The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1895-12-14
An INSPECTION on OAHU
~ Htpt ~, 4 rnisns uttunsrn
Wuu a. Az ur
Hishasi uatifi an ihs fstf rsssss o ~
msnt en ths insiitutian usiftts
Of D. unuief

Michael Davitl the Irish patriot
and NJ 2 who was here a few day.
ago on his way 90 the United
States. is one OF the committee oil
the House of Commons on prison.
aud IS relormcf la this field.
Some Of his ardor may be attributed
TO the fact that for political oncnses
the man now lawmakcr has spent
eight years Of his life under legal
restraint There is, then. no Quts-
tioning bis familiarity with the sub
jet In which he evinccs such deep
and continuous interest
Mr.. Davitt was an hour at Oahu
prison, the Hawaiian State penitcn-
tiary, while the Alameda was in
port He had the personal escort
Of Marshal Brown.
II isa trine odd that Tailor Low.
the warden, failed TO catch the name
at introduction and was not aware
of the identity Of his caller tll the
visit ended Still stranger is itthat
one Of the men in convict garb was
a follower of Davitt in the historical
tcnian movement, but did not get
a word with his former chief A
brother of the prisoner In question
was very intimately associated with
Davitt when war was made upon
by way of Canada.
The traveller is Ia all countries he
visits gathering material for reports
and recommendations. He inquiries
closely, Is a quick observer, a skill
fail qucstioucr aud has an appetite
Tor details He is not backward /
with criticism or comment. Said /
Mr.. Davitt after his visit:
You may say TO readers Of THE
STAR that in my opinion Oahu
prison is not half bad and 1 am am
Expert. you know The system in
England I consider abominable.
1ut in the Colonies IL is ideal. j.
AVE no hcsitancy ia declaring that
is ahead of any country
II the world in its prison arrange
nent. They have made a careful
.tudy OF it, and while there is main
aimed that discipline essential to .
proper conduct of such an institu.
ion, it is on humane, just and en-
ightened lines.
The reef? Well, there should
lever be two men in a cell, no mat
er if the compartments are large. I
I'm inmate should have a room to
himself, whether he wants tor not.
{ there is any manhood left in the
the close companionship
APPS it, His misery and worry are
THE warden should have no
uthority in its nature judicial. He
5 merely an executive officer.
Tow Mr.. Low can, on his own ac-
cunt, put a man in a dark cell
orty-eight hours, or even fog him,
.ut l am pleased TO know he doesn't
pprove of the lash. In the Col
MES the warden places a rule
reaker, if he is real mutinous, in
cell that is but half dark, reduces
is rations slightly and waits
Or the board, which calls every '
friday. They sit as a court /
L the case. Your dark I
ell is not ha .sh as dark cells go,
ut all of them are bad. The cooks i
ct better food than other prison ,
RS, which is unsound practice. q
our hospital is a good one. Bunks I
re better in cells than hammocks. c
lr. Low keeps the entire Jail ex- i
eptionly clean and the custom of
eeping the men in freshly laun-
ried clothes is commendable.
here are more prisoners per guard
ere than in either England or :
australia. In those countries the !
lumber is seven. Here it is eleven" !
As to the bucket system, Mr..
,avitt said it was common in pri-
ons everywhere. The commuta-
on system he considered very
beral.
1t was J. f. Bowler, political
risoner, who had known and who q
the NJ. P. Bowler was
lied with regret that he was I'M !;
BILE to grasp the single hand of the >
istinguished visitor. Mr.. Davitt q
as but one arm. Bowler did not Q
place" Davitt till the latter was v
aving the hospital.