The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1898-06-08
JAIL FOR STUDENTS.
QUEER PHASE OF LIFE AT HElDEL-
BERG UNIVERSITY.

Some of the Names Which Adorn tho
Prison Register and tho Grimes" For
Which Their Owners Were Incarcerated.
The Rules of the Place.
In England che student $ body is com.
mitted To prison only by the civil au-
thority. In Oxford it is true, tho vice
chancellor deals with undergraduate
naughtiness, principally III the form of
debt and insuhordinatiou, for which he
may impose momentary penalty. but
he does not deprive the dcfaulter of lib
erty. There is, or was, Legend that n
certain apartment under tho old Claron.
don building was really the university
"quod," but for its authenticity it is
impossible to Nouch.
Cambridge has its spinning house for
ladies' who might provo delusion and
a snare 10 the nero malo undergrad.
There, if we except tho irksome penalty
of 'gating" Confinement to college or
lodgings after stated hour), our aca-
demio efforts Mt Incarceration may be
said To end.
In Germany, however, the academic
dungeon Is very stern fact Tho lIoi-
delbcrg career is famous. Every read
TT of Mark Twain Will recall his enter
tanning description of the place and
how he contriyed to visit it, oven unwit-
tingly enlisting rs his guido "Herr
Professor " His protext WAS to SEQ
young friond who had got" 81 hours
and had conveniently arranged the day
to suit Marls-for the German student
convict goes To prison ON tho first suit
able day after conviction and sentence.
II Thursday Is not convenient, ho tolls
the officer sent to hale him to- jail that
he will como ON Friday or Saturday or
Sunday, MS tho case may he The officer
never doubts his word, and it Is never
broken
The prison is up three flights of stnirs
and Is approached Try II "zugang' rs
richly decorated with tho art work of
conviets as the cell itself. The apart
ment Is not roumy, but bigger than an
ordinary prison cell IL has an iron
grated window, Il small stove, two
wooden chairs, two old oak tables and
"A narrow woudpu hcdstead
The furniture is profnsely ornament
ed with carving, tho work of anguish
ing captiyes, who have placed on record
their names, mmoria1 bearings, their
crimes and the dates OF their imprison.
ment together with quaint warnings
and denunciations Walls and ceilings
nrc covered with portraits and legends
executed i'll celored chalk and in SCOT,
the prison candle forming II handy pen
ell. Some of tho inscriptions are put
thetie Ono runs. "E Gliniclso, four
| days for being too eager spectator OF
II row" If -four days were melted out to
II Nero spectator, what one wonders,
had been tho sentence Of tho participa-
tors2 1t must have been II moving spec
| talola.
Another record (also quoted by Mr.
Clemons) has the FAVOR of u great name
to it, OF course il is the son that IN
meant not the father. The legend is,
IL, Graf bismarck, - 20 III. ~. ="
| This Mark Twain interprcts as u record
of two days durance vilo for Count Bis
marct in 1871 Had 1874 been leap
year ono might have been inclined to
interpret the numefal 81 as February
But til" "2o" makes this difficult So
perhaps tho humoIiat is right.
A tnlrd specimen il too tragic for
comment. Itsimply says, II. Dicrgandt
for loyo--fuur days Ungcnerous
successors to- that sad chamber have
dealt hurshly with their forcrunnors'
regulations by ingenious substitution of
heinous crimes, SO that certain prison
erA 20 down 10 postcrity na having been
punished for theft and murder
The prisoner must supply his own
bedding and Is subject 10 various
charges. On entering he pays about ten
pence, and ON leaving similar sum.
Every day in prison costs sixpence; fire
and light aiXpcuco extra The juiler
supplies coffee for triile. Meals may
ho ordered from outside Every prison
or leaves his carte DIS yisite, which is
fixed with "A multitude of others ON tho
door of the cell This queer album is
glazed to protect tho photographs.
Academic criminal procedure in llei-
delberR is curious. If tho city police ap-
prchend a student tho captive shows
his matrieulation card. He is then ask
cd for his address and set free, but will
hear more Of the matter, for the civil
authority reports him to the university.
Tho oxford regulation, by tho way, il
in certain eases almost identical. i. In
heidelberg tho university court try and
pass sentence, the civil power taking
no further concern with the Otfensc. The
trial il very often conducted in tho pris-
0upri q ubepuGG and he Moor whit may