The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-06-20
REFoRMATORY DISCUSSED.
Chaplain Comfort on the New Law
and Prison Methods.

Rev. James W. Comfort formerly of this
city, chaplain Of the State Reformat tory, at
Jacksonville, spoke last night at Plymouth
Church. the last Of the McCulloch Clubs
evening services until next fall. He dis
cussed the workings of the indeterminate
sentence law, and made clear much that
is not generally known about the Reforma-
tory and its work. In introduction, he said
that, fearing there were some in his au-
dience who do not like to hear a Sunday
evening address in a church unless it is
headed with text, he would deliver his
address from Genesis xiv, 8, ST do remem-
Der my faults this day. what one man said
on being paroied from prison. He said that
he regards it as a token of progress that
people should assemble on Sunday evening
to hear something about what the world
knows generally as social outcasts'' than
to listen to a sermon. twenty-five years
ago." he said, ''it would have been impossi-
BILE to get a congregation to listen to such
discussion. Few preachers were then able
to speak on such a subject. was present
three weeks ago at a reformatory in another
state, when the professor of sociology at
Cornell University brought class of young
men and women for an object lesson. After
the class had inspected the institution they
went back to the office of the superintendent
and piled him with practical questions. I
WISH lISOiOSlCdl SCIlOOlS WOulu 40 likewise.
In the days of Joseph it was catch your
man and kill your man. The prison is a
hopeful sign, though it is doubtful if the
500 men at the Indiana Reformatory would
agree with the statement An old writer
tells of party discovering island which
1t supposed was inhabited by sava ges. When
the members of the party came upon gal
lows they thanked God and took courage
The gallows is a sign of civilization, but
the prison is the sign Of truest civilization
Mr.. Comfort proceeded to say that there
are many who think a convict is radically
bad and the Reformatory idea is still called
by some the kid glove and lavender water
method of punishment and assert that the
idea is sentimental In refutation of this,
he stated that the Reformatory is operated
with the strictest discipline. and that there
rather be in the Michigan City Penitentiary,
because the discipline there is less strict
In the Reformatory the men are made to
feel that they are there for a cause.
IF every educator" said Mr. Comfort
taught the supreme majesty of the law,
and that a crime is not simply against an
Individual but against the whole society,"
there would be fewer men in the prisons"
He said the prisoners at the Reformatory
are made to live in way that gives them
Self-respect. They are made to make their
own living and until they have something
to their credit out of the sums they are
allowed for daily work and good behavior
they are not paroled
In conclusion he said: I'VE cannot do all
we ought to at the Reformatory until there
is more room there. There are now 958 men
between the four walls, with accommoda-
lions for but $50. This retards discipline
and retards sanitary methods but the Re-
formatory is already an assured success"