The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-10-09

Italian proverb, Where sunshine does
not come the doctor does
Underneath the prison are large Gel"
lars and store-chambers for materials
and goods of all kinds. Tramways, for
the conveyance of food and stores, run
along the immense passages, each OF
which ia about thousand feet IN
length. Lifts ascend and descend from
story to story. At night the electric
light is everywhere. Electric power
also works machinery of various kinds
in the bakeries and Wash-houses. In
the cells the prisoners work, separately,
at such trades as tailoring, carpentry,
ehoemaking, basket work, the prepare
ton of feathers, the fabrication OF
frames, boxes, and a variety of small
wares for public sale. They are per-
mItted to have certain proportion OF
the value of their work, in order to
purchase extra food or personal re-
quirements of various kinds. But they
are not allowed tobacco. In this re-
spect the French prisons differ from
those Of Belgium and America. There
Is a very large library for the use OF
the prisoners, and it's contents are sys-
tematically classified and conspicuous
ly labelled In a manner probably
unique In a prison. Thus one range of
shelves has over it, in large letters, the
word History" on another is Geo
graphy," on another Fiction" with
others headed Protestant Religion"
Catholic Religion" and so forth.
A very large hall Is used alternately
as chapel and schoolroonl, with fine
altar and sacred figures at one end, and
also a few paintings on the walls.
Each prisoner, both In class and during
the religious services, sits in a sepa-
rate compartment; and on his way to
and from this hall each man wears
white hood or mask, covering his head
and face, SO as to prevent mutual re-
cognition after discharge. A similar
arrangement prevails in the Belgian
prisons. Nevertheless. In the wash
houses and bakeries the prisoners work
In : carefully guarded association and
without hoods. Indeed, some of the
bakers have nothing on but trousers
and shoes. Attendance at the religious
services is not compulsory, but nine
tenths of the prisoners prefer to attend
There are only two Catholic priests
rabbi for all these persons. This lmi-
ted provision for religious instruction
and counsel was admitted to be made
quate Permission Is, however, accord
ed for the separate visitation of the
prisoners by the members of both
Catholic and Protestant patronage"
societies, some half dozen or more Of
whose representatives come at a time
Not only the prisoners, but also the
officers have special instruction. The
latter have courses of lectures, and are
required to make themselves 'acquaint-
ed with works on crime prevention and
prison discipline, and, indeed, to quail
fly themselves In this and other ways
for intelligent professional efficiency.
This Is a feature which might well be
initiated in many other countries be-
sides France and Belgium.
In the Easements are situated the
punishment cells. These are usually
nearly as light as the Others but they
are destitute of mattresses, and can be
rendered perfectly dark by closing ex-
ternal shutters. The limit of confine-
ment in them Is a fortnight, on bread
and water but with ordinary food eve
ry fourth day. The inflrmaries are adj
mirably arranged and furnished
One feature at Fresnes, seldom seen
in prisons, is a large stable of fine
horses, for the service of the esta blish-
ment and for the conveyance of prison
ers, in cellular onlnibuses. to and from
Paris.-Fresnes Correspondence of the
London Times.