The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-04-04
THE NORTHERN PRISON MANAGE
lent.

The situation at the Michigan City Prison
is probably a case of great smoke and little
fire. We say probably. because the exact
truth has not yet come out as 1T should
after a searching investigation. The
charges made by DR.. Horne against Deputy
Warden Barnard and the prison guards are
very vague. Though made in sweeping
terms, they are lacking in specifications,
and they all seem TO rest on hearsay evil
dence. DR.. Horne says that 1.-The rules laid
down for the management of the prison are
habitually violated; that the attitude of
the officers in immediate charge toward
convicts is one of malicious brutality; that
the convicts are abused and treated with
cruelty far beyond their deserts; that pun
ishments inflicted are cruel and inhuman
and are the result of righteousness and
spite rather than any systematic effort to
maintain the discipline of the institution
or to bring about the reformation of the
prisoners" Such charges merely indicate
a difference of opinion between DR.. Horne
and the management as to what prison
management should be. In the absence Of
EpCGAllCdNiOIS thCg iAOhAAN " N0S IN
DIR. Horne does not say he has been an
eyewitness to any case of brutality or
cruelty, but he intimate that he can prove
his charges by convicts. Such testimony is
worth very little. Every person who has
had to do with prisons or with newspapers
knows how ready convicts and e%x-convicts
are to testify against prison management.
They always represent themselves as vic
tins of tyranny and abuse. The fact that
DIR. Horne. while an officer of the prison,
was encouraging such condolences from con-
victs and collecting evidence to sustain
charges which he must then have intended
to make is not to his credit. other charges
that he makes, as that the department of
which he had charge was constantly inter
fered with, that he was hindered in the
performance of his duties. that his recon-
mendations were disregarded. etc, all
carry a strong flavor Of personal spite.
He talks like a person who thinks he was
not appreciated at his true value. He says
he was appointed as a physician. and
adds. II am a member of the State Fedora
ton OF Labor and an opponent of convict
contract labor" Most physicians are not
members of the Federation of Labor and
do not trouble themselves about the con-
vict-labor question. A man with so many
hobbies is apt to give trouble i'm a subor-
dinate position.
But while there is reason to believe there
Is little or no foundation for DIR. Horne's
charges there is enough in them or on their
face to call for the investigation which the
Governor has ordered to be made and
which will be made as soon as practicable.
If the truth and the bottom facts furnish
a complete vindication for the officers and
management, so much the better for them
TO nave the truth brought out. Charges of
this kind, even though they may be vague
and unsupported, involve the reputation of
the State, and it is of more Importance to
protect that than the reputation of any in
dividual. An incipient or an alleged scan
dal can never be averted by suppressing
any part of the truth. Publicity is the best
protection for all concerned, and the peo-
pie have a right to expect it whenever the
management of public affairs or institu-
tons is attacked. Therefore, fimsy as DR..
Horne's charges seem to be, and founda-
tionless as they probably are, they should
be investigated and the full results OF the
investigation be made known.