The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1903-11-28

creatures born to crime, and therefore,
perhaps no more responsible for their
deeds than other lunatics. Doubtless
the iron hand of environment-the force
of circumstances that none of us can al
together escape-led most of these into
error. 1t is a question sad as puzzling,
whether crime should be treated as a
disease, a sort of mental or moral lep-
rosy, and a cure sought for it, rather
than punishment. Certain it is that
if the majority of CHILEAN rotoc (the
word literally translated meaning ''rag-
ged people," here used to designate the
poorer class), were confined for term
of years in the Santiago penitentiary,
their condition would be vastly bet
tered. They would be sure of sufficient
food, clothes and shelter, which are
very uncertain blessings in their pres
ent state; besides being compelled to
keep tolerably clean for the first time in
their lives, and made to work at some
thing useful. In the penitentiary all
are obliged to learn trades-black-
esmithing, carpentering, shoe making,
etc. There is a school also where even
the oldest and most densely ignorant
are taught to read and write; and a
chapel where all receive religious in
structions. After a year or two here,
the roto who came in ragged, dirty and
worthless to a degree, may go forth
clothed and in his right mind" having
formed new habits, of neatness and in
dustry, and with a resource against fu-
ture want in the trade he has learned.
Nor is this all. Those who never in
their palmiest days of freedom pos
sessed a dollar that they did not steal,
may actually have money laid up with
which to begin life anew. Good con-
duct does not count here toward short
ening ones term, but extra diligence in
weli-dofng is paid for in money. The
men are kept steadily at work; but by
exerting themselves they may accom-
plish much more than the amount re-
quired, and for every extra bit they are
fairly paid. In the shoe department,
for example, the contractors, who pay
the government so much per annum for
working the prisoners. encourage the
men to their best efforts. by keeping a
careful account of exactly how much
each accomplishes every day. A siipu-
lated sum is paid FOR so much work;
and if a man doubles the amount. as
many do, it is so much the better for all
concerned. A workman easily makes
from thirty to fifty cents a day, and
the amount is charged to his credit
The money Is not put into his hands,
but ticket representing that sum. If
he fails to do a reasonable amount, or
spoils material through carelessness,
something is deducted from the money
he, has already earned, and he may be
otherwise punished. Though strongly
advised to hoard his funds until the day
of release, he may spend it if he likes
The regular prison food is better and
more abundant than most of them have
been accustomed to outside; but on
certain days market people are allowed
to come in and sell tobacco, fruit
dulces, etc., and there is no law to pre-
vent the men from spending all they
can earn in this way. Once in three
months each prisoner may have visitors,
and then his relatives and friends, If he
has any, flock to see him. Many Of
them are glad to have saved up a re-
spectacle sum to give the wife and
children. or the aged parent, who per-
haps have sadly missed their support.
Said the superintendent: "If a prison.
er's term is long, 1t is not uncommon
for for him to have credit for from two
to five hundred. dollars, which is paid
him in cash on the day of his discharge
This, with a good trade at his fingers
ends and the thrifty habits he has ac-
quired, makes a new man of him; and
if he gets into mischief again it is due
has been long accustomed to the quiet
and order that reigns here, he has for
gotten how to think for himself, and
even his former name has become
strange to him. When first turned
adrift into the world, even with money
in his pocket, he feels an overpowering
sense of helplessness; and many come
back and beg to be taken in again."
But there is another side to the pic
ture-one so dark and terrible that as
We contemplated it the bright day
seemed suddenly overcast, the sun
ceased to shine and the birds to sing.
In this splendid model building there
are Shiny, noisome cells where daylight
never enters, in which human beings
are literally buried alive. We request
ed to be shown one of these cells. The
gentlemanly superintendent denied that
there were any such and showed us the
of two or three twilight cells,
which he said were the worst in the
penitentiary and designed for those
condemned to solitary confinement.
But we knew better; and later, the jul
dicious investment of dollar induced a
subordinate officer to give us a glimpse
of what we came to see. Under the
arches of the enormously thick
walls, where perpetual twilight reigns
even in the outside rooms, are inner
cells, two feet wide by six feet long,
destitute of single article of furniture.
Until recently those confined in them
were walled in, the bricks being &C.
mented in places over the living tomb.
Now there is a thick iron door, which
is securely nailed up, then fastened all
around with huge clamps, exactly as
vaults are closed in the Santiago ceme-
terry; and over all the great red seal of
The government is p1aced-not tn he ra-