The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-10-20
OLD NEW YoRk's TREAoMILL.

aliSts was 1npTis0n Y0lr Offenders and
keep them hard at work But how they
should be worked and at what work
they should be Kept, we're the krotty
questions At This juncture ct English
man. who had seen the trcadniiu in or
Grafton in a jail in his own country. suS-
geSted to the then mayor. stephen Al
Ter its use mere. IN Engian nd the tread
mill has been evolved from the believed
necessity TO keep prisoners employed An
engineer, IL London. who had seen =
wheel turned by convicts in q PTussian
prison had elongated tbs wheel into q
treadmiH which mad become utilized in
various British jails. and this sugges-
ton having Detn made to Mayor Allen
ne referred the matter 70 the corsidera-
ton of Two wsll-Fnown Quaker citizens
Of the metropolis. Stephen Greliett and
Isaac Collins. who set 70 work consci-
entiously To study up the matter in the
interest alike OF justice scd OF mercy
And II ever there breathed two kindly
hearted rlen men who aimed &c do right
their names were Grei:ett and Collins;
but good intentions are net safeguards
against mistakes--nore s the pity.
Modes Of punishment are like modes
Of cooking or receipts fer ailments no
one can decide on their merits TIL They
have been practically tested. OF course
Messrs- Greliett and Collins could not
at least, die not-aprly the test in this
instance. They, however, honestly con-
ceived the idea that working q tread
nil was not 4 very severe or painful
thing in itself, while il was an ecouomi-
cal arrangement. The prisoner had mere
~ TO move his or her feet steadily. and
by this treading a great deal OF gain
could be ground with trifiing expense
While the cost of a thoroughly efficient
trcaGmiil was very much .ess than the
amount Of profit that could be secured
by ito say nothing of the moral ef-
feet Of the constant enforced industry
upon the prisoners. So Tie Two kind
hearted theorists warmly recommended
the use of The treadmiu the mayor. on
their recommendation. earnestly suggest
ed its adoption by the common council
and the council. acting on the may or :
suggestion, at cnce authC rized the intro
duction OF a treadmll in Bellevue, at
the foot of East TYvel.ty-thifd street.
where the penitentiary was then located.
So deeply impress sed were the Dhilau-
thropists of the day with the humanity
rs well as the economy, of the treadmhl
that no less q man than Thomas Eddy.
a prominent gentleman of high repute.
and also a leading Quaker. made the
plans for the machine while the MAYOR.
in person luperintended the getting il
ready and the erection of a building for
its use. The press, from time to time.
noted the progress of the work and
when all was ready, there was a general
rejoicing. as If Christianity and civilza-
ton mad taken step onward in the
treadmill
The house for the novel machine was
built of stone. two stories and half high
with four rooms each one with a wheel in
it, Two wheels, upstairs, were for the use
Of the female prisoners and two. down.
stairs, were for the men. The wheels were
Of iron, about sixteen feet in circumfer-
ence, and from eight to sixteen prisoners 1
could be working the wheels al the same
time. Probably il was the first occasion /
on which philanthropic men ever cele- |
brated the introduction of an instrument /
Of punishment: but. looking upon the !
tread-miu as destined to serve the joint !
purpose Of economy and humanity, three !
eminent Quakers. Greliett, Collins and Ed /
1y. with the mayor and common council. I
attended the opening at the tread-mill 1
almost joyously, and for a while it seemed (
to justify their expectation. a good deal /
Of work was done. Thare We're no idle I
prisoners; they could not shirk their work. 4
for in a tread-mill it is mere material /
weight that tells. It required no skilled /
Dor; anybody. everybody, could work /
read-mill. It proved great economy. Its /
advocates We're proud OF it. 1t was the
deal punishment.
But time rolled on. and the wheels roll
ID on, and il began to be proved by pTac
.ical experience that there were many
serious objections to the tread-mill IT
was found to be fraught with exceeding
1ain-a pain that was intensified b. its
;teadiness. and amounted 20 torture.
Then it was proved TO be positively ruiz
nus to the female physique. Doctors pro-
ested against it: women actually died
rom it; others were made invalids for life.
Then the press began 10 condemn the ''ex-
remes' to which it had been carried;
extremes indeed. for on tread-rnill days
he public had got into the habit Of going
o Bellevue TO see the prisoners work the.
machine, just as if the poor devils were
,aid public performers; and these tread
Mill" machines-as they might be called
became quite the rage, and were ccrtinly
Is demoralizing 10 the spectators as they
must have been humiliating to the actors
And public opinion began 70 veer around.
md at last set dead against the tread
mill.
When Geenral la Fayette made his sec
nd visit TO the United States. the CON-
nittee of the common council under
whose charge ne was being shown the in
titutiOns of the city. took him through
Mill in operation. aQd that genuine lover
4 his race did not like the sight Of hui
nan beings doing beasts work. So he
sked the representatives Of the common
ouncil who ACCOMPANIED him IL they
would not ask their associates. as a per
onal favor To him, to take steps 20 bring
bout an abandonment Of The treadmnl
ruelty: and the conveyance Of this mes
age from Ia Fayette to the members Of
~ common council was effective.
After the tread-mill had been abandoned.
was determined to employ the cOnvicts
pom public works. and accordingly. they
-ere sent IN chain gangs 70 grade Third
venue. The prisoners engaged 81 this
York We're carefully guarded. and were
esides 50 Handicapped with ali sorts ri .
risou paraphrenalia that they could hard
= move at ali. much less escape They s
-ere fastened BIZ q big ox-chaiu 90 3
eavy shackle. which they wore. The
hackle was fastened 70 the ankle. while
be chain was coiled around their waist,
I'd vas securely fastened 20 an iron cir .
let supported 10y thei- bodies. There
-as also a strap across the knee % hold
be chain III it's place. An extra bad pr.s-
ner you'd have 10 addition 10 az % this. !
hau and chain the bail in this case .
elEhing fits pounds In few Instances. /.
ven. this weight was Increased ans a re- /,
factory convict in hroiiing a.. ~ in ?
fnters cold in the stres| % NeH YORK. Z
lund his lot as hard ~ that ~ the
aliey-siaves ~ old Europe william
aldwelL
A Scheme That Failed. q
Took here. said 3 suffolk farmer % = e
Send. ~Tm going % kli rs pig h1t