Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1894-07-10
tbs PENITENTIARY.
How Convicts are Treated In West Vir-
sinis's Penal Institution.


SIR: With your permission I will en-
deavor TO give the readers OF the REG
lsrER, through its columns, an outline
OF the manner in which the Peniten-
tiary is conducted. On one occasion 4
lady friend OF a Young man who had
been sentenced 10 a short term In the
penitentiary, said 10 me, that she
thought 10 was horrible that the con-
viets should be required ID sleep be-
tween two slabs OF stone" AS errone-
Gus and ridiculous as the idea thus ex-
pressed by the lady is, 10 is no more
50 than the ideas OF many
people as 10 the inner workings
of the institution. Many people seem
10 think tnat there Is something awful,
horrible, unseen, and undiscri6aOle,
mysterious, phantOm-liEe, at all peui-
tentiaries, some ghost that will not
down, aud when they do not fnd It
they seem disappointed II not disgust
ed.
Let me say bY way OF explanation Of
what is meant 10 be said hereafter, that
there is a marked distinction between
convictS and criminals. A serious mis-
take may be made in the twinkling Of
an eve, aud many are so made that land
men behind prison bars. In various
ways, men, especially young men, Oe-
come cOnvicts without realizing that
they are committing or have committed
4 crime. This class OF convicts are not
criminals, and DO not tear the ear
marks Of criminals, and compose the
class of convicts respected by prison
officials, and in whom confidence is
placed.
An penitentiaries have rules and at
some they are enforced. When twenty
three officers, in which number IS In
cluded the engineer, clerk and war
den, are charged with the duty OF TAX
idg care Of from $50 10 475 cOnvicts,
both day and night, among whom are a
number OF the most desperate and
abandoned characters, discipline is
necessity, outside OF the fact that con-
victs are sent 70 the penitentiary TO be
disciplined and 70 De taught 70 respect
the laws OF the country, the rules OF
the prison and the rights Of their fellow
men.
When a convict is received at the
prison be is given his choice between
obeying the rules voluntarily and being
forced TO do so. COnvictS who have
either sense or Self-respeCt choose the
former, the lower grade choose the lat
ter, and are Invariably brought 20 rea'
lie that rules apply 10 them also, aud
are made 10 understand that, while they
respected neitaer the laws Of mau nor
God while out Of the prison, they must
yield obedience 10 authority while IN
the prisen az least.
Tuere Is a class OF convicts received
who consider themselves better than
ordinary conv.c's, and come hoping,
and apparently expecting, 10 be made
pets Of. Among this class we fud
mammals pet and papa's bad boy. That
class who nave been excused, humored,
protected and petted right up TO tins
door Of the prison, and 10 is but natural
that they should expect the same treat
meut at the peniJentiary, but oh. how
sadly they ars disappointed. Sooner OF
later thev are made 20 realize that they
must get down 70 business aud 70 under
stand that there are no pets at the West
Virginia penitenJiary, that kissing does
not 90 by favors aud that merit only
begets consideration. Aud then oh.
how wrathy they get, and what ven
Reance they do swear TO take when the
day Of deliverance is az hand.
Oue mode Of getting revenge is to
abuse the officers OF the institution at
respectful distance, after the con-
vicJ's discharge, not because they were
mistreatad, but because or the mistreat-
ment OF the other fellows who did not
obey the rules. Abuse coming from
such a source il is hardly necessary 10
add. never causes the slightest ripple
10 disturb the serenity OF the dreams OF
the most timid and tender footed official
in the prison. Abuse from this source
there has always been and always will
be, until couvicts are allowed TO dictate
the conditions on which penitentiaries
shall exist, and the manner in which
they shall be conducted; but let US hope
that that time viii never come.
No convict is ever punished who does
not bring ii on himself by gross or re-
peated violations OF the rules.
There are couvicts who have been In
the penitentiary for five years, others
for ten, others for fifteen, and perhaps
others who have been in 10 longer, and
none OF whom have ever been so much
As reprimanded for any violation Of the
rules, because OF the fact that they
have violated no rule, but on the con-
trary have won the sympathy and res
pect OF all the officials because OF their
good behavior.
Let me tel. you something about the
modes az punishment They are au-
thorized by the rules adopted by the
Board of Directors, composed Of five
representative citizens from i've differ
snt counties, and no other modes can
be reSOrted %. All reports against con-
Victs are made IN writing aud are filed
away for future reference. They are
also dOcketed, and on the docket op-
pOsite each name an entry is made
showing the manner in which the re-
pert was Opposed of, aud what
punishment, If any, was erdSred.
When the Warden IS at home
corporal punishment is administered in
his presence, and when be is absent 10
Is administered Ia the presence OF bis
representative, and the docket above
referred 70 is submitted 10 the Directors
~ each monthly meeting, who are
required by law 10 either approve or
diSapprOve the same.
The modes OF punishment briefly
stated are as follows: Forfeiture Of
privileges, CONTINENT in dark cell,
bread and water diet, hand cutting 10
cell door for limited time, a shscSel or
ball and chain on one leg, "bucking
and gagging", and forfeiture Of the
time deducted by law from the length
of sentence for good behavior, called
good time" There is 10 such q thing
as solitary confinement at this instiIu-
tion, because it is not, and was no de-
signed for a solitary confinement prison.
All the modes mentioned except the
"bucking and gsgging' process are read
lily understood aud need no explanation.