The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1903-08-14
NO. 49,.

With reference to the purchase of
supplies Legal notice is not given in
any newspaper inviting competitive
bids; the board does not tabulate the
name OF each bidder and the amount
OF his bid on the minutes of the
board. nor even tabulate the name OF
the successful bidder on the Official
record; neither do they preserve the
original bid OF the unsuccessful bidder.
The only exceptions found to this on
the official record ia the record made
OF the successful bidder for the meat
and fuel contracts.
The board. in a general way. makes
a record to cover all transactions
which appear on the official record, as
; follows:
The books ~ the general superintendent
. and all accounts. vouchers and documents
connected Herewith were carefully exam
lned and found 10 be correct.
, That this Is loose way for keeping
. Of official records for public institu-
, tions must be apparent.
This is all there is at this time with
reference to the business end OF the
institution.
Reformatory Only In Name.
As TO the reformatory and sanitary
, conditions Of the institution you will
find:
This institution was made reform
atory il April. 1897. Since that time
It has been a reformatory only In name
i, and not in fact. In the first place.
, some of the same conditions as to
, handling the prisoners exist now that
, existed twenty-five years ago. and the
very thing that Is a night0are to re-
J formatory officials who are honest In
. their work. that Is. the lock-step and
use OF the ball and chain for punish
!. ment II Is true that these antiquated
methods are not used In all cases OF
punishment. but they are used on some
inmates every day in the year. and
the baneful effect is felt upon officer
and inmate alike.
No attention Is now or has been
given in the last six years to
separating the young boys from six
teen to twenty from the more expe-
rienced men in crime.
With a cell that ie heated and venti-
lated at large expense to the State
for each man In the institution. you
will still find two prisoners in one cell.
which Is admitted by wellinformed
; superintendents 10 be one OF the worst
conditions that can exist in such in
e stitutions
You will find large number Of in
mates afflicted with tuberculosis. and
that no attention has been given to
r this class OF prisoners with a view
: Of placing them In separate cell.
E house and in separate cells where spe-
cial treatment and exercise can be
e given them, but they are permitted
3 to be scattered all over the institu-
+ ton until all the cell-houses and cells
are permeated with the germs Of this
disease: and to make this condition
worse. the bedclothing and bedding Is
; not aired for months at a time and
9 never taken out and given q sun bath,
= The present mode of punishment is
known as solitary confinement. which
: consists OF Handwriting the inmate to
barred door OF darkened cell with
practically no ventilation for twelve
; hours. and the remaining twelve hours
he is compelled to stay in this dark
ened and poorly-ventilated place with
his hands free This he must do for a
number OF days at a time. His diet
consists OF four ounces OF bread and
: two quarts of water per day.
Owing to the total absence Of light
in these cells and the vitiated air due
to q poorly-constructed ventilafing sy ~
tenn. the inmates physical condition is
so reduced that his powers Of resist,
ance are brought TO very low ebb,'
thus making him an easy victim to the
ravages of the diseases. and as q
natural result the contracting OF tuberI
: culosis In some instances. while In
others. who have either the above,
named disease. or syphilis. II is con,
duciye to the rapid development Of the
same. One day when was there there
were seventeen inmates In these cells,
and another day there were eight
These conditions should be corrected
as soon as possible by using we'll,
lighted and well-ventilated cells for
punishment. which in the Judgment of
experienced men does not lessen the,
punishment. but will materially re-.
duce the deleterious effects.
II must not be all sentiment on the
question OF punishment. Just and hu-
name punishment should be meted out
to all violators Of law. and with such
, system and regularity that the offender
will not want to arain return to prison
We should be very careful in the
granting Of paroles. no outside infiu-
ence. either personal or political.
should be allowed in the granting OF
any parole. We should feel that our
duty to the people OF Indiana lies as
, much In keeping these who are not
susceptible to reform methods within
, the walls OF the reformatory for pc
RODS justly commensurate with their
: crime, a. II does In letting good pris-
A.