The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-05-27
PRISONERS IN GRAY.
NO MORE STRIPED SUITS FOR CON-
vlCTS IN KANSAS.

July 4 Stripes wiz BE Reserved For the
Observation-Disclosures Are Pleased.
An innovation in the form Of q change
In prison Rarb will shortly take place in
the Kansas state penitentiary at Lansing.
The time honored stripes, so long associ-
ated with prisons as the insignia OF u con-
Wet, will give place To suit of cadet gray.
This was announced To the prisoners at tho
close of religious services I'm the chapel
Sunday afternoon, the announcement be-
ing received with hearty applause by tho
listeners. In announcing the change Ward
en- Lands told the prisoners that tho
change would be made on July 4, and that
1t would affect those whose records were
good up to that time. Should any of them
disregard the rules and regulations of tho
institution sufficiently to merit a punish
ment they would continue to wear the
stripes and be an object of special obscrva-
tion to all visitors and to their fellows.
Warden lands, In reply to questions
concerning his reasons for departing from
the time honOred system Of striped cloth
ing, said:
"Whcn assumed control Of the peniten-
tiary in February last, found the cloth
ing supply Of tho prison very deficient.
Many of the men did not have as much as
a change Of shirts, and were compelled to
go dirty or to do without shirts while
their clothing was being washed. Trou-
sers and drawers had been patched until In
some instances there was hardly any of
the original fabric left. The men were
also almost barcfooted.
~ had long thought that q change In
the uniform worn could be used in bene-
filing the discipline Of the prison and in
creasing respect for the social surround.
iDgs. As new clothing had to be pur-
chased, there was an opportunity to put
the idea into practice, and 1 decided to
avail myself of 1t.
"After looking around and examining
various samples selected cloth of cadet
gray, and have tho suits In process o,
making. by July 4, when the change will
go into effect, will have two suits ready
for each man."
Asked as to what effect he thought the
proposed change would have upon the
mems conduct, he replied:
II believe the change will have benef
cial rcsults--in fact, arm satisfied IL will
prove SO. When l made the announce.
ment to the men Of tho proposed change,
they seemed highly delighted with the
prospect. Since that time have observed
difference in tho demaanor Of the prison.
ers, and tho class of offenses has been oi
more trivial character. Since the men
know that only good conduct will entitle
them to wear the new uniform, it can be
readily seen that they will try to keep out
of the hated clothing"
A number of tho men expressed them
selves as highly plensed over the prospcc
tive change.
Warden French of the United States
penitentiary at Leavenwortb, who perhaps
has had moro experience with the system
than any other prison official in the west,
was asked about the graded system of uni
forms. It Is In use In that prison, and tn,
warden has observed its workings else
where. The warden was asked II he be
licved in the system.
II do, IL yOu will carry 1t far enough t.
make 1t effective and give the convict an
inducements and opportunity to REFORM"
said he Reformation Is the purpose Of
classification for the grading of convicts
in prison management The change from
the familiar stripe To the different grades
of uniform Is but one step in tho plan OF
reformatory work i'm prisons. 1t is the
most important step, and, like tho halt
loaf, is better than no progress Mt all.
1.-The stripe is older than the peniten
tiary in this country 1t came across the
ocean. The lock step camc with IL. We
associate both with tho penitentiary, and
i'm the public mind the chief mark of dis
grace in going to the penitentiary is the
donning of the stripes. The convicts
know this and hence the opportunity to
keep out of them is seized upon by all mon
possess hope and ambition to be something
better than u convict.
"In several states today actual expert
ence daily is demonstrating that men in
prison will strive TO get into the clothing
of the highest grade, usually gray cloth,
and, that privilege gained, they will So
guard their conduct as not To lose its al
vantagcs. The rule is to have thfeo grades
the lower with the old prison stripes, the
middle with tho black and white check and
the third the higher or gray uniform.
1.-The convict enters in the middle class.
He then Is given an opportunity tn nd
vance or degrade, according To his conduct.
''In the lower grade no loses all good
time and Is denied parole or pardon-in
fact, he has no privileges and his portion
Is hard work during the full term of his
good time and limited privileges but L.
barred from pardon or parole In the high.
est grade he gets all the privileges the dis.
ciplino Of the prison accords, and he is elie
bio to parole at any moment his continued
good conduct merits it.
Now, the immediate benefit of such n
system Of prison management Is that the
prisoners mind Is fixed upon good conduct
from tho start, and he Is given tho strong
incentive Of liberty to struggle In that di
rcction. In this struggle, II. may be, h,
becomes conscious for the first time of his
real conditions and In this awakening ref
orination, begins. l do not mean that ev
cry convict that wears tho highest grade
will leave the prison n reformed man and
from thence lead an upright life, but
do mean that tho possibilities for such
result are infinitely greater under such
methods than under the old method of
prison management.
"Onc thing Is ccrtain-with u graded
system convicts can wear the highest grade
uniform only by living obcdient to the
standard of discipline which the uniform
represents, and IL will bc found today
that In the several prisons where tho graded
system IN In vogue very small per cent Of