The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-05-30
SOME CRITICISM IS PASSED
INSANE PERSONS SHOULD NOT BE
KEPT IN PRISON.
Deputy Warden Barnard Exonerated
from Charge of Brutality
Other Findings.

the Governor was signed by all the men,
bers of the board. II returns answers to
the four charges brought by DR.. Brose
Horne against Deputy Warden Barnard
and after exhaustive comments on prison
conditions closes with important recon-
mendations to the Governor.
The report eXonerates Deputy Warden
Barnard from the charge OF malicious bru-
tality toward prisoners 1t does not find
that he has habitually violated the rules of
the institution. 1t states that the punish
ments at the institution are not cruel and
inhuman. 1t declares that while some fric-
ton existed between DR.. Horne and Deputy
Warden Barnard, yet the orders of the
physician were usually obeyed. The report
informs the Governor that no Just COM
plant can be made Of the food served in
the prison. The food is good prison fare
and ample in quantity. Only one instance
was found where tainted meat was used.
The report strongly condemns the custom
of keeping insane prisoners in the institu-
ton and impresses upon the Governor the
necessity or recommending to the next
Legislature that proper provision be made
for the care of insane prisoners The work.
ings of the parole board have been salts
factory, the report states, and no case was
shown in which prisoner was kept in the
institution who should have been paroIed.
The report commends strongly the adj
ministration of the departments of the
prison. Special stress was laid on the gem
eral neatness and good repair of the prison.
The system of bookkeeping was found to be
model. In general the whole report fails
to bear out in any way the sweeping
charges made by the ex-prson physician.
While deploring unsatisfactory conditions.
the Board of State Charities does not find
that these conditions are the fault of the
officers of the prison.
THE BOARDS REPORT.
After few pages devoted to a narration
of the manner in which the investigation
was conducted, the report takes up the
charges made by DR.. Horne and answers
them as follows:
In some instances the rules as printed
have not been fully enforced The evil
dence was not clear in few cases whether
the men were examined by the physician
before they were assigned to work The
physician has not recently been inspecting
the cells in the cellhouses. In some cases
pfo1ane language was used by the officers
1t should be stated that the rules have not
been revised for several years and in some
particulars conditions have changed and
some or them have become obsolete. They
should be revised and brought up to date
They should be fully enforced toward both
officers and inmates.
The charge that the prisoners were
treated with malicious brutality was not
borne out by the evidence. 1t is difficult
Tor one who has not visited the prison
to understand, even in superficial way
the complicated conditions existing by
reason OF the confinement of a number of
unfortunate insane in the same dollhouse
with many who are sound in mind. Some
Oh tnese insane are very noisy, others are
and not infrequently one will
make vicious assault upon an officer or
other inmate.
''of. the six convicts said to have been
struck five were insane The evidence
showed that two of these insane men who |
were violent were struck by officers. This |
was admitted by them, but they said il
was done In each case in self-defense
In the case of Catlin, while we have no |
doubt he was disturbed and perhaps vio-
lent we cannot believe, from the nature
hictsd. We believe that the deputy war |
den is at fault for not thoroughly fnvesti- |
eating this case and making a full written |
report as is contemplated in Rule 6. Page 4.
book OF rules.
I'm another case. not mentioned in the |
that of an insane convict il |
was shown that he attempted to assault |
an officer, and was struck by him with |
his The officer is not now in the |
employ Of the prison
While we do not find that Deputy War
den Barnard is maliciously brutal he is /
a strict disciplinarian, and in some cases |
had doubtless been severe According to |
the rules of evidence, we find the charges |
are not proven against Mr.. Barnard, yet /
at the same time, from other knowledge, |
we believe that in a few instances he has /
been at fault
INSANE PERSONS.
1--WE feel that the conditions existing
which permit insane men to be kept in
his prison merit the severest condemna-
ion. Let us look at them. This institu-
ion is a prison for old offenders and
labitual criminals. The discipline must
De strict. Obedience is required Failure
20 obey the rules brings punishment. In
extreme cases this is sometimes severe
md necessarily so. There are two cell
houses, each of which is one large room.
N each room Is cell block, containing
go cells, with near 400 prisoners I'm them |
Thirty or more of these men are believed
o be insane. The rules prohibit talking,
singing, making any noise. or creating a
I'll, the insane and the sane. The
esult is that disturbances arise the |
guards try TO quell them and are often
Ibused. and sometimes assaulted by those |
insane. Sometimes the guard and |
Ometimes the prisoner is hurt Sometimes |
he guard is TO blame.
The insane are all in the south cell
louse. All the complaints Of brutality re-
erred TO persons in that building. None
vas heard from the north dollhouse.
1T Is shame that any insane person
hould be kept in a prison. He cannot be
properly provided for therein. There are
20 facilities for proper care and no chance
or medical treatment The prison guards
ave usually no experience with insane If
ne or these unfortunateS becomes dis
urbed at night his noise keeps awake men
\ the dollhouse who have worked hard all
ay and need their sleep. For several wears
asst We have called attention TO the need
I proper provision for the insane crimi-
ais. The results of this Investigation
how conclusively that the State is to
lame and impress upon us the necessity
stating this need TO you as strongly as
re can in the hope that you will make a
unfairly strong recommendation to the
ext Legislature.
Under the law no insane man can COM
hit a crime. Yet We were assured that
everal persons were insane when received
the prison, and doubtless We're SO when !
One was insane when released
rom the institution and was resentenced /
D II few days afterward
I'VE did not find that punishments are
ruel and inhuman. For minor offenses |
ne penalty is deprivation of privileges. !
Dr. greater ones the loss Of grade from
'hich IL requires three months of good /
Onduct TO regain ones standing For the |
lore serious offenses the only punishment |
confinement in the solitary cells These
re lighted. clean, well ventilated and Dro- |
ided with a closet. There the prisoner |
lands handcuffed at the door about eleven
ours each day. At night he may lie upon |
ne floor OF the cell. He Is fed upon short !
atoms of bread and water
In one case prisoner with varicose
eins In his legs was punished; in an j