Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-09-29

sinate and unruly prisoners, is practically
unknown. As a punishment for crime it
Is looked upon as murderous both to mind
and body. At the same time there is no
law against it in any of the great prisons
Of this country Wardens generally are.
within limits, their own lawmakers, and
invariably Use their own Judgment in all
matters pertaining to punishment In
English prisons everything is done by iron
clad law and must he complied with The
diet of the prisoners in the greater peni-
tentiaries is regulated by act of parliament
The bread is weighed, and every prisoner
gets similar quantity, whether he is
large or small, delicate or hearty
If in the cutting of bread piece falls
short, another piece is tackled onto it with
a wooden peg. No individual Judgment of
an officer is permitted in any case They
have dark cells for the refractory and have
many mechanical restraints for the pris-
Oners.
Generally speaking the physical conGi-
ton of the inmates of English prisons is
carefully attended to, and examinations
are made periodically for insane. epileptic
or prisoners who are likely to do them
selves harm. In the latter case there is a
cell heavily padded or upholstered in which
such prisoners are placed.
Ask any convict of international expert
encc, and he will tell you that he would
rather serve five years in an American
prison than three years in England-this
Notwithstanding the malodorous reputa-
ton given To American prisons By Charles
Dickens. 1t is ~ strange fact that the man
represented by Dickens as dying from the
sheer horror of his surroundings in the
Eastern penitentary at Philadelphia 40
odd years ago lived through his incarcera-
ton and was released a hale and hearty
man.
Three years ago, still free and with no
Charge against him, he returned, broken
down and feeble with age, and requested
the privilege of passing his remaining days
in the prison. The boon was accorded
him, and some time later he passed away
in the prison which the Englishman had
held up to the scorn of the civilized world
Whatever Mr.. Dickens may have
thought. the fact still remains that the
great prisons of England, France and Ger
many have since been built and are con-
Quoted on the plan of the Eastern peniten-
tiary.
Probably no man in the country knows
more about criminals and their treatment
than Warden Cassidy of the eastern peni-
Tertiary, at Philadelphia. Mr. Cassidy is
the dean of all wardens. He has held his
present position for almost 30 years, al
though the election for warden takes place
every six months.
Warden Cassidy favors solitary conflne-
ment as means of punishment for re.
fractory prisoners, but not as punish.
ment for crime. He also favors the separa
ton, or individual treatment, - of prison
ers-that is to say, he believes in surround
ing them with influences and companion
ship calculated to make better men of
| them. At the same time he is quick to
resent any infraction of prison rules by a
siege of solitary confinement
SOLITARY confinement may have driven
Gallagher and Whitehead insane, " he said.
1t will drive some men crazy; others II
won't Some prisoners will stand almost
anything without flinching'
Warden Cassidy intimated that lack OF
work was perhaps the initial cause Of the
mental trouble of Whitehead and Gal
lagher. Here are some of his views on the
subject:
1T is essential that the people confined
| In prisons should have work. There is
very little disposition on the part of con.
victs to avoid work. In the prison l am
engaged in the greatest punishment is t.
deprive man of the opportunity to labor
An idle man Will tire of his idleness soon.
er than the warden, and he will ask fox
work-any Kind that you choose to give
hun. There are, of course, exceptions to
oil rrfo