Sunday Washington globe., 1902-02-09

ands working under foremen, superintend-
ents and guards; ruddy with the glow Of
herce furnaces the air spangled with sparks
from hammers-hand trip and steain-and
resonant with the music of machinery At
night all is changed the music Of the in
dustrial century is silent, the benches are
empty the starlight looks in az the windows
and gints the steel with faint luster, the
hres lie broodiug, banked and treacherous,
but ready TO burst into flames on the least
chance. The couscript workmen are
crowded into the cellhouses, that look like
three cathedIals, lit up to the roof while
others are in the dormitory, unbolted and
unbared
While the sun is of duty the whole in.
stitution is under the imme diate charge of
the captain OF the night watch Since this
administration began, guards have been
stationed at night on the walls Formerly
they patrolled the enclosure, and several
escapes Of TRUSTEES over the walls have oc-
cured. With hundred men sleeping out
Of cells in the dormitOry and elsewhere,
the responsibility of the captain Of the
night watch has been greatly increased
with that Of the night captain OF the guard
room, whose duties, being substantially the
same as those Of the day captain, have
already been described.
The sentiment Of chivalrous regard for
the weaker sex and the reverence men
entertain for the name Of Mother" alike
tend to produce an unwillingness OH their
parts to punish women who violate the law.
IL is probably true that men, in the mass
are more wicked than women at any rate
there are only fortY.three of the latter IN
carcerated in this institution az the present
time, They are in building separated
from the main prison by high wall-prac-
tically another prison altogether The
matron and assistant matrou know how TO
administer an establishment Of this some
what complex character admirably. and
have been the means, under Warden
Cofin's oversight, Of greatly alleviatiug the
lot Of their unfortunate charges, while the
whole place has been remOdeled from one
end to the other. 1t used to be a hard
looking place, indeed, and while not
palatial even now in its appointments, nor
as luxurious as a ooudoir, it is far more
comfortable than il used to be. The girls
that is to say all the female prisoners-are
kept busy in laundry work and sewing, and
Warden Coffin found that for four years
they had not even a clothes-wTinger, but
were compelled to DO the large amount Of
wringing necessary by muscular force.
The department was a cheeTless plac in
those days, and, 10 say the least, not
school Of highly reformative influences.
II is not easy to believe that in the latter
part Of the nineteenth century, in the en-
lightened United States, the women prison
ers were subjected to corporal punishment,
but it is true. Until Warden Coffin took
the reins. refractory women were beaten
and whipped, sometimes with great sever
ity. But all that is changed now, and kind
ness wears her crown and receives the
homage of cheerful smiles aud exemplary
conduct as much in this as other depart
ments, bidding the imprisoned soul look
up and take comfort.
Wear rather in thy bonds cheerful
brow.
II would be easy to enumerate and en-
large upon other kindly deeds of the warden
and board of managers, such as providing a
special table for a large number OF men
whose health requires that they should
have a lighter and more varied diet than that
which il provided By the regular prison
fare; the extension Of hall permits and
other privileges priced by prisoners, but
enough have been described already
Suffice it to say that, while in an institu.
tuition where many men of weak mind are
certain to be entertained, where disgrace
enters with every newcomer, and despair
with many of them, suicides are to be ex-
pected, but during the four wears of this
administration there have been only one
eighth as many suicides as occurred during
the preceding four years. This IS traceable
to the hope that has been enkindled in the