The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-02-07
SOME NEW PRISON RULES
HAVE BEEN PUT IN FORCE BY WAR
DEN sHIDELER OF STATE PRISON.
He Goes ON the Theory That There
Is Something Good I'm Every Con-
vfct-Better Food Given.

Warden George A. III. Shideler of the
Michigan City Penitentiary was at theDeni-
son last night and reported a feeling of
considerable satisfaction in the working of
the new system of government at the in
stitution. MY plan is either all good or
all wrong" said he in discussing the new
system. az am working on the theory that
every man has a spark of manhood in
him If the prison officials can only find it
and / am working hard to make every
man in the institution understand that /
am there to see that he leaves the institu-
ton at least no worse than when he entered.
First Of all L insist reports from
every department in the prison every day
and have made every employee understand
that he holds his position solely because he
is able to do the work assigned him. 1t
makes no difference what political power
gave him his position, he must do his work
as L want it done or resign, and no power
In the State can help him, either. / make
every convict understand that he can see
me whenever he wants to, either in his cell
or In my office, If he prefers 1t. When
find his spirit is taken advantage of 1 make
the man sorry he ever became rebellious
or presumpticus. don't have so much
punishment for the convicts but / have 1T
given out in more severe doses. The result
is that punishment is rarely administered.
1 found that one or two guards had been
in the habit of swearing at prisoners and
l told them the next time Ii happened they
would be discharged in the most public
manner before all the prisoners at dinner
time. When prisoners are in distress
try and comfort them and think my sys-
tenn is a good one. 1t is either that or it
is altogether wrong, but all signs point to
better results. The chaplain took Occa-
sion to say in his report to me that the
men are better disposed than he had ever
known them to be. i promised the con-
victs when 1 took charge that l would
furnish them clean suits for Sunday wear
and have kept my word. l have furnish
ed shirts with collars attached to them.
ment boiled out of 1t and potatoes with
their Jackets on and corn bread heavy and
soggy, am serving roast and stewed meats
with fried or Drowned potatoes and Tread
like mother made, and / am doing 1t at
smaller expense than formerly"
Mr.. Shideler has invented a new system
of classification of criminals in conjunction
with DR.. Spinning of the prison. and has
typefed each class with photographs OF
prisoners in the institution. The system
and photographs will be used in connection
with paper being prepared by Senator
I. j. Ellison, of Fort Wayne, to be read
at Paris, in July. a grade signifies muir
DER divided as prompted by jealousy,
malice or gain. Under the head OF jeal-
ousy are crimes committed on sudden i'm
pulse clandestinely. Under malice. muir
ders committed either passionately or de-
liberately are listed while classified under
the head of gain, are those which are also
committed in order to escape detention.
Thieving is divided into three classes:
Burglary, larceny and forgery. House
breakers and safe blowers are designated
as burglars; professional rogues and petty
thieves are the grade of larceny, while
bank forgers and petty forgers form the
distinction in the forgery line.
Arson is divided into two forms: Acts
committed by perfectly sane people for
gain; and acts committed by people of
doubtful sanity taking the form Of a de-
structive tendency of nature or lack of
stability.
Criminal insane are divided into two
classes. Those committing covert acts
without thought care for consequences
and those committing acts in spite of them
selves when free but who are model pris-
oners and entirely harmless when under
restraint.