New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-03-06


now in the building whose agas - Joys
ten to eighteen years. take their resua,io. I'm
or twenty minutes duration i'm detac,s- ~a<
fourteen. and one Of the courts set a,o.. %
thls purpose Is so arranged that the 49,. 'r
solitude Is not broken even here e.
moves IN an Isolated compartment. and a.. e'a
ger on duty in the turret has each on '-
observation. que unier
me schoolrOom is perhaps the r,oss
feature OF the place. II Is Fitted with ,r.> =
urea Httle cells placed in an amphitheaf-a
eaCh OF which the teacher can be seen -.
every other cell is entirely invisible. Tn n.'
take their places one by one the first co-. s-p1'
cupy1ng the furthest cell. and the 40. !. ~
Ing his own door opens that Of the next 40, ''Os-
so on round the semicircIe The lesson = ant
in profound silence. only the voice OF the s.s sea
being heard SAener
An enterprising young American woma,
describes day spent in this melancbolv .'- -u'
II called at $50 a. m. AT O'Clock - -, "
gins. Some make purses or labels =,
thread beads for the artificial flower ,,.,.--
wreaths so much in vogue In Parts. -o.s-
again. make dolls houses and cram
which they paid. three. four or 1--WE csD,.- ~
apiece. according to size. Some good wo-s.~,
will In this way earn as much as a franz = A.
cents. day, but only the half OF thu srou..
Is paid over to the prisoner. Another tusr.-
ment is offered to the workers In the sbaD. !.
good conduct marks. and every tenth s,-r -
seven who have earned the most OF thss. -
marks get a voucher emitting the bo,s.-
to quarter OF Htre Of wine. At f03o ~.
who so wish repair 70 the schooIroom so- a.
sons. Then comes the twenty minute wan !.
the yard; then work again until $50 -
when all are sent to bed.
The prison diet, somewhat Spartan IN cs.--
acter' includes for those over sixteen year, A.
age two meals day; the first. at o a. m. can.
sists OF soup and vegetables. and the second. a.
p m. Of vegetable only. with the addit,op -
300 sramnes Of bread apiece day. and twic.,
week a dish Of meat 1.-TWO hundred gramr.,
apiece. The younger boys are fed NOR. ann
dainty. They get soup at a. m, SCUM ana
vegetables at IL a. m. and a vegetabls again J,
D. m, with meat on Sundays. Tussaav. aos
Thursdays All the food Is good OF tn k,rS
Refractory prisoners are after due warning uur
upon dry bread diet. with solitary confinement
in the dungeons.
All these four hundred boys. however ars
not criminals. A certain number are here tor
what Is called 'paternal correction and drastic
though the means employed seem to be. tia
excellent results had been obtained. He quoted
the case OF young law student who could no,
be induced by his family to break an undo
siraole connection. He was placed at La Petlts
Roquette. and the first day OF solitary eonane-
ment broks him down completely On the sixth
day. by tins advice OF his warder he was re-
moved to his home. and hts father has had 10
further cause 70 complain Of his son. Such sub
tects as these are known only by numbers their
names md origin being carefully kept from the
knowlsdge Of wa-ders and tailers in order that
their sojourn tn La Petite ROquetts may never
IN the future be cast up against them.
But. however carefully the prison may Be-
administered. there Is little doubt that the whole
system Is a most pernicious one Statistics
prove that solitary confinement IS responsible
Tor the terribly large percentages OF feeble wittsd
children IN the criminal classes. and the long
hours spent seated IN the cell over purely me-
ehanicaI task develop at precocious age alb
normal vices"
II Is pleasant TO turn from the French prison
system, with all It's painful suggestions. to ths
admirable work-dus IN the first instance 20
private Initiative. and now carried on BY ths
state-for the released prison child Orphans
children abandoned by their parents or those
whose family circle Is vicious are sent to an
agricultural colony" where they receivs
moral. religious and technical education car
rted on simultaneously with a healthy. open ar
life IN the fields As many as possible ar'
trained 10 AGRICULTURAL work. but others adopt
trade: all are kept IN the colony until they Gs
thorouehly fitted for freedom and Independence
n, the first OF these Colonies" that Of Mettray'
IN the Department Of Indre ct Loir. has prov'd
succsszf,L and a number OF clever young ne
ebantes have been graduated from the insu-
,ut,on- Another penal colony is estaohsne'
ON the island Of Bene-ile-en-NIer. Here youns
sailors are recruited for the French Navy anu
mercantile marine. Nine. Sarah Bsrnnaiu-
vho has a summer residence near the masn'
raforrn school Of Ben-Te-en-Mer. takes sre4' -.
,srsst IN il. and has subscribed literally to"sia
| tfs support. -