, 1901-01-16
THE ~PENITENTIARY.

Editor Slack Of the Cheyenne Leader
was with the Legislative party that Wis
tied Laramie Sunday and has the fol-
lowing to say in relation to the peni.
Tertiary:
Laramie did itself proud and the
legislators are delighted with the
splendid reception they had in the en-
terprising city. The carriages were at
hand at the depot to take the entire
party across the river to the peniten-
tiary and what they there beheld was
a revelation to very many of the mem
bers. The most interesting feature to
them was the broom factory, where
about seventy-five convicts were en-
ployed in different departments and
the machinery was in full operation.
The men worked with a will and were
quite efficient as their product will
show. About the entire premises of
the ~penitentiary there was an air of
comfort and cleanliness. Everything
seemed to be reduced to a system and
good order prevailed. Lessee Boswell
made a statement to the legislators
setting forth the fact that he had re-
fused to take the prisoners to Rawlins
on account of the lack OF preparations
for their employment and inadequate
sanitary arrangements. If the legisla-
tuTe would cause these deficiencies to
be rcmedied he would remove the pris.
onors without a delay. The Laramie
p"nitontiary has a remarkable record
of having only n death since 1t was
established about twenty-eight years
ago and that was of a returned soldier
who was afflicted with disease con-
tracted abroad. The institution is very
prettily located on the Laramie river
adjacent thereto are irrigated lands,
upon which vegetables are rails
cd for the prisoners. There are now
l6l prisoners, all but three Of whom are
men, two women being black and one
white. It is found necessary to put
nifty Inmates in cells with others, |
which makes the cells rather crowded,
but in other respects there Is ample
room, so that the men do not suffer
materially, though occasionally they
get into a scrap with each other.
Talking with Mr.. Holiday, who had
much to do with the legislation of
wyoming, he said that the people of
Laramie wish it to be distinctly under
stood that they intend to carry out in
good faith the original arrangement in
regard to the public buildings and do
not ask for the retention Of the pris-
oners at Laramie. He was very EN-.
phatic on this point and wished The
Leader to make it plain and clear to
the public. He said: We will not lift
a finger to prevent their removal be-
cause we recognize our obligations in
the matter"
The suggestion made by The Lead.
er that the penitentiary be converted
INTO a state reformatory similar to
those at Detroit and Elmira, is meeting
with favorable consideration. It would
De a merciful provision for those who
committed their first offence, and who
haVe committed crimes Of q light or
der. Nothing is more demoralizing to
the wrong-doer than a course in a pen
ltenuary among hardened criminals.
Ihe methods Of treatment should be
widely different. When a man goes to
the %penitentlary he has his head and
chin shaved, is dressed in striped suits,
loses his citizenship and has NO more
claim on the world, or even upon his
FAMILY. He forfeits even his wife.
These severe penalties are not calcu-
Assd 70 reform those whom Il niGhs1
ee possible to check In their mad ca