The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-05-24
The Penitentiary.

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To the Editor OF The Times;
STA visit to the pemtenudIy HIS
changed my ideas or that institution CON
siderably Ia some respects the pal'l'"'
feeling associated with the prison mas
been relieved. la going through the great
vyork-shops. where hundreds OF the con-
,,c,s arr. ernploved. one finds what would
generuIlT De seen nowadays 10 any large
factory. There is great oeai Oh A'N-
proved machinery, the conditions as 10
light. ventilation, ana convenience fdlt-
lv GOOD. and the human beings employed
are. Judging Oy their appearance Wen
fed. and treated with some consideration
for comfort They work ten hours nave
three meals day, have shllcleA1 c'o'"-
ing. can battle and have clean SUIT once
4 week. II they choose TO 90 extra "olA'
after the tasks given them are hhlsAed'
they are paid for IT, and many OF them
earn small sums IN this way.
The majority Of the prisoners have
healthy appearance. Most OF them, no
doubt. do better as 20 regular haDlts'
steady supply Of good CLOTHES. and the
ordinary comforts Of life, than tney nave
ever done before.
II turbulent or disordcrly, they suiief
for IL In very harsh treatment out as
useless for them 20 resist authority anu
they are dQciie and industrious.
Great numbers Of the c0nVicts Work IN
the shoe-shop under the Davis contract.
Many more are employed So the tobacco
factory. while quite number DO inc
necessary work Of the insutution-cooA-
ing. washing making garden attending
20 the grounds etc. Visitors arc permit
ted % 20 through the workshops. see the
prisoners cells. and the Kitchen an uH-
foreground den. where We found some de-
cidcdly cheerful-lOOhng individuals max
ing huge batch OF lisht-Dgead- Having
arrived about dinner tine we aSou uHdtt
the archway, and through the broad salc
saw hundreds Of men marched up 10
Ions, table. where each one took up TIN
nan OF beef-s0up with rice, sN-inch
square OF corn bread and lump or
salt. The line faced about aud marched
back TO the cells. where IN" meal was
eaten. Again the long line formed anu
the prisoners marched back with the
emDtv mans. Then returned 10 the cells
and corridors for little welcome loanng
until work began again. This method
gives them some needed exercise. Out
of about LOO prisoners only seventy axe
women. and Of these only SIX are white
women. There Is "a white maIoh' ana
the women each have separate cell, a
dismal little grott0 in the wall about
Cxl0 Each has bed, bench box.
Some had I'll little shelf, whefeon were dis-
PLAYED the few little treasures LETT 20 the
women. whom crime. usually the result
Of ignorance and degradation, had cut on
from her Kind. Even here Tie common
feminine traits were strongly portrayed.
Every woman among them had a httie
looking-glnss. many had bright-colored
nicturss, painted china cups. or Orna-
ments 10 which they Seemed 10 cling as
a small reminder Of the bright outside
world with It's freedom, It's trees ana
flowers. its happy homes-so Tar removed
from these erring ones. The arrange
ments for the women showed much con-
sideratiOn. The separate cells. each open
ing upon a broad. weil-llgh,ed corridor,
where at times tho inmates were allowed
10 walk. ana sit. and sew or 90 their
laundering. told OF a reasonable degree
Of comfort for these untortunates.
on Sunday afternoon permit was OBJ
tanned 70 attend tho service. where cnils-
tan ladies and gentlemen, animated ny
the true spirit OF the Master they served
minister to the prisoners, and keep them
In mind OF the divine spark implanted In
every human breast In the mems hail.
not large enough for all the convicts TO
meet at one time several hundred clean.
clothed" and. one might hope, in their
right minds" were assembled. Nhle II
was too much 10 expect that they Aad all,
or even any large number or them' Deen
transformed from demons INTO SAINTS,
there was every reason to believe that me
influence Of this sef-sacrncing euoft Tor
their spiritual benefit was good. The
change from the steady grind or labor
and severe discipline FOR thls one Aour 10
an atmosphere Of comparative freedom
had brought 70 the usually sombre races
an expression OF peace, often or eheeriul-
ness that was pleasant 70 observe Every
man present had had bath. been shaved
II he wished. put on a clean. whole suit,
and. for the time az least, could put away
tho sad memory OF his crimes ana hear
Of hope and consolation even Tor MIN who
had wandered farthest from the told.
IL was pathetic 10 hear the burst OF
song given With utmost fefYor from
manly thrOats.
Il live rejoicing every day,
Since Jesus washed my sins away"
and remember the dark shadows OF sin
which hung over the singers, the conse-
quence OF which. for some or then' can
end only when they TN feiohs grave
In the womans hall gentle idoles were
holding service OF the same AIM 80 1911
fallen sisters. and the convict women,
some OF whom had trodden the utmost
depths Of degradation, We're. Tor the time
al least calm and peaceful-sin ana sor-
row laid aside. "the better angels OF their
nature" recalling hope and innocense TO
these stOrm-tossed breasts.
in looking over these assemblies OF the
law-breakers. Il was melancholy 10 see
how many OF them were young people
Among the negroes. nine-tenihs were
young, most OF them hardly IN the prime
OF life large number were BOYS ahi
girls. one boy had been sentenced when
nine years old, and great many were
under twenty.
These young negroes. oft1n imprisoned
for what are usually deemed poyisn OF
nj alaoCfn ton