The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-05-31
WILDE ON PRISON LIFE.
Relates How Prisoners are Made In
sane by CrueItY.

Relates How Prisoners are Made In
sane by Cruelty.
London, May 31.-Oscar Wnde's pow
erfuI letter depicting the horrors of the
English prison system has caused a
profound sensation. It's effect would
have been greater still if it had been
written by another person, for there is
an obvious disposition to shrink from
taking action on his assertions, though
they bear the impress of truth. He
writes:
1.-THE present treatment of children is
terrible. primarily from people not IN
Outstanding the psychology of a child's
nature. A child can understand pun
1shment inflicted by an individual, such
as a parent or guardian, and bear it
with a certain amount of acquieScence.
What it cannot understand is punish
ment inflicted by society.
Il remember once in Reading, as I
was going out to exercise, seeing in a
dim cell right opposite my own a small
boy. Two WardenS were talking to
him with some sternness, perhaps Civ
ing him some useful advice about his
conduct. One was in the cell with
The chiId's face was like a white wedge
of sheer terror. There were in his eyes
the terror of a hunted animal. Next
morning I heard him at breakfast time
y ,
cry was for his parents. Yet he was
not even convicted of what little Of
Tense he had been charged with He
was simply on remand.
Let draw the attention now to an
other terrible thing that goes on in
English prisons. refer to the large
number of men who become insane or
Weak-minded in prison. In convict
prisons this is of course, quite COM
mon, but in ordinary jails, such as that
I was confined in, it is to be found
about three months ago 1 noticed
among the prisoners a young man who
seemed to be silly or half witted. He
was noticed by all the other prisoners
on account of the strangeness OF ms
conduct. From time to time he did
not appear at exercise, Whlch showed
me that he was being punished by
confinement in his cell. Finally l dis
covered that he was under observation
being watched night and day by the
wardenS When he did appear at eXer-
else he always seemed hysterica1 and
used to walk around crying or laugh
ing At chapel he had to sit right I'M
der our observation. Two Wardehs
carefully watched him all the Time
Sometimes he would bury his mead IN
his hands, and his head would be I'M
mediately struck by warden, so thal
he should keep his eyes liked pefIha-
nently in the direction of the commun-
ion table.
HE was on more than one occasion
sent out of the chapel to ms cen: u
course he was continually punlsheu;
on Saturday week last L was star tleu
nv most horrible shrieks, or rather,
bowls 1t first I thought some amman
was being unskillfully slaughtered Out
side the prison wall, but soon feaIdzeu'
however that the bowls proceeded from
basement of the prison, and knew
that some wretched man was pelhg
logged Suddenly it dawned upon me
that they might be hogging this untor-
tunate lunatic-
Next dav. Sunday, I saw the poor
fellow at exercise. his weak, ugly
vvretched face blOated by tears ana hyS-
terra almost beyond recognltlon- -
was nv last Sunday in prison, per
factlv lovely day, and there, IN the
beautiful sunlight walked TINS poor
creature made once in the image OF
God, grinning like an ape: anu Us
with his hands the most fantastlc ges-
4,1ras as though he were playing an
air on some kind of an lnaSlIlaLy
etrinered instrument or arranging coAH-
tiers in some curious game ~ 80 ~ 10
prisoners all watched him. ana not one
Of them smiled. Everybody knew WHAT
had happened to him-that ne was 9 9
inor driven insane-was insane alreauy-
After half an hour ne was u -
nv the warden, and, L suppose pun
ished- 80. z,-- j., ,,,,ieor
T saw him at exercise ne was w -,
than before, and again was SCI. 80
since then I know nothing OF MIL O uc
7 found out from one of the prlsOHeIS
- - - 1+Ta1I<ed with me at exercise that
M ba had had twenty-four lashes in the
cook house on Saturday afternoon, ny
order Of the visiting justices s+ on ad Te Porl
mn THE prison doctors have no kp 1e;wd
loo Of mental disease of any KIND
they are, as class, ignorant n i16k6 mTn;
l ne p, When a man grows insane
To tire treat him as shammingS They 6;G
he fi him punished again and again a
NTa+11rallv the man becomes WORSE