Deming graphic. (Deming, N.M.) 1903-1948, 1905-05-19
Behind Prison Bars


The interest in prison life is not
so much a human interest as de-
light in the abstract. When a man
commits crime and is ierked from
public view to a mansion Of cells,
he loses part Of his humanity and be-
comes an abstraction. His LOT is fas.
cinating TO those whose minds are
wont to fasten on system and sched'
ule. People declare their fondness
for liberty, yet to the same degree,
too, they gloat over the possibilities
Of discipline They love to examine
into the methods that one man die
tates for anothers obedience. That
is why they are vain Of written con-
situations that are cumbrous to
amend. rules, bylaws, strange man
ners Of etiquette, styles, heraldry,
caste, machine politics and countless
other inventions. The imposing Of
mathematics on humanity's infinite
wishes makes the victims interest.
ing as a puzzle. The captive In Siberia
is a more curious anu edifying object
than the tramp who has a park bench
for his sofa. The former has been
stamped with system. The cruelty
that has been practlced on him be-
comes theatrical, He interests not
because he is man but because he
Is a working model Of another mans
torture. The tramp on his side, Is
an emblem Of freedom. Yet on &C
count Of his local color and the Gus
toms TO which he adheres would de
light more readers than the affections
to which he does not get an opportun
ity TO adhere.
Now, in a penltent!ary, food comes
and goes by weight Every dollar
worth is supposed to feed a certain
amount Of criminal. Seven hundred
people nourished day by day will
the same food, munching the breat
OF punishment, chewing the meat o
rule and regulation, carry out tn,
schedule provided for them. All an
petites are met with the same supply
all tastes the one satisfaction. Vas
rants. burglars, miscellaneous misde
meanants, attempters Of murder
thieves, consume the same fare Il
thrive through their term. The RICH
OF selection is eliminated. Rejection
OF one dish would be likely to dis
rupt the reiecter's whole meal
The lodging places OF the Lon
brosoites are examples Of crime 4
architecture fitted for crime in tn
person. AS the warden says, IN
sleeping places are built on the pla
OF the Pullman palace cars, tw
berths, one over the other.
The resemblance to the palace ca
is in economy Of cubic measurement.
The cells for the men are containe
In two sections Of the main bulldinr
one for the long.term men, the othe
for the short term. Down the Ian
room are six parallel rows OF cells 4
block, three stories high, back I
back. Skeleton stairways and pla,
forms Of iron lead to them. The Gel
block is Just large enough to hol
uhcomfortably these few hundre
men filed away for reference unit
che expiration Of their terms. vile
they are taken into the Office and "a
leased. Each cell car hold two m ,r
The first man to get one Of these &C N
partments takes his choice of tn
berths.
Out In the yard are acres Of ground
seemingly for no other purpose tha
TO keep the several buildings of IN
institution far apart from each Other
Some good.sized and airy sleepin
= places could be built there. on a Tn,
DRY not too airy or impractical wit
the designs Of prison life, especlall