The state herald., 1898-09-02
A PRISON PROBLEM.
HOW TO EMPLOY THE coNvIcTs
Secretary stonaker Thinks 1t bad for Men
at Canon City to be without Work
Conditions Better at tho State Reform.
Atory.

tiOn, In Il conversation with repre-
sentative of the Leadville Herald
Democrat, made the following interest
ing statements concerning the states
prisoners:
1.-THE rcformatory Mt Buena Vista is
In most excellent condition." said Mr..
Stonakcr, "and the best part of It is
that every one of the ninety eight boys
there are hard nt work every day In
the open air. They work in the fields
and you certainly cannot see finer
crops growing anywhere in the state
than the fields cared for by the pris.
0ners at the Buena Vista reformntory.
They raise no end of vegetables and
many of the boys there never had such
good food in their lives. They are fed
better than at the great majority of
prisons ana rcformatories in this coun
try; they sleep In n cell house which
for sanitary comfort is uneXcelled;
they have n school and books, and nj
together they are mighty well cared
for. The work they do in such fine
summer climate, with regular and
wholesome fare, plenty of hours for
sleep, puts them In the best physical
condition, and they 20 out on parole
greatly improved by reason of So
Journ at Warden Hoyt's santarium.
'Contrasted with the prisoners at
Canon City, the reformatory boys are
In great luck. Mind now, do not wish
to convey the impression that Warden
Cleghorn is not doing good work at
Canon for the old prison birds there
who have seen the insides of n num-
har nf gtn trignns hnt l,
Colorado pcnltentiary is far better In
every way. The Canon convicts get
vegetables In abundance, they have
fine bread and meat, they have good
library, regular habits, and in discip-
line they are making n wonderful rec
ord, considering the conditions. DIR.
Dawson, who has been prison physi-
clan for many years, told me the other
day that there had not been n case Of
fever in the penitcntiary in seven
years. The men gre required to drink
distilled water, and they are given reg
ular baths. They come 10 the institu-
tion with health and constitution shat
tered by dissipation and disorderly
lives, and they go out better In ply
sique than when they entered. In fact,
the regular hobo convict enjoys so
journ there and goes out in fine fcttlc,
ready to commit some new piece Of
rascality.
"Fully 30 per cent. of the 5SS men
now confined at Canon City are scrv-
Ing second, third ana In few eases
their fourth term In prison. Many of
them have done time before in that
prison, while others drifted to Colora-
do after being released from other
state institutions. They had to work
and work hard In other prisons, but
this state prefers to entertain these
guests without eXactlng anything In
exchange. Why, an average of six
hundred men convicted of Orenses
against the people OF this state should
he given chance to learn how to
pass their time In absolute idlcness and
learn to become chronic idlers is the
surprising thing about our system Of
punishmcntf Men who have worked
most OF their days and who. while In.
toxicatcd. committed mn offensc which
sent them TO Canon are there taught
In year or more to live without work.
and they go out finally confirmed
idlcrs unable and generally unwilling
TO work hard any more. Old prison
birds whose reformation Is practically
hopeless have just as easy a time as II
IL possible for men to have In their
position.
Warden Cleghorn Is n most tender.
hearted man, n humane officer and
thoughtful of the welfare OF his
charges. They NIL speak In the most
respectful terms Of their treatment
there, but their murmuring is against
their enforced ldleness. The prisoner
who has the duty Of sweeping down
the terrace steps Il happy because II
gives his muscles little exercise: the
sixty men who go out to the farm and
garden tract are envled by the others
who have routine duties to perform
about the place. Warden Cieghorn dis
tributes the men about the place as
well as he can. five men doing the
work that one man could easily per-
form, simply to give little exercise
To all. The men who have to ''lay In"
for several days ARE put out when 9th.
ors take their place killing time In the
cells.
For the discipline OF the prison. for
the welfare OF the men and because
they should he compelled to pay for
their keep, work for all should be pro.
vlded.
1T can he done for the educational
benefit TO the men, for their financial
benefit. for the benefit of the state.
and adjusted In variety OF ways. The
pcnltenilnry costs the state OF Colorn-
do 100000 per nnnum; II should cost
less than one.hnlf that sum.
Contract labor. OF course, X out of
the question. The mnkcshlft OF trying
TO iind some form OF labor which may
not 'nntngonlzc' free labor ought TO he
no longer ignored. These prisoners
must be kept by the people either out.
side prison walls or within. They will
not work, NJ least n large proportion
Of them, unless they nrc compelled To
toll. and taxpayers must feed nnd
clothc them.
Furniture made In Lansing peniicn.
llnry In Kansas ls sold IN this state;
shirts mndc In Jackson pcnltcnilary.
Michigan, aro worn by the men Of
Colorado; prison made articles are
bound TO h. sold NIL over the land.
Colorado cnn do something towards
giving the prisoners hcnlthful employ.
ment without going wholesale into
contract labor or without Introducing
expensive machinery or adopting some
single line OF manufacturing. Warden
Clcghorn Inns n number Of practical
ldcns which he could Immediately
adopt. but he cnn do nothing for lncg
OF money. The appropriation ~ oN.
hnustod nnd the prison ~ now running
On credit. No money cnn ho used save
for food mud elnthInu nuI thp bnrp rtin.