Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-08-24
OUR PRISON INSPECTORS.
Ihree Classes Made of Convict. n.
EImira-Pu n L. h me nts and Rexaras

sses Nade OF -COnvicts mt
Observation-Disclosures and Rewards.
me department of Justice. by reason OF
the fact that it has control of all the pris-
oners OF the United States has on its rolls
number Of prison inspectors. These off,
Gals make regular visits to all prisons
where prisoners of the federal government
are confined. They investigate tho treat-
ment OF the federal prisoners, the food they
receive, their clothing, etc An informal
UNDERSTANDING the department has is tina +
It's prisoners shall not be subjected to cor
r"seai punishment This fact led to a dis
cusslon recently of the MANAGEMENT of tho
E'mira reformatory of New York, so long
under the management Of Superintendent
brockway Mr.. Brockway had been using
inc lash In trying to induce better beha yior
and the department had q long corresnon-
deEce with him
Brockway was one OF the greatest prison
managers in the United States" said one
OF the prison inspectors, land / make the
prediction that the Elmira reformatory will
never be the same thing again II was ,,nder
MIN. he knew more about convicts than
eny man in the world, and could manage
them better, despite the attacks made on
MN. brockway used to have three classes
% prisoners In his institution. The classes
were made for the reward or punishment
OF prisoners. The first class consisted of
weil-behaved prisoners. They did not reach
tnat class until their records warranted it..
wear blue suits, much resembling the uni
form OF naval officer The uniforms were
really pretty. The men were also entitled
70 70 many many privileges They, ate at a table
VI their own, mad nice plates and table,
ware, with white linen and MANY things
TO make their surroundings attractive The
second class consisted of prisoners who
might be termed probationers. They wore
a gray UNIFORM of not as good material as
the hrst-class men, and had a portion of
the privileges and pleasures of the first
class. The second class was made UP Of
the main body of the prison. The third
class was made up Of bad fellows-those of
bad behavior, / mean. They had to dress
In a scarlet uniform, the cloth being red
enough to be seen a long distance. They
ate out OF plates that had been cracked and
misused by the first-class men. and on
cheap tables to themselves. There was no
linen on their tables, and they were known
to other prisoners as 1.-The Holsters" on ac-
count of their bright uniforms. They were
generally called Holsters by all the others,
and the punishment was severe. 1t was
Q frequent occurrence for federal prisoners
TO come to me and ask to be taken out Of
thi, class Brockway had many other
methods that showed him to be great
II have found that the best managed
prisons In the United States are those
wnere the prisoners arefwell; fed. 1t is the
OLD story OF mans stomach Satisfy that
ana the man is satisfied. This is especially
velopment Is not such as to give them men,
tai worry, and SO the physical are the
greatest troubles theyro haves The West
virginia penfentiary at Moundsville is the
best In the country In CHS respect. When
l go there and call upon the United States
prisoners they have no complaints to make
Almost without exception there Is no fault
to find. The food is carefully prepared
and Is abundant. they say. But many other
prisons are not that way The food is such
as to cause dissatisfaction and the men
are always complaining Of ill-treatment
and lack OF proper food. Some prisons
really give the men scarcely enough to
live on, and then punish them severely
when they complain.
The warden Of the Fort Leavenworth
penitentiary. formerly the warden Of Joliet,
never uses q whip on convicts. He Is an
advocate OF solitary confinement as a last
resort In punishment. A bad man will be
put In room removed from other rooms.
where there is nothing or nobody to be
seen or talked with. HIS food will be bread
and water. He generally gets the worst OF
the bargain In a few days and is then con-
Ouered.n