Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1896-12-31
GAMES OF CRIMINALS.
How Those Doomed to Confinement be-
hind the Bars Amuse Themselves.

hood, in the case of criminals, ara
tinctured with cruelty, and sometimes
accompanied by homicide. Criminals
skip the rope, but part Of the game is to
trip up the jumper and let him fall
heavily upon the stone pavement, Grim
inals play leap-frog, but the object OF
the game Is that he who makes the
"back" shall rise suddenly and Violent
ly just as the frog mounts and throw
him to the ground.
The criminals play blind mans buff,
but the man with the bandaged eyes
carries handkerchief bearing in one
corner jagged stone, piece of hard,
sharpened wood, or bit of iron. With
this weapon he strikes those whom he
pursues. Another remarkable form OF
this game Is for the blinded one to be
struck by one or other Of his compan-
ions IL he fails to name the one that
touches him. The penalty is not the
innocent one Of the children's game,
but blow so severe that physician
has often to be called In after the game
is over, and occasionally the sufferer
Is disabled for some time.
1t has been found in those italian re-
formatories where prisoners are not
kept in solitary confinement that pris-
oners' games are often accompanied
with bloodshed, and that it is almost i'm
possible to prevent cruelties. This is
especially true where prisoners work
together, for they sccrete tools and use
them as weapons in brutal sports.
In one Of these games the player has
In each hand stick, having fixed In
the end keen metallic point. He in
terweayes his arms, revolving the sticks
with rapidity, and the game is for an
other prisoner to thrust his head be-
tween the arms and endeavor to follow
the revolutions of the sticks without be-
ing wounded. 1t usually happens that
he receives Is or 10 wounds and comes
out with bleeding head, while now
and then mortal wounds are received.
The victim in another game has his
eyes bandaged and places his palm upon
table, with fingers spread fanlilSe.
Another criminal repeatedly strikes be.
tween the fingers with n pointed instru,
ment. If he wounds finger then the
two change places, and woe to the man
who refuses the exchange. The game
is dangerous, although the criminals
assert that the wounds to the fingers
are not deep or severe, because, us they
say, the metallic points are short and
do not penetrate far-a grim form OF
philosophy.
The sport of criminals is accompanied
by characteristic craft. This is special
ly shown in the methods in which thu
newcomer is initiated into prison life
The novice is conducted into an impro
vised court chamber, where the Judge.
are his fellow-prisoners. He is placed
upon stand and gravely tried on pre-
tended charge, and he has barely beer
condemned when the stand Is suddenly
drawn away, so that he is thrown vic
lcntly upon the earth.
Many games necessarily imply re
sistance to pain MS an absolute condi
ton OF success. For example, there il
the game Of needles" One of the play
ers places his closed fist upon the table
holding steadily two needles, one il
each hand, the points being slightly ex
posed. 1t Is the game then for com
panion to strike with his own fists thos
of the other, and it becomes question
of endurance between the one pricke,
with the needles and the one whose fist
are beaten by the others knuckles
There are contests in which the finger
and hands are wounded, and the scar
are an honorable distinction.
The Characteristic feature of all thes
games, which are the recreation ex
clusively of criminals in prison, is tn
love of combat. II, as Is held by tn
experts, sports are the means of work
ing off the superfuous activity of life
1t is evident that supernuous activity, il
he case Of prisoners, is especially power
full. 1t has been noted in the case O
prisoners that there is prevalence o
great agility and litheness, which Pro,
Lombroso considers a negative evidenc
of mental weakness, since it testifie
to greater development of the motorio
centers at the expense of the othe
cerebral centers. But usually this ply
sical energy Is not properly used i
the ordinary life Of the criminal, an
finds outlet and enjoyment in sport.
Another characteristic of the gam
Of criminals is the admiration show
for physical force, manifested in tn
docility with which the vanquished i
such sports submit to the brutality {
the victors-a thing observed anon
savages.
Finally, the insensibility to pain e,
hibited in the sports Of criminals prove
} that such men are less acute in the
physical senses as well as less sensiti,
to the pains of others, since what seen
, to others uselessly cruel is only IL
I usual thing with criminals. AS IL
: drunkard, his taste hardened by ale
: hol, has need of stimulant constant
! stronger, so in the case of the crimint
: the nervous system demands stimuli
Z 80 strong that to the ordinary, stead
/ going individual it would be actual
| painful.-Philadelph Press.
. Priests and the Bicycle.
:, Hard upon the order from Cardin
q Richard, archbishop of Paris, forbi
J. ding the clergy of his diocese to ride Il
= bicycle, comes similar command fro
! Mgr. Isoard, bishop of Annecy, ne
!. Geneva, which is couched in the folio
ling terms: "We see priests adopt t
!. fashions and certain usages that thu
n condition and public opinion shou