Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-12-12
BEST WAY TO PUNISH
The Lash SuOduss Unruly Prisoners
Quickly and Without Harm.
The superintendent Talks About the
RcsoIutfons Adopted by the Gem
trail Trades md Labor Council
Employment of Convicts.

Trades ana LABOR Ccunch lueSuay niSn''
and reported in yesterdays Dispatch, con-
6enning the infection OF corporal punish
mont upon refractory prisoners In the
state peni,entiary. has attracted good
deal OF attention. especially In official
and Legislative circles.
The text of the resolution is as follows;
whereas, public opinion In almost
every section Of the United States has
smphatcally condemned and abolished the
vh.pping-post. and In so doing declared
4, an utter failure as a means for re-
forming criminals. and besides inhuman.
barbaric. and vicious;
And. whereas. Notwithstanding, our
LEGISLATURE several years ago abolished
corporal punishment OF law-breakers, this
abhorrent system is still employed In
the Virginia penitentiary. where men. and
even women, who fail to perform the
heavy tasks Of work assigned to them
bv a Massachusetts, corporation are SUBJ
jected to the lash and brutally beaten:
therefore be II
Resolved, That this meeting does here
bv express it's unqualified condemnation
of corporal punishment being permitted
In the penitentiary, and calls upon the
present Legislature to abolish the abomi-
nable practice and substitute In lieu
thereof a system of punishment for re-
fract0ry prisoners that is in conformity
with notwithstanding civilization"
is PRESCRIBED BY THE STATUTE.
The matter was brought to the atten-
ton Of Major Lynn, Superintendent of the
.Ioxr 49, tnl.
porter. 10 whom he stated that prisoners
we're punished for misbehavior under Sec
lions Al and 43 of the Code of Virginia.
The statement made In the Trades Coun-
ell meeting to the effect that prisoners
were called out of line and punished by
officers employed in the pententiary was
n mistake. for no inmate was punished
before he had been tried by the Superin-
tendent. and they were never chastised
In anger
The method of punishment Is TO bend the
prisoner over a barrel and fog him
on the bare flesh with a leather strap.
The skin is never broken, and the num-
Der of stripes administered does not ex-
coed thirty-nine. Prisoners are also pun
ished by confinement in their cells. but
experience has developed the fact that
by far the best way to reduce refractory
prisoners to discipline Is heroic treat
ment
TREATMENT MUST BE HEROIC.
In support of this statement. Major
Lynn quoted several instances. wherein
every conceivable means had been en-
ulOyed TO bring violent and refractory
prisoners 10 reason without avail. while
the strap had had a magical effect. One
Of the cases alluded to was that OF Cole,
Of Lynchburg, who was absolutely fear
less. He had jumped hand-cuffed through
the train window while II was travelling
at full speed. His legs were badly broken,
and he was retaken, and confined in the
penitentiary hospital He made several
desperate attempts TO escape, the last
time jumping nearly thirty-nine feet. and
breaking his arm When he had re-
covered from his injury the Superintend-
ent sentenced him 10 receive thirty-nine
strokes. and since that time he had been
rne OF the exemplary prisoners, and mad
been baptized.
MR.. BROCKAWAY'S VIEWS.
Major Lynn quoted at length from a
book written by Mr.. Brockaway. the
noted Superintendent of Elmira prison,
New York State. whose reputation 10
not only national, but world wide. and
whose experience reaches over forty-six
years. Mr. Brockaway asserts that moral
suasion Is entirely insufficient in dealing
with hardened criminals, and advocates
corporal punishment. There are three OF
four prisons. continued Major Lynn,
where corporal punishment is prohibited,
and in these the offenders are strung up
~ the thumbs. tied in their cells, or
confined TO punishment cells until they
submit which is frequently weeks, and
tometimes months, and continues always
until the prisoner becomes debilitated ana
.eally i'll.
Major Lynn admitted that one fiogging
was in many cases not enough. and that
some OF the delnquents had received,
perhaps. a thousand stripes. Questioned as
20 how often the lash was used. he said
sometimes two or three days will eiapse
without a whipping. and sometimes there
are several fioggings day
THE CONVICT-LABOR QUESTION.
Referring TO the Central Trades and
labor Councils action as regards convict
labor Major Lynn said that the labor
peonle had three bills introduced into the
Legislature exactly two years ago. one
provided that convicts should not be al
lowed ia work in the Capitol Square, an
other that all goods made in prisons
should be branded. and the third that no
buildings should be added 10 the peniten-
tiarv for manufacturing purposes. They
ON fell TO the ground, said Major Lynn,
because there were no other means OF
EMPLOYING the 600 or LOO inmates. The
cost Of maintaining them would be 10000
or 10000. whereas under the present sys-
tenn the net gain for last year after all
expenses and cost OF maintenance had
been paid. was s5l ,129. The prisoners
would be obliged to have exercise, other-
wise they would become Insane. ana IL
would cost an enormous sum OF money
10 build a tread-mill.
II the goods turned out from the penn
tertiary were stamped. az suggested Ma
jOr Lynn thought Ii would have the erect
u driving contractors away and kiiiing
he business Of the institution Al the
present time the goods are In great de-
nand and the penitentiary has gaineu
reputation for good workmanship.
PUNISHMENT FOR MISBEHAVlOR.
Section n43 OF the Code. to which Major
Lynn referred in his interview. reads:
a convict guilty Of profanity. indecent
behavior. idleness, neglect. or wilful mis-
management Of work. insub0rd nation, an
assault not amounting to felony, or
violation Of any OF the rules prescr bed
ty the Governor, may. under orders OF the
superintendent. subject to the said
rules BE- punished by lofer and coarser
.et the iron-mask. or gag. solitary con-
tnement In a cell or the dungeon. or by
stripes Under such orders and SUBJECT
10 the said rules, the Superintendent may
when a convict ie charged wi an Of
ierce for which he is 10 be tried. under
chapters 203 and 2o4 confine him In cell
Or the dungeon until such trial.