will be tried
if the authorities are backed up by the
right kind of public sentiment. "-Chi-
cogo Herald, MAY 1899