Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1904-11-17

| from two 10 six In cell 10 New haup-
shire, in Vermont from four TO six, In
/ Massach usotts from 10 10, In Maryland
and New Jersey from 10 to II, In New
York city II, and worst OF all in Penn
sylvauia from 20 TO 81. In Philadelph-
la, the "City OF Brotherly Love-" the
prisoners had only coffin room or 2xo,
aud in Massachusetts many Of the cells
did not furnish room for pallet.
During the hot weather OF July, 1925,
80 convicts were confined In a Connecti- |
cut prison only 21X7 and seven feet high |
with only two small openings for ven
tilation. For more than fifty years Ia
the state Of Connecticut there was an
undergrown prison in the mining PITS
OF the hills near Smpsburg, which sur.
passed IN horrors anything known in
European or American prisons. Anoth-
er was the kewgAtc prison which was
entered by ladder into a cavern on the
hillside with water trickling like
tears from is sides
often great collars of iron were plac-
ed around the necks Of the prisoners,
or they we're placed in stocks unable
10 move their feet or their feet were
chained to the floor and their heads to
beams above. Others we're confined in
cells only three or four feet high, and
thus they were forced to walk on their
hands and feet Tor years until 1t be-
came impossible for them to walk other
: wise when their term expired Other
cells were larger but with from one to
5 two thousand in cell. Then worse
l still IN many Of the states they We're
, either branded with a letter in the fore
t head, or the name of the state or prison
. pat on their arms, or with one or both
o ears cut off, or even whipped until the
: blood would stream from tueir backs
and limbs like perspiration from har-
= vest hand, and in many states they
# were punished by death for from ten to
8 thirty-three crimes.
i Besides the millions of dollars ex-
pense yearly to each state and the ter
d rible deeds, it was awful to contemplate
l. the untold lumber Of the accused,
o which numbered some thousands of
boys and girls, many of whom were I'M
% der age. And many of these were turn
l. ed out educated in most terrible
% sins, and then think of the sick,
e the feeble and the insane dying from
1t lack of warm tn or protecting care.
Ie Yet all OF these are but one atom in
n the universe of sin.
s. 1t is mpossible TO the human mind tt
ID think OF the unbounded uncomfortable
a universe of sin as it is for u person who
It, has never looked through telescope OF
lie studied single science or has never
IN been ten miles from home, as 1T is to
IL him to conceive of the greatness of tht
III natural universe or the smallness of al
or atom.
49, What glorious thought and plea
IN SAINT privilege it is to listen TO th'
ke names of Washington, Jefferson, Han
of cock, franklin, Fulton, Edison, Irving
N Longfellow, Haynes, Webster, Clay
|
yh they are cried from every mountai
lg, peak, from every river bank, fror
every pulpit, from every platform, tror
IL every university, from every field an
lui from every door of America.
'h' Yet we never hear mention made Z
III Rev. DIR. Rogers who forclbly entere
ire Philadelphia prison, using a canno
ST. as an argument, as the first great A
we merican prison reformer, or anythin
re- said of Edward Livingston, his grea
JUS co-worker Yet without the courag
'os and power OF the silent these me
would not have succeeded in the wor
lgS until we have the best system know
ais to civilized nations.
en- The stocks and dungeon, the viii
TO- ping, the branding and the marking al
ep' done away with and only one crime
Tue punishable by death and the insane al
oW unfortunate are we'll cared for in we
es' ventilated, well-kept rooms in separa
IFS classes aud cells; and now in many pr
Cne sons are libraries worth from one to 81
no' thousand dollars and with moral trea
'uf- ment and moral encouragement.
ley Whose names, save those of the K
ich volution and the Silent Factor, shou
can be more familiar and greater inspir
n.y. tion to the American people than Il
al Rev. Dr. Rogers and Edward Livingsto
orc The rudest people east of the Miss
TO sippi in the mountains of New 70
lelr were the last to accept some of the
OF reforms.
ns0 In spite of the many lessons taug
'0H by the Prison Reform League for I
power of the nation, the growth of Ct
ilization, humanity and christiani
' and the power of the silent, for me
~, than forty years they could scarce S
any result from their labors. Still th
pressed forward against the spears a
javelins of cruelty with sympathy a
love gushing from their hearts, wi
the courage of Abraham when he v
about TO offer his only son as a bun
offering. May praise forever be to tn
faith and courage in making human