The San Francisco call., 1897-03-15
spondent who was released from jail at
Sancti Spiritus. arrived here to-day.
TO BUILD 7hEIR UWH PRISOK.
Elaborate Project OF Harden French for o
Splendid Modern Penitentov at
Fort LeavsHW0rth

Efa00fnte ff(jecl OI UoTUeH SFeHS0 soF
Splendid Modern Penfenhory at
Fort Leavsnworfh
WICHITA, KANs., March 14.-Captain
]. w. F ench, warden oi the Federai
prison at Fort Leavenworth, is the author
of a proiect 10 utilize the 500 convicts
now under his control in building sp en-
did modern penilentiary for the housing
of the self-same men, near the site OF the
present old-fashioned and inadequate
structure where they are at present con-
fined.
Congress has appropriated $150.OoO lot
the work." said the warden IN recent Ii.
terview, "the plans have been prepares
and they are only awaiting the approval
OF the Department of Justice. But we eA'
pect with this sum to build an institn.a0n ao
that would represent an outlay OF pow.
600. The land, OF course, Is Iree, oeins s.,, 2
Government reservation set apart IN loz1.
On the reservation we also have mex
haustible quarries OF fine bui ding stone.
lime in abundance and the hnest OF cray
for making brick. The convict, will
quarry and dress the stone, make the
bricks, burn the lime and prepare the
structural material in the prison shops.
when the building is done 1t WILL repre-.
sent the newest and best ideas IN that
class of architecture. There will be at
least ten good-sized rooms to be devoted
to night schools for the men, tlrst.ciass
gymnasium, baths and the like, to be useo
by those who merit good treatment.
"Tne majority of the men sent TO Us
come from Arkansas, Texas and the In
dian Territory. Criminals from the sec.
tions are usually OF the frontier type, ana
L. tton
who have been raised in t. oder ana
more settled communities, and who have
developed into evli-doers from innate de-
pravlty. The latter have had ali chances
TO become honorable citizens, and have
de. .iberalely chosen to be vicious. The
lax standards of border settle ements are
often the cause of moral obliquity, but as
a general thing the border man who be-
comes q convict is reader TO listen 10 ap-
pea;s to his reason and conscience and
macs more earnest efforts to reform.
There Is in him always siumbering
spark of manhood, and his chance OF ref
ormation is much superior TO that OF his
more intelligent but more depraved coll
league.
1.-The central idea in modern penal in
stitu,ions is founded on the humane prin-
ciple to improve the condition OF the
inmates and to endeavOr to lit them for
respectable living after regaining their
liberty. At Fort Leavenworth we have
abolished the 10; steps and the striped
clothes. A lew may wear stripes, bat only
for an infraction of prison discipline.
Shaved heads are also no longer in vogue,
but man may have all these things put
on him If be persists in violating the rules.
Very few of those in my charge do so. At
least 80 per cent of them are perfectly
amenable to the law of the place. There
are men there that would trust with ali
my property, or with my life.
"The greatest reform in the manage.
ment Of convicts would be to make their
terms of imprisonment indefinite. so that
instead of ''doing" fixed time in involun.
tary confinement, 9 man would be allowed
freedom at the earliest moment he was
capable of returning to society. This
would eliminate from the case all idea of
vindictiveness. and punishment should
never be vindictive."