The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1896-12-17

unate suspect will be driven to des-
pondency, which causes the mind to
brood and fret, and you will have
fit subject for the insane asylum.
No sane man could object to the
separate confinement of prisoners dur
ing night hours, for this should be
done, not only to act as safeguard to
protect society, but in justice to the
prisoner himself. But to confine any
human being for any length of time in
one of these cells is not only unneces-
sarily harsh but, a hundred fold more
injurious then when they are allowed
to associate together and amuse one
another by playing cards and telling
stories. If harm results from playing
cards, am of the opinion that society
will deny the assertion without stop
ping and inquiring into the details.
Cards may be the direct means of
running many young man when pos
sessed with the mistaken idea that he
can derive a living from them, but
used as a means of amusement no
harm can result Go where you will,
down in the slums, or the strata above
it, the middle class or to the magniti-
cent apartments Of society, you will
find that card playing, as means OF
recreation, is popular pastime. The
story-teller may be found in our jails
as we'll as in the mansion on Fifth
avenue, and his stories are usually
culled to suit his audience.
If the separate confinement system
can be enforced in our county jails,
whereby the suspects are deprived of
playing cards and carrying on conver-
sation with one another, l should
imagine that a more humane system
could be enforced that will command
a more cheerful obedience to discipline,
with not only less coercion and watch
fulness on the part of the sheriff, but
preserve the manhood of inmates by
) allowing them to congregate together
: during good behavior. But it the
real would-be toughs would insist upon
t making things miserable, the separate
5 system could be used to advantage as
i. last resort for this class of men. 1r
Q talking with young man that had te
Y undergo three months of this refined
e system, he said "that, if it was mat
i ter of choice, he would prefer that the!
: would bring on the hangman rathe
than undergo another three months"
e Little boys are sadly out of place il
n any county Jail; their proper place
e in the nursery under the guidance o
n parental authority. I care not unde
n what conditions the Jail is conducte'
e or how strict the discipline of tn
1t sheriff, that if the boys head has bee
r filled with reading dime novels and tn
e hair breadth escapes of DeadWoo
j. Dick and kindred stuff, he is alread
~ enchanted with the romance surrOunC
n ing crime and far more dangerous tha
le a man of mature years. His languag
ne is of more vulgar nature, for the ev
Is, of bad influences has affected his be
I'd ter nature and can only be cured
re kindness and good, sound, healthy al
er vice-nOt coercion.
III The promoters of this system may
y, ~ sincere and prompted by the best
lis motives in endeavoring to protect tt
es morals of suspects awaiting trial. Bu
iiS unconsciously, they are not aware tn
oil most of the sheriffs are total strange
vi to the inmates; and, according to tt
ho law of seif-interest, they are o
Ill for all there is in it, knowing that tn
'se can't hold office not more than two
III four years at the longest. From p'
'ep sonal experience know that the m
ar- receive no papers, books or tobac'
er- Under these conditions, the separa
III confinement of prisoners would 4
l IS only be harsh, but extremely brutal.
mo JASPER