The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1897-11-03
THE WARDEN'S BABY.

As assistant or deputy warden OF tnr
Roswell State prison il may not seem be
coming in me u crticise my superior OF
ficer. and | should not 10 so If his acts
had not called forth public condemnation,
and eventually led To tragedy which 'e-
suited In lis death. Men who exercise the
arbitrary powers OF warden should he
selected fer other than personal reasons.
There should be a miDgling OF sternnes"
and sentiment-they should be students II
human nature-they should know when
to overlook and when to punish. NJ.
James secured LIS position through a
poHtical pull" He was hy nature On
fmpulsive, CCInineerng man. His word
was law in his own family-it was Law
with every one else who did not wish
quarrel with him. He took charge Of the
prison with a fixed determine ton 10
boss things. The idea that convict
was a man or had any rights was IN
absurdity To- him. No argument could
make Liz. realize that misfortune some
times made criminals, or that Il kind VOID
to a convict would often produce better
results than buldoZing methods. The
State law allowed several kinds OF pun
ishment at the dls, retiOn OF the warden.
and the new man was determined to exer-
else Al his privileges IL the fullest extent.
L lad been there for three years under
another warden when he came, and In
making nc his deputy, he said:
Il understand that this prison has been
run for some time past on the tea-and
nF
that. The men are here TO he pun
ished for crimes committed, and each
and every one has got to walk the
line"
Under the old warden discipline had
been good, punishment rare and no es-
capes had been effected. His policy was
kind but firm. Each convict who proved
himself a man was treated like man.
No one was bulldozed or nagged, and
system of merit marks brought rewards
to those who made extra efforts in the
right direction. All this was to be changed
and was changed. Within day after
entering upon his duties the new warden
had put his policy in force and almost
completely changed the nature of $50
men. No convict ever complains of
who will punish or reward, as deserved,
Rules and regulations are always cheer
fully obeyed by the great ma jority; but
begin to brow-beat and threaten convict
and he hardens up at once and becomes
obstinate. When it was known through
out the prison that the new warden was
down" on the policy OF humanity, and
that a new order of things was to be es-
tablished, every officer realized that there
was trouble ahead. We got it and in plenty
on the second day. In nearly all prisons
where coBvicts work for contractors, each
man or gang has a Certain stint or amount
set for him for a days work.
In the chair department, for instance, q
convict puts together or points a cert ain
number, and IL he works brisk Y and finishes
up, he is allowed to sit down and rest
until the gang is marched in to supper.
Warden James decided tG abolish this time
honored privilege throughout the prison,
and a general growl broke forth, and three
or four men We're sent to the punishman t
room. That night at midnight $50 convicts
began shouting and yelling and grooming
to show their contempt for Mr.. James,
and it was half an hour before silence
tOuiu Dc TCStDTeO. mat was warning
he should not have neglected, but in ms
anger he vowed that every man under SEN
tence should be punished in rotation for
the insult to him. H. began hauling them
out at once, but after five men had been
given a dozen strokes each the remainder |
were 80 near revolt that operations had 20 |
he stopped. To get even with the men, the |
warden ordered that no breakfast should |
be prepared, and all marched to the shops |
without having tasted food.
None of the under-officials were asked |
fer or gave advice. We knew what must |
happen before night hut the new warden /
Fad come to run things, and was a man |
VINO would brook no interference. At
10 O'Clock in the forenoon every convict |
1T work laid down his tools: those IN the
halls entered their cells, and all machinery
was shut down. The convicts had re-
rolted. IL was quiet and sudden demon
>tration OF their power, but it needed only
4 spaIk 10 result In tragedy. Like all men
II his class, James was frightened when
ne discovered that the game was not all
n his OWL hands. He gathered the men
% the yard and made a pacific speech.
md half apologized to them, and in the
nd got them to return to their work. An
Extra dinner was prepared, and there was
general feeling that W arden and convicts
would now get on better together. Tn.
dea that James was deceiving them I'D
ot enter their minds, but they were soon
o know IL. After they had been locked
ID for the night he began hauling out the
iiis leaders a. he terIued them, and ad |