Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1899-11-21

finest convict prison in the world.
There are over COO prisoners in the
building at the present time, and the
cellular idea is here carried out. The
cells are 9 by II feet square. and the
men are kept in their rooms as much
as possible. There they eat and sleep
and spend most of their time.
when a prisoner is brought to Lou
vain for the first time, he is taken be-
Then the unfortunate man dons suit
made Of coarse crash. He also must
wear mask of the same material. The
result is that no prisoner is ever able
to recognize the face Of another in
mate. A father and son are now
confined in Louva:n, and neither is
aware Of the presence of the other.
Prisoners simply are known by num-
bers, and the best and worst lose their
identity.
1.-THE prisoners work in the corridor
on benches which are placed in front Of
their cells. Two million of the Japa-
nese lanterns used for the queens ju-
bilee were made by the prisoners Of
Louvain. The proceeds of their work
are divided into thirds. The nation re-
ceives one part, the prison another part
and the convict the remainder. The
convicts receive as their share from Z
to about 20 cents day. This sum may
be kept until a prisoner is released. or
it may be sent home to dependents.
The prisoners must exercise one hour
each day in the open air, and they are
alone when this is Gone. The exercise
is taken in a small space, triangular
in shape and surrounded by high brick
walls. On Sundays the prisoners at
tend chapel and sit in wooden boxes or
booths. Each one enters his compart-
ment and closes door and has then
small hole out of which he can see the
preacher.
Sin England all Of the prisons are
under the control of the government
and under the special charge Of Sir
Mathew White Ridley, the undersecre-
tary of foreign affairs. The chairman
of the board of prisons is Ruggles
Brise. About IL years ago the cellular
system was established in England.
They made it compulsory for convict
to spend the greater part of his time in
a cell during the first ten years of his
sentence. This period was later re-
duced to two years and then to nine
months. Mr. Brise told me that the
time was likely to be reduced to one
month.
"The FRAMES prison in France is a
magnificent establishment, the grounds
covering at least II acres and the
building accommodating 1,4oo prison
ers. The main corridor is quarter of
mile in length. The cellular idea is
also carried out here. The cells are
larger than in Louvain and are deco
rated with pictures and the workman
ship of the prisoners. In fact, the place
reminded me of the Mills hotel in New
York. Each prisoner has an electric
light in his cell and also a button.
which will call a guard AZ any time.
There is washstand with running
water in each cell. A sentence in
FRAMES ought to be desirable from a
prisoners standpoint, and the soldiers
Of France complain that the convicts
nre treated better than the men in the
army.
Il am frequently asked what think
of the comparative advantages of the
cellular system over our American
method. Our prisoners are kept in
each others company, with one guard
to oversee, on an average, so men. In
this way a confirmed criminal associ-
ates with those who have committed
their first offenses. Plots are hatched
and escapes planned. Under the cellu-
lar system an attempt is made to secure
reformation. The ccnvicts stare at
walls all day long and must think of
their past sins. l thinl; that close con-
fnement, at least in the earlier stages
Of q sentence. has beneficial effect
upon tbs criminal"
WnLIAM II. BR1TToy.