The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1900-01-23


prisoner will again become q useful
citizen, they will parole him. EN-.
ployment then must be found for the
prisoner, usually in the home OF his
own people, if they are responsible;
If not, we will secure work for him in
factory or on farm, tho person
giving the employment agreeing to
pay reasonable wages for one year
and to take friendly interest in the
prisoners welfare. Ho is also TO see
that the prisoner makes his REPORTS
to the warden or superintendent on
the first of each month for the previous
month, stating in this report the mum
Der of days he has worked; if idle,
for what reason; amount of money
earned and amount expended, and for
what: how many times he has at
tended church during the month, and
where; where his evenings have been
spent; how often he has been in
saloon during the month.
This report must be signed by the
paroled prisoner and approved by his
employer. IL this report ia not re-
ceived by the warden or superin-
tendeut promptly, investigation is at
once started TO find why the report
has not been received If after in
vestigation, it is found that tho pris-
oner has violated his parole, he is at
once returned TO prison without trial
and compelled TO serve out his maxi
mum sentente.
During the two years the parole
law has been in operation ~ the State
prison we have parolel 1872 prisoners,
of which number six have been re-
turned for violation Of their parole
and two have failed to make their re-
ports, and ut this time we do NOS
know where they are. This showing,
as compared with other institutions,
is remarkably good, only being frac.
ton over six per cent. of the prisoners
parolcd who have violated the conf
denco placed in them by the manage
ment. We now have eighty men on
parole who are making their reports
promptly, earning all the way from g
to SO per month and their board,
and in many cases are caring for their
families that would otherwise be n
public charge upon the township
where they live had the prisoner been
kept in confinement
The value and success OF this new
system of prison management depends
upon the faithfulness with which il is
executed. All unworthy co1sidera-
tons must he left out. The parole
must not he granted upon influence,
either political, religious or family,
but purely upon tho record and char-
acter of the prisoner in question. The
ideal of prison discipline which this
system involves IS high one. Itwou.d
be useless for the prison management.
where high ideals OF life are unpopu-
lar, to attempt to carry out this law,
but such IS not the case in the town
and country districts of Indiana, for
our people are always foremost in
adopting and carrying out ideas an
reforms looking to the betterment OF
all mankind, and we believe the time
is now here in which the people in tle
different counties, townships aud cities
oil this State are ready aud willing to
assist the men who are worthy OF
parole in every possible way for them
to regain their social standing.
"While The parole law in Indiana is
yet an experiment I believe when tho
law, as it now stands, IS fully under
stood there will be no desire on the
part of the people-if, in fact, there
be any such desire Mt this time-to re-
turn to the principle of definite sen
fences. There is now way open
whereby the habitual criminal can be
driven from the State or retained be-
hind the bars where he eau no longer
prey on society At the samc time,
the unfortunate person wLo, tenn
porarily crazed by intoxicatiJn of la
boring under some temporary dcrange-
ment, commits his first crime can be
saved. The principle Of the parole
law is in accord with the advanced
thought OF the day, which believes
that there comes n time in the history
of those incarcerated in prison whom
they can be reformed and placed on
the road to good citizenship. 70 all
such it says, Go, and sin no more
While for the habitual criminal it
writes over the prison doors, Abau-
don hope, all we who enter here