The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-10-30
KANGAROO COURTS IN JAIL.
CRIMINAL RULE ENCOURAGED II
PRISONS IN TEXAS.

Every Prisoner Subject to the Cat.o'.Nine-
Tails for Refusing to obey the Rules
Drawn Up by Prisoners ana COnniyed
At by the jail Oniclals Generally.
AUSTIN. Tex, Oct. i29s-The victory OF
the Sheriff of Harris county, Tex. over the
kangaroo court" Of the prisoners confined
In the Jail Of thar county has had the result
OF bringing before the public the fact OF
the exist ence almost generally In the jails
OF this State, OF condition OF affairs that
Is startling, and the more start ling fac.
still, that many Of the Sheriffs Of the State
are in favor Of II, encourage 1t, and aid tho
prisoners in maint aiming It. This 10 the
kangaroo court"
SIN many of our jais,' said an officer
familiar with the subject. 'the prisoners
organize themselves. into body consist
ing Of a. judge, attorneys and jurymen.
They formulate rules, and fix penalties
for violations of them. These rules are
printed at the expense of the Sheriff or
county where this prison court is recog-
nized. and posted by the. Sheriff ! in the
jail Under rule OF the kangaroo court
every new prisoner who enters the Jail
must pay a fee Of 81 to the ceurts
IL he Has nov the mOuoy 6ffrpo uuapl5
to raise It. the rule is that he must suffer
the penalty OF a lashing on thai bars ba4k
with a cat-o'-nine tails, which, .tte Hherth
or jsilor furnishes. Tbs rePutttien 81
some Texas iails for the ciless tnfilction
Of this penalty is such hati2hSniA mSn
under arrest Is committed to org4 THIN
he will pledge anything he hns in order
to raise the 81 that will be dxSfted OF Gm,
in such dread does he stand OF: the pyhish-
ment that would follow. his. enterlfg the
Jail without it. 81 -
THE money thus raised by the kangaroo
court in tho jail is placed in aBeneral fund.
which is handled by member of the court
who Is elected treasurer. 1t is for the use
Of the prisoners for the purchase Of tobacco
and other personal supplies Of that kind,
but can only be drawn upon through an
order signed by the. Judge Of the court.
when q prisoner is tried and convicted
by the kangaroo court for infraction Of
the rules or on any charge that may be
brought against him. the punishment he
receives Is never a mock punishment. The
CATO -nine-tails Is the chief medium Of
punishment. and the sstrohgest prisoner
in the Jail is selected Co isy it on the victim.
The punishments of these courts are never
interfered with by the Sherifs in whose
jails the kangaroo courts are tolerated,
and, In fact, none Of these courts would per-
init Sheriff TO interiors without very
violent protest. 80 firmly Is The custom
grounded in the roudne Of county prisons
in the State aya
-In fact, this ia proved Syssass e1peri-
ence Sheriff. Anderson Of, Harris coanty
had when he started-in to deal with The
affairs of the jail OF that eounby eathdht
the aid OF the kangaroo court. The In
stitution had fourished in the Hartt 98untf
prison from time out OF mild, md held fup
f X, c sasn o aaassH t ns l.
prisoners. who were running sthttl with
high hand. II any prisoner aktenpted to
converse with iailer or With any 81 the
guards without first obtaining Permisdon
the cat-o'-nipo-tai1s. No prisoner could
send out q letter or note 10 a guard, or to
any one else. no matter how trivial the
contents OF 1t might be, without having
submitted It to the kangaroo court and
getting official permission to send 1t. II he
attempted 1t he was sentenced to the lash.
The nine men had absolute control Of all
the other prisoners and practically ran the
jail.
court that it would have to dissolve, and
that no authority would be recognized in
that Jail but that OF himself and his deputies.
Tho court hooted at him. muttnied. and re-
fused to go into its several cells that night.
Anderson and his aids forced them to the
cells after hard and bloody fight. Then the
court retaiinted by starting bedlsm Of
noises in the cells and defytng the Sheriff
to stop 1t.
1T was necessary to call out the ffro de-
partmcnt, which answered the alarm and
turned the hose on the kangaroo court
until every member Of il begged for mercy.
This was in the city of Houston. the nDm6y
seat OF Harris county. That efectpAlIy
broke up the kangaroo court budness In
Harris county. Jail, and the discussion and
publicity of it have aroused feeling against
the custom that II is expected will be fol-
lowed by legislation prohibiting, its further
recognition In the State.
.The barbarous system IL defended by
many Sherirs in Texas on the ground that
without the kangaroo court they. would
not be able I o regulate or govern the prisr
oners In their charge nor enforce cleanliness
pr"ons them Az a matter q fact, ftR stmply
subordinatine official discipline te Ems rule
Of criminals, and Is a condition the okf6tenoo
Of which is almost beyond belief