Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-01-12

rot made up OF hours devoted to delight
5gl gorsip OF atteuulus nue teas. lne 90
,.etv isn't particularly fine, because 'le
larger part of 10 IS composed OF PeLll az"
erand-larceny thieves, number OF plON
rockets forgers, bigamists, incenalai res
and murderesses. There are usually rom
100 10 Is of these In the jan, anu t"es
ere there for committing all hlhus Vi Vi-
fences within the criminal scope OF tough
women.
All criminologists agree that woman
criminal IS a good deal worse than a man
rriminaI Briefly, their argument Is based
on the fact that femininity stand upon
higher plane than the sterner sex out
when II falls II goes considerably deeper.
from this 10 is quite easy 10 understand
that the Auburn jail is no Arcadia
When a woman In any part Of New
York State has been proven sull'y OF
serious crime she Is sent 10 the Aubulh
urison The minor female prisoners 80 10
Inc county penal institutions What sing
Sing is % the man criminal Auburn Is 10
the woman malefactor. The toughest ana
most hardened women I'm the country
are. therefore. confined at Auburn. ana
they are managed by women. what IS
more. they are managed so wei that
there are on record many cases OF genu-
ine reformation as u result Of the prison
discipline
HEAD or THE PRISON.
The real head Of the Auburn prison Is
Natron Annie 81. Welshe. She has a
force Of women Keepers under her. and
the directs the entire manage ment or the
uuruly inmates. Her word Is law. ana
the system Of discipline inaugurated by
her works like a piece Of machinery.
James g.. Stout is the warden OF the
81 .fr. % with
g.. but ho does not interfere with the
management He appreciates the good
sense displayed by the women officers,
end acknowledges that they can handle
tho prisoners iu a more satisfactory way
than men could
TIE BUILDING.
Tine prison is splendidly adapted for
The purpose for which DO Is used. 1t IS
a stone edihce, and stands IN a great
yard just back OF the Auburn State Pris-
on. The two institutions are separated
10y high, stone WALL impossible of
scaling. and with only one gateway. That
one is only big enough for one person
10 pass through at time. and IL is
protected by three iron gates. attended
constantly hy an armed gateman.
Tho grounds connected with the wo-
mems prison are surrounded by stone
wall, just Ike the grounds around the
mems prison. This wall Is overgrown
with vines. The grounds themselves
are cared for by the women convicts. Tho
main entrance 10 the prison grounds is
protected by high, iron gate which
opens on broad walk, leading direct
ly 10 the main entrance 10 the prison.
building There are few visitors 20
The prison. because visitors are not en-
Outraged.
Great care is given 10 classifying ths
prisoners 10 prevent an incorrigible wo-
man from interfering with the reformation
or those who evlnce an inclination 20
travel IN The right direction. There is a
State regulation which covers this work.
and though Il Is a dead = tier In nearly
'N az the other penitcntiaries. because
OF the oycrcrOW ding IL is strictly followed
in The Auburn prison. This Is the way
me regulation reads;
The Superintendent of State Prisons
.lau direct the classification OF prisoners
INTO three classes or grades. as follow
ln The FIRST grade shall be included those
appearing TO be coulg.bie or less vicious
man the others. and likely 10 Observe the
Jaws ana 10 maintain themselves by
honest Industry after their discharge: in
rue second grade shall be included those
appearing to Doe incorrlgiblc or more
VICIOUS but so competent 70 work and 80
reasonably obediont 10 prison discipline
as not seriously 10 interfere with 'he
lroductiveuess OF their labor or OF the
thor OF those IN company with whom they
'ay be employed. in the third craze snail
lncluac1 those appearing TO be incor-
rslDle OF so insubordinate. or 50 incom-
lcicni Otherwise than from temporary
hl-hedlth as 20 seriously interfere with the
81, cipiine or pr0ductiveness OF the labor
q the prison"
To comply with this regulation is no
a'y task. when prisoners who have COM
,"'iti All or the eravest OF crimes are 10
~ Dealt With. Nearly all the women are
~ Tor long terms. There are nine
1sss that Is. nine women who COM