Middletown transcript., 1899-10-07
DELAWARE JAILS.
W. C. T. U. Points Out the Evils
Of the Delaware Jail
System.
MRS. sMITHER'S PAPER.

Il OOVCl lhlI 0ud t0Ct0 AOAnA AOANJ AASSi
besides women and children, dirty ant
filthy. She asked prisoner why the.
stood up and did not sit down, and b
said they h ID nothing to Sit on. Sh
locked into the cell and there was onl.
a bed which goat wouldn't sleep in
not chair or anything TO sit n. Sh'
asked another prisoner why he walked
up and down 80, and he replied that b
had to do something or he would g
crazy.
Her paper in full was as follows:
Nearly score OF years ago, | took vi
my timid pen to write against the Del
aware jail system.
My work as superintendent brought
me into close contact with its work.
ings, and was amazed and horrifed al
the moral filth and degradation thai
existed under such system. | ther
determined t1at the pubic, so far as
was able. which quietly permitted such
gross outrage to live in their midst
should not do so ignorantly.
l therefore resolved that my papers
should not. in the ordinary sense, be
Jail reports, but jail denouLcers; and ]
have done my best 10 make them so.
Seventeen years ago / appeared for
the lrst time before w. 9. T.. q.
State convention and told my story,
and each year since on similar occa-
sions.
have told it over again until yon all
must be as familiar with it as am. !
have taken you by the hand and led
you inside one Of these jalls, any one of
them; and as The iron door swings opeE
and we enter into the dim light ard
sicktning atmosphere of this pest hole,
| have pointed out to you, men and
women. bays and girls, white and black
all huddled together indiscrimin-
ately.
| have taken you inside the cells, and
saw you shudder as you have looked
upon them. / have paused With you
to lisfeL to rome hardened criminal
telling the story ofcrime to some ten
der yontlr, who listened to his words as
to a romance. | have shown you how
these jails are managed and. what great
reforms should come to them; aud have
told you how We have pleaded with by
gone Legislatures to help us to better
conditions. | have shown you how
prison reform operates in other States,
until I knew you were convinced that
our system was not only pest upon
our civilization but sin against hu-
mani y. All Of this have shown you.
and more, until there is left nothing
more TO tell. We all know full well
that the old doctrine of retributive jus
tice is fallacy and fraud. The CEN
turies have proven it and man is now
alive to the fact.
We have found out that everything
we do for the criminal is something
done for society-every bit Of reforma-
tion you give to the criminal, you give
just that much more protection TO So
ciety. Every offender that you lock up
10 enforced idleness, you sink deeper
into the darkness Of deprayity. How
can men and women from such environ
ment as Della Sare Jail go out to do
better? What in heavens name is
there to begin new life upon?
The discharged prisoner, he is but a
moral leper, at the very sight of whom
every one cries "unclean, unclean."
Be it your idea that these ''iail birds''
sit quietly dosn in their solitude and
rejecting upon their errors, resolve
with contrite hearts to commit no
more Of them? Do you imagine that
these men are miserable, restless and
chatting under their confnementP II
you do You imagine vainly.
On leaves from "Prison Diary,n Mi.
chael Davitt says, 81 have met very
few individuals In prison, who gave
evidence in appearance or talk OF being
truly miserable, no matter what tile
length of their sentence, amount of
extra punishment, or contrast between
their previous and their convict life.
Do you think remorse overtakes them
No. The criminal, like the wild beast.
comes out Of the place where he was
Gagged temporarily, worfe than when be
went in; more inhuman, more brutal,
more bitterly disposed towards his fell
lows. He may be more wary and cum
ming thereafter, but be will be more
dangerous to society than before be
was Gagged" !"
The old Delaware Jail of to-day Ia
the identical institution that was es-
tablished in the very dawn Of time,
when 1t was found necessary 10 shut
the first offender against society away
from his fellows.
1t has not changed in all the centuries
except perhaps in its gloomy architec-
ture. But let US hope, aud / am hoping.
We have reason now to hops that
the day Of old Delaware jails Is fast
passing away. A light is breaking in
the east, the dawn let US pray OF q
better day.
A legislative body has at last eeen Ill
to make an appropriation for the pur,
pose Of builsing work house In New
Castle county. My disappointment
was great and oh how disappointed
was that It vas not for a State Wori
House, but since I have recovered I an
80 thankful for even this much. Sd
4 Glad IN knnU that the nrfsnnnra nf Nav