The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-03-21


washington Star: Twelve eolored
prisoners were taken from this city
Monday night and delivered TO War
den S. A. Hawk at the Moundsville
West vIrginia) penitentlary. There
are now in the penitentlary IA persons
who were sent there for oRenses com
mitted In this city. Warden Hawk de-
niles a story printed several weeks ago
that because Of the crowded condition
OF the institution he will soon have to
stop taking District prisoners. It Is
true, he says, that the number Of prla7
oners Is rather large, nearly 700. but
by putting two men in each cell he wiz
be able to accommodate many more.
The District prisoners in the peniten-
tlary were sent there since February a
of last year.
The West Virginia Prison.
The Moundsviile penitentiary is the
west Virginia state prison. although
United states prisoners from several
states are sent there from time TO time.
In the main building there arc five
hundred cells, in which there Is room
for two hunks. Unless there is large
number Of prisoners in the institution
only each man is given cell to him
SELF. Besides his cot he has stool and
Is permitted to have decorations in the
shape Of pictures on the walls, 1t so
happens that there are several sets of
brothers in the prison at this time and
each Of the couples is put in a cell to-
gether. Besides the numbers Of the
cells the names Of the occupants are
ptt on each door-both, where there
are two In a cell. There arc tags at
tached also. where the occupant is on
the black list or where he has some In
durable disease. Prisoners when black
listed are not permitted the usual en-
joymeuts Of the prison.
Warden s. A. Hawk is man whose
ideas of humane treatment are at var
lance with those OF many men holding
similar positions In other institutions.
While he demands that a strict dlsci-
pllne shall be maintained at all times,
he treats the convicts well and does ev-
erything in his power to remind them
that they have a future.
Manual Of Instructions.
Each prisoner is furnished a manual
upon his arrival at the prison, and Il
he is unable to read It's contents are
read to him. In the first place, he is in-
formed by the manual;
This is a penal institution. conse-
quently place Of restraint, discipline
and deprivation. Yet this penitentiary
may be made not solely. nor even chief
~, place Of punishment, but rather
one Of reformation and help, a place
which shall AFFORD advantages more or
less as the inmate by his conduct
proves himself worthy of enjoying.
There must be rules and regulations
in order to maintain that which is just
and fair and for the best interest of
each and every one.
"a prompt and cheerful obedience to
the rules will help every one and enable
each individual to secure the greatest
possible advantages for himself and all
the pleasure and comfort that can be
had within prison walls.
"Helps and privileges which, II right
ly used, will be Increased, but II abus-
ed win be withheld.
You arc at all times to remember
that you have been adjudged guilty of
the crime for which you were convicted
and sentenced here by a competent
court. and that this management has
no right to infer that you are not
guilty"
The manual also informs the prison.
erB Of offsnseg against the laws Of the
state which they can commit while
serving in prison. Penalties are pre-
scrlbed for assaults, murder, defacIng
property and escaping.
Library and School.
An interesting feature Of the prison
Is the establishment of a library ana
school. This Is a new departure, and
while the library is not yet two months
old. Warden Hawk already sees good
-