The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-04-24

B and c. OF these 4 is the newest and IS
equipped with all of the latest improve
Dollhouse A is the largest and is fitted
with two tiers of cells. II has a large
hall through the center of the building and
the floors are OF iron. on both sides OF this
hall are arranged the cells and the doors
TO these all open and shut automatically
This is controlled at the end of the tier.
where the guard on duty has simply 10
move a lever and every door in that
range Of cells is shut and locked and in
the morning he has simply 10 shove the
lever in another direction and the doors
are all opened and the inmates march out
10 their breakfast.
At night the Reformatory looks like a
sleeping city. The lights are all eXtin-
guished at o'clock. with the exception OF
those In the yard, which. OF course, are
kept lighted all night. The only persons
astir after the hour for closing are the
night guards and some prison officials who
nave received leave TO go 10 the city TO
spend the evening
c. a. Phillips is captain OF the night
watch. and IL Is his duty TO look after the
institution when everyone has retired. He
/ also watches the time that any Of the men
VINO are out may come In and makes a re-
port. This Is done SO that regularity and
dlscipllne may be secured among the en-
ployes of the institution. Great attention
Is paid 10 the conduct of the employees and
dissipation among them will not be toler-
ated under any circumstances.
An interesting procedure which occurs
at the Reformatory is when the parole
BOARD meets. The object OF this body is
10 consider the men who are eligible to be
paroled from the institution. AT the last
meeting forty men were brought before
this board.
In hearing these cases each one is consid-
cred separately and each mans conduct
Is thoroughly investigated. His past rec
ORD ana history are shown, of which a
strict account has been kept and those
whose conduct shows evidence OF reforma-
ton are liberated on probation for one year.
Nothing can be more thorough and exact
than of
kindness and consideration in keeping with
prison discipline is shown 1.-The way OF the
transgressor is hard and no man thor
oughly anxious to redeem himself could
hope to elude the vigilance of the members
of the board.
Rev E NJ Laycock the Catholic mis-
sionary Of North Carolina, was a recent
visitor at the Reformatory where he gave
a mission TO the Catholic inmates. of which
there are about one hundred. Father
Laycock was greatly pleased with the in
StitutiOn and had end of praise for the
superintendent and his assistants. The
days any everything was done to make his
stay as enjoyable as possible.
After leaving Father Laycock had quite
a long article in the Catholic Columbian
Record concerning this visit 10 the prison
and dealt lengthily with the manner I'm
which the institution is managed and the
excellent condition in which he found
everything.
AN INTERESTING PERSON.
One of the most interesting personages
around the Reformatory is DIT. II. l..
Sharp. the physician. He is criminologist
Of much experience, devotes much time
to the study of the subject and has thor
oughly at heart the work in which he is en-
gagged In fact he seems 10 look upon his
duties more in the light Of vocation and
leaves no stone unturned TO advance his
knowledge. DIR. Sharp is firm believer in
heredity and has gained quite a reputation
for the masterful way in which he deals
with the subject. He has delivered numer-
Gus addresses before medical societies and
has had number of his papers reproduced
in the various medical journals.
In an article which DR. Sharp recently
wrote for the New York Medical Journal
he sets forth some very interesting facts
concerning inheritance. In this he says:
How forcibly II impresses us If we stop
to observe the rapid proportional increase
of dependents. Take the criminal class
alone for the past fifty years We find that
in 1850 there were 6737 criminals I'm the
United States, or one 10 each 2,442 OF the
population; while in 1880 the penal popula-
ton Is shown to be $3.50, or one to each
957 of the population.
This is of the criminal alone. IL all
dependents were considered. such as in
habit public and private insane hospitals,
almshouses ana institutions for the feeble
minded, we should find the proportion To be
in tho neighborhood of one to 800 of the
population. Too much stress cannot be
placed upon the present danger TO the
race. The public must be made 10 see that
/ radical methods are necessary and the
| legislatures will have 10 be prevailed upon
| to enact laws will restrict marriages
| among this class of people who are not
mentally healthy"
The officers who have charge of the Re-
| formatory are: w. III. Whitaker, general
I superintendent: NJ. NJ. Barnard, assistant
superintendent: Fred II. Pagler. chief
clerk; H. c. Sharp, physician; j. NJ. Com
fort. chaplain and state agent. The board
of managers is composed OF l.. Il. Newly.
of Knightstown; u. J. Crittenberger, OF
Anderson; Or. II. c. Hobbs, of Salem, and
| ID. J. Terhune, OF Linton.