The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-06-09
OSCAR WILDE'S PENANCE.
THE PRISON LIFE OF THE Es-
THETE APOSTLE.


work - Treatment and Punish
ment.
From the Cincinnati Enquirer.
London, May 23.-There is a vast and
complicated system Of prisons in England,
where persons amenable to the laws are
confined. Englishslaw is peculiar in that
it reaches a result quicker than out in the
United States. \ man in the clutches of
the English law gets his sentence and be-
gins his time of punishment quicker than
in America.
But at the same time there may be taken
into consideration the old saw that quick
haste makes less speed. English law gives
penalties for something like five subdivis-
ions Of crime. Capital offenses are pun
ished by hanging inside of prison walls.
Next in line comes the crimes for which
penal servitude from five to lifelong years
is the penalty. Then comes the number
less offenses, for which the punishment is
Imprisonment, with or without hard labor.
This latter Imprisonment is usually APP
Piled for all offenses which are punishable
with Imprisonment when the sentence is
Sentences of this kind are usually given
from one month to ten years. Money fines
for misdemeanors which are served out in
jails. makes another subdivision. Then
comes the question of the confinement of
prisoners from one to five years in houses
of correction.
England and Wales together have fifty
seven prisons, while Scotland brings up
the rear with fourteen. making grand
total of seventy-one institutions.
In addition, there are the local prisons,
or penal institutions in the city OF London,
which swell this list still higher.
Early in English history every class OF
criminal was huddled together much the
same way as in vogue in the average state
prison in America.
But in 1923 the English took a step which
America might well follow. They decided
TO separte prisoners into classes. 1t gives
a sort of criminal quarantine. and stops
the spread of vicious infection which is
bound to come when the morally dead as
soclate with the beginner in crime.
The shire or county prisons of England
and Wales are located at Redford, Birm-
ingham. BodnTin, Brecon, Bristol Cam
bridge. Canterbury, Cardiff, Carlisle, Car
marthen, Carnavon, Chelmsford, Derby
Devices, Dorchester Durham, Exeter
Gloucester, Hereford, Holloway Hull Ips-
Leeds, Leicester Lewes. Lincoln, Liver
pool, Maidstone, Newcastle-on-Tyne
Northallerton, Northampton, Norwich
Nottingham, oxford, Pentonville, Plym-
outh, Portsmouth, Preston Reading
Ruthen, St. Adams, Shepton Mallet
Shrewsbury, Stafford, Strangeways MAN
chester, Swansea, Usk, Wakefield
Wandsworth. Warwick, Worcester, Worm
wood Scrubs and York.
Scottish prisons are situated at Aber-
deem Ayr, Barlinnie, Dundee, Edinburgh
Glasgow, Greenock, Inverness, Kirkwall
Lerwick, Maxwellton, Perth Peterhead
and Stornoway. Each institution is under
the charge of governor or chief warden.
The military prisons are at Aldershot
brlXton, Chester, GospOrt, Cork, Dublin
cered.
OF these prisons, the most famous from
me fact that it has sheltered more than
the usual number of famous crooks within
It's walls, is Pentonville prison, or. as it
Is better known, the Model" prison of all
England. Within it is now confined Oscar
WIDE poet, playwright and felon, and it is
now for that reason alone, curiosity in
me criminal world. 1t is, further a fair
sample of the average English prison
Pentonville prison is a series of buildings
walled all around with insane asylum-like
windows. Entrance is gained through a
Poitculls gateway, with a square porch
hanked by a square clock tower 1t re-
qulres government order to inspect the
prison, but any one interested in the con-
Ahement of convicts has no trouble in gain
ing the necessary permit at the home Office
UL the English prison department at
WHITEHALL S. w.
Possibly the first thing that strikes the
II'Hd OF the visitor to the present home of
oscar Wilde is the exquisite cleanliness of
we prison. In the dainty private home of
New York woman of fashion no more at
,eAuon is paid to cleanliness than in PEN
lonVille All the floors in the institution
are OF cut stone, highly polished, and all of
'ue walks are of carefully kept street as
p"dIt Unlike American prisons there is
no trace of that 'prison SMELL" which is
ute Hrst thought that strikes the visitor to
an institution where convicts are punished
III the land of the free
Inc care taken in ventilating and airing
rehJonville prison is a point which is not
"'"ays looked after all over England. 1t
nay De confessed, but in this case care is
certainly taken to reach a decided condi-
uon for good
ne prison interior Is divided into four
IS corridors, which radiate from CEN
~. Hke ribs in a woman's fan. All of the
luors are stone paved and are well
i5HIed by glass in the arches of the roof.
n, IKE the interior of the new prison in the
d5ollps' the walls on each side of the corri-
ITS re'pierced with cells. Above the cor
cells reached by light iron balconies
TII steps This delicate tracery of iron
Xix Is Joined here and there across the
81 Ilaors by narrow bridges, where guards
u.l nay and night in commanding positions
"iIen overlook the corridors, with their
nlng population of criminals locked in
'T cells which range along them.
10 the observer there is none of that
9' Iloie semi-darkness of the interior Of
~ american prison. The main feature in
center structure seems to be an effort
sam bright, cheerful and airy build
rs Even the windows do not partake of
barred and grated style so apparent in
"eIlca. The frames of all the windows
vi cast steel, but the window frames
eLnselves are made so small as to serve
i,lsht glvers and safeguards as well.
v, ne cells are 10 feet long, by feet in
I'm ana feet in hight. Some of them
nam looms for carpet weaving, but in
Itat case the cells are nearly twice as
80 as the ordinary ones. Against the
~ ~ On one side is placed a bright copper
.9II basin with water faucet near it. A
ytreal1