The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1897-01-16

Sa69AkIZSyl A certain amount
of time is taken off
the sentence for
$good behavior, but a new and interest
Z ing experiment is soon to be made at
the New York state reformatory at Ell
mira in the way Of reformation of Grim
ina1s. Students in the problem of re-
forming the criminal classes and all
persons interested in the general well
fare of the community will watch the
experiment at Elmira with more than
ordinary interest, for lis to be an ap-
peal to the criminal on an entirely
new plan. He has been appealed to by
father, mother, brother, sister, and by
others who had his interests at heart.
His manhood, his future, and even the
promises of quick release from confine-
ment, his ambition, sall have been ap-
pealed to, and in many cases in vain.
Now it is to the mans stomach that the
appeal is to be made.
s"Tell me what the man eats and I will
tell you the man. is a saying that has
found countless believers, and there
are those unkind enough to say that
every man can be Influenced by his
stomach. After a good dinner is gen
orally considered the best time to seek
the person from whom a favor is de-
sired. If there is a spark of generosity
in the victims soul it will probably
come out after an enjoyable meal,
when, If a good digestion permits, the
owner of the stomach is at peace with
both his Maker and the whole world.
SO it is that the brainy men who study
out how best to check the increase in
crime and reform those already in
crime have hit on the plan of catering
to the prisoners stomach. :.
Once proved success, it is believed
by its. advocates that it will be intro
ldueed in every prison and ory
I'm the escountry % III this food exper-
iment quite an elaborate new plant is
required. It will cost $40, 900 and con-
sist of a new cook room and mess room.
This fireproof building will, when
erected, be large enough for the present
and prospective population of the re-
formatory---1,20o to 1880 prisoners.
superintendent 2. IR. Brockway of
the reformatory said:a day or two ago
IN answer to a query about the new
experiment: II regret that I am not
able to write out at present the full de-
tails of the scheme that is >incubating
In our minds and gradually approach
ing naturalization in the planning and
construction of a, kitchen and series of
dining rooms to afford facilities that
shall enable us to utilize with better
results than hitherto the chemical COM
binations and quantitative distribution
Of foods among the more defective of
the inmates of the reform atory. The
proposed experiment. contempIates a
somewhat enlarged scale of .dIctary
privilege, enlarging from grade, to
grade, from lowest to highest, so that
within due and proper limits of indul-
gence of the appetites by prisoners in
prison reformatory for crime they can
fout cOf their own. accumulations have
the privilege to select meal by meal,
as they may please to do, provided al
ways that they keep their expenditures
within their means, and also within the
limits rof: indulgence allowed by the
government of the refornatory.
The prisoners under the twage-earn
Ting system Of the reformatory as it is
at present must earn their living and
keep "a credit balance to their account,
respectively, in order to progress to-
ward their release by parole. Their
account is now debited with charge
for board by the day or week, and
there is already established some diff
ferenoes of diet and of board rate, as
between the three grades, but xhe diff
ference Ids insufficient; it is too indefnit
as to each; inmate and is not flexible
enough. s....a,... T.
There is need of more opportunity
Tor their se1f-indul lgence as to diet, in
.aulgenee to be based on the amount of
earnings and credit the prisoner main
tai1lse for himself. The prisoner. to
maintain a credit balance under the
9condi Lions here, must needs restrain.
regulate and exert himself in a man
'ner which accomp1ishes and shows his
Improvement. h.
While the fnducement of approach
ing early release from Imprisonment
rs reward for earning is sufficient for
The, better class of the inmates, there
ane others who require more opportun-
lty to expend for their personal gratifi-
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