The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1896-12-10

story are kept on the congregate plan.
The jailer informed me that prisoners
transferred from the city department
to the county department had expressed
their decided preference for the separ-
ate plan. A prisoner in county Jail
which was kept on the separate plan
told me that he would prefer person
ally to run loose with the other pris-
oners but he believed that the separate
plan was better for the prisoners.
Every visitor to Jail where the sep
arate system is faithfully observed
notes the marked difference in the ap-
pearance of the prisoners. The same
prisoners who appear boisterous and
impudent when kept on the congregate
plan become quite gentlemanly and
orderly when kept in their own cells.
AS rule, sheriffs and jailers desire
to treat their prisoners as kindly and
with as little hardship as possible; but
l find that the majority of jail officers
who have had any observation of the
separate system of contining prisoners
are decidedly in favor of that plan. In
1895. in order to test the question, the
following circular letter was addressed
to several of the leading Minnesota
sheriffs from the office of the State
Board of Corrections and Charities.
1t will be noticed that but one sheriff
opposes the new system, and he is one
who had never given it fair trial:
st. Paul, Sept. 21, 1895.
. Dear Sir: During the past two
years there has heen an increase in the
number of jails. in the state adopted to
the separate confinement OF prisoners.
Will you please favor us with your
opinion on the following points, based
on your experience as an officer:
Il. Do you prefer the plan of separ-
ate confinement of prisoners in county
iails? If so, for what reasons?
"2. Do you think that the plan of
separate confinement for prisoners
awaiting trial is unnecessarily harsh ?
If so, why?
SO. Do you think that the plan of
separate confinement of prisoners
awaiting trial is injurious to the health
of prisoners? ;o 90
in keeping prisoners on the separate
plan, have you found that the prison
7 ers themselves complain of this method
{ as being extraordinarily severe?''
The replies received were as follows
OPINIONS OF MINNESOTA SHERIFFS.
Sheriff Charles f. Chapel of Ramsey
county says: "Q.) 1 think separate
5 confinement is the proper way, for thu
l reason that men have less OppOrtunlt!
9 to scheme for escape, if nothing more
but it offers the best chance for th'
criminal, new to the confines of tn
0 prison, for thought and reflection, and
: believe the thinking, reasoning men
f many of them-would turn back t.
- honest occupations. The plan shoul'
have full and fair trial. ~ No: it il
kind for the reasons above stated. q
g No: am unable to see why it wOul'
i be unhealthy. ~ l have had no eS
4 perience: but think that older Grim
- inals might complain if our conclusion
Is are right. Many would be pleased t
IS be so confined"
is Sheriff Jas. G.. Thorn of Mobiles cOur
s. ty, where the separate system prevails
4 says: coy Iprefer the separate sys
tenn because prisoners are easier take
:. care of. (2) l do not think that tn
s plan of separate confinement for pri:
is oners awaiting trial is unnecessaril
" harsh. (3) do not think it injuriou
:. to the health of prisoners. (4 Som
l prisoners complain of this method"
y Sheriff J. S. Billings of Otter Ia
e. county, who was at first decidedly OF
III posed to the separate plan, says:
Of SIN reply to your questions OF sci
tember 5th Q) prefer the plan of sci
., arate confinement, as we have bett'
Ill discipline. can keep the prisoners clea1
lis er; also, less chance for escapes. Fri
in oners haven't any way to form plans .
,e to carry out any schemes that could
=" 30 done under the old style of lettir
III them run together. ~ do not thin
n that separate confinement is harsh
all. In fact, think the prisoners Ill
te it fully as we'll, if not better. 1t do
nd away with all arguments and quarre
- that always occur when prisoners a
W together, and very frequently the on
tie that provoke such quarrels are the on
nd that escape punishment, unless t
he turnkey should happen to be an e
ho witness. ~ I do not think it is
no furious to the health, as the prisone
'1e when in the corridor can exerci
rst enough; and they surely are clean