The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1899-02-04
REvoLr.At;A
How Solitary Conanement Trisonsrs Ees4
Themselves In the Evening Hours,

Themselves In the Evening tIours.
When the presumptive system OF
segregate confinement enforced at the
Eastern penitentiary, Fhiiadeil hia,
aroused the indignation of Charles
Dickens and his treuchant pen gave
expression to his horror OF such pun
ishment, the institution on Fairmonnt
avenue was given a sinister reputation
beyond its de ssrts. Since the greatnov-
velist wrote in terms so 8 eveEeof sofia.
~ Imprisonment the results obtained
by the management OF the prison here
have rented in the main the structures
passed npon the Eastern pealtent:ary.
Phrenologists have given their teStl-
mony in favor Ct the system which
Dickens condemned, and sSlitary con-
fnement is in vogue in many OF the
penitentiaries of the con airy. Il en-
forced to the letter and man was
compelled to sit within a narrow cell
day after day with nothing but his
own thoughts to occupy his MUD,
then, indeed, solitary confinement
would be barfar.ty that woall shame
civilization and humanity. Madness
and death could only result in the ma
jorIty of cases.
But when the convicted man stands
before his Judge to receive his pun
ishment and listens to the words "sot-
itary confinement, their terror is
lightened by the mercifnl provision
that his loneliness shall b. be relieved
by .'hard labor" Then, to, the
crowded condition Of the Eastern pen
itentiary requires that two and fire.
queutly thr e, convict shall be confined
in the same cell, and the ''s,lltary
confinement part OF the sentence Is
mo or less legal fiction.
While man has the COMPANY OF
his fellows AID the boon OF work II
the prison there is imposed upon him
punishment the severity an lr1-
somene ~ of which ca only be a2prs-
hendei in it's full force by one who
has undergone it. Tae Sunshine tits
silence. Throughout the day no m1o
dare speak to his fellow save Of ne;es-
sisy or by stealth. To a man who has
YELLED to temptation and fallen fro
an honorable pace in soc ETY. the need
OF human sympathy, the soaai oi
kindly voice, friendly ca: iaso which
to p~ur the tort tlriag Sursinss OF his
mind is most cessary, and mrst
make this in posed silence terrible to
bear.
The prison authorities recognize
the severity of the punishment OF
these long broodilg ho'rs RI / tue
mental strain imposed on the convict.
Many in passing the peniteatiary IL
the early hours Of the evening must
have been startl1 b. the c.ies
AMI tumuIt echoing ir>m behind it'
stone walls, an:l wondered as they
hurried by if bloody re OF WIS go
! ing on within. 4 revolt it Is, indeed,
that nightly takes place, ba5 it is the
revolt of orerbarde ned hearts, OF an
guished souls, aud black, evil minds
agaiust the silence the- have writhed
under during the day. From 6 o'clock
until 9 ach night the ban OF silence
is raisel, ard the inmates of the prison
are free to give vent to the tunuit OF
their minds.
Locked there in their cells the great
majority of the prisoners await eager
Iv the hour of six. tthe given time
panaemoniun breaks Loose. The cor
ridors echo and re-echo to the yelss,
shrieks and songs of the miserable,
Gagged men. Many of them have mu-
steal instruments, and these add their
volume to the general discord. For
three hours the din continues, b7$ ON
the stroke of nine The electric lights
in the cells go out, silence once more
broods over the 6 oomy place, anil for
tunate the man who finds freedom In
! sleep.