Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1906-05-09
BENEFICIAL INOVATION
AT PENITENTIARY
Change in Clothing of Convicts--
TRUSTEES and Probationaries to Be
ENCOURAGED.

An innovation, and one which is
considered quite reform and In the
right direction has recently been in'~
troduced in the New Mexico peniten
tiary. The initiatory steps toward car
rying it out were introduced by Hon
H. O. Bursum when he was superln.
tendent of the institution and are be.
ing followed and extended by Captain
Arthur Trelford, the present superin-
tendent. The reform consists In a
change of the clothing worn by con-
victs. This has been adopted in many
of the foremost prisons and reforma'
tories Of the country and has so far
universally proven successful. 1t
helps the morale Of the convicts, helps
to restore them to good manhood and
selfconfidence rouses their better SEN
timents and characteristics and makes
them better satisfied with the lot they
must endure while under sentence Of
the law.
In the New Mexico penitentiary
the convicts have been divided into
three classes: The first grade. demon.
mated TRUSTEES" convicts in this
grade will wear clothing of plain dark
blue stuff with the number they car
ry on the records in small white mum
erals on the collar second grade,
probationary, clothing will be of
gray, resembling what is known as ca
det gray, the numbers being indicated
in red letters of larger size than
the first grade on the collar; third
grade will have to wear the prison
clothing or prison stripes with large
black numbers thereon.
In the New Mexico penitentiary con.
victs now wear the clothing above de-
scribed. 1t was made by the tailOrs
at the prison and the material and
workmanship are very good. The
suits for the first and second grades
are comfortable and we'll fitting Cap
tain Trelford is of the opinion that
the change has been good and he ex
poets still greater results hereafter.
The idea OF the change Is to give the
TRUSTEES" especially the best chance
to reform
New Dormitory Planned.
In addition, Superintendent Trelford
has under consideration plans for the
erection of dormitory for the trus-
ties wherein they will be housed In
large sleeping rooms and will not be
compelled to occupy small cells as
do all the convicts now, regardless of
length of sentence, of the nature Of
the crime and of general behavior.
good or bad. 1t is believed by Super
intendent Trelford that this plan will
also aid in making better men OF many
of the prisoners and in making them
more satisfied with their lot.
Up to Monday last, the detachment
Of fifty convicts at work on the Scenic
Highway In the Santa Fe Canon had
completed 1856 feet of as fine a high
way as has ever been constructed In
this or any other country. The work
Is now in hard rock, slow and difficult
A good deal OF blasting must be done
A power hand drill has been secured
which does the work Of four men. As
soon as this has been tried sufficiently
to show it's value, Superintendent
Trelford believes that he will purchase
three more of the same kind and will
keep four of these drills constantly at
work on the road.
Within two weeks, the superintend
ent expects that it will be necessary
to move the present location Of the
convlcts' camp two or three miles
east. 1t Is the intention to put up
and use for the temporary housing Of
the men frame building, which It As
believed, will be safer, more comfort
able and more satisfactory than the
use Of tents,